Texas, ranked fifth, defeats No. 12 West Virginia 78-73 to clinch the Gulf Coast Showcase title.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — In a thrilling championship game at the Gulf Coast Showcase on Sunday, fifth-ranked Texas triumphed over 12th-ranked West Virginia with a final score of 78-73, thanks to the impressive performance of Aaliyah Moore, who netted 20 points.

Madison Booker contributed significantly, adding 19 points, while Kyla Oldacre and Justice Carlton chipped in with 13 and 10 points, respectively, helping secure the victory for the Longhorns.

On the opposing side, J.J. Quinerly led the Mountaineers with an outstanding 29 points, followed by Jordan Harrison with 20 and Sydney Shaw with 10 points, as West Virginia fell to 8-1 on the season.

Texas maintained command of the game with multiple leads stretching to as much as 11 points. However, West Virginia fought back with a 10-1 run to narrow the gap to just 48-46 after a layup from Kyah Watson, especially after Moore was sidelined due to foul trouble with 4:51 remaining in the third quarter.

Despite the challenge, the Longhorns regained momentum and extended their lead to 72-62 with just 1:36 left in the game. Shaw’s crucial three-pointer narrowed the score to 74-73 with only 43 seconds remaining, but the Mountaineers were unable to score again.

In the final moments, Carlton made a pivotal defensive play by stealing the ball with just 7 seconds on the clock, sealing the game with two successful free throws 1.6 seconds later.

One notable takeaway from the match was Texas’s dominance in offensive rebounds, holding an impressive 18-5 advantage in that category.

Looking ahead, Texas is set to face Notre Dame on Thursday, while West Virginia will go up against East Tennessee State on Saturday.