MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — In an exciting matchup on Tuesday evening, BYU secured a close victory over West Virginia with a final score of 73-69, led by standout freshman Egor Demin, who contributed 16 points to the team’s efforts.

Kanon Catchings also made a significant impact for BYU (16-8, 7-6 Big 12), adding 11 points to the scoreboard. The Mountaineers, on their end, were bolstered by Toby Okani with 16 points, while both Jonathan Powell and Joseph Yesufu contributed 11 points each for West Virginia (15-9, 6-7).

Demin’s clutch performance culminated in a critical long-range 3-pointer just before the shot clock expired, giving BYU a narrow lead of 68-65 with 3:48 remaining in the game. In a spirited response, Okani capitalized on two consecutive offensive rebounds, allowing West Virginia to take the lead at 69-68 with just over two minutes left on the clock.

A foul by Okani on Demin proved pivotal; Demin sank two free throws with 58 seconds to play, regaining the lead for BYU at 70-69. West Virginia attempted to respond, but Yesufu’s missed 3-pointer opened the door for BYU to secure the rebound. Mihailo Boskovic then pushed the advantage with a layup and drew a foul, successfully converting his subsequent free throw to finalize the score.

In a noteworthy performance, West Virginia’s Javon Small, who boasts an average of 18.9 points per game—leading the Big 12—managed to be limited to just nine points. Small faced a tough moment as he fell hard while driving to the basket before halftime but managed to hit two free throws before momentarily leaving the game, later returning with determination.

As the first half concluded, Powell found himself unmarked in the right corner and took advantage, nailing a 3-pointer that granted West Virginia a slim lead of 34-32 at halftime. Additionally, BYU’s Trey Stewart, who had previously totaled only nine points for the season, significantly stepped up with eight points against West Virginia.

Looking ahead, both teams will be back in action on Saturday, with BYU set to host Kansas State, while West Virginia will travel to Baylor for their next matchup.