CINCINNATI — In a strong performance, Javon Small contributed 19 points and nine assists to help West Virginia overcome Cincinnati with a score of 63-50 on Sunday, thus ending their three-game losing streak.
Small, who is currently averaging 19.1 points and holds the leading position in the Big 12 Conference for scoring, made 6 out of 14 shots from the field, including four successful three-pointers. Additionally, Joseph Yesufu was excellent from the field, finishing with 16 points after hitting all of his shots, going 4 for 4 from beyond the arc and a perfect 6 for 6 overall.
Cincinnati’s Day Day Thomas managed to score 10 points, but the team struggled overall, shooting only 31.5% from the field with 17 successful shots out of 54 attempts, resulting in their fourth consecutive loss with an overall record of 12-9 (2-8 in the conference).
West Virginia established control of the game by constructing a double-digit lead midway through the first half, reaching a score of 40-25 at halftime. During the first half, Small notably made three three-pointers, securing 14 points along with five assists to lead the Mountaineers.
Cincinnati attempted to close the gap, narrowing the score to 45-33 with 14:03 left in the game. However, West Virginia responded emphatically with a 14-4 run, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Yesufu, allowing them to maintain a comfortable double-digit lead for the remainder of the match.
Looking ahead, West Virginia is scheduled to face TCU on Wednesday, while Cincinnati will travel to take on UCF.
Home Small contributes 19 points as West Virginia defeats Cincinnati 63-50, snapping a...