West Virginia defeats Kansas 86-75
West Virginia Stuns Kansas in Thrilling Conference Showdown
In a heart-stopping matchup at the WVU Coliseum, No. 15-ranked West Virginia University men's basketball team edged out visiting Kansas Jayhawks 86-75 on Monday night. The Mountaineers' dramatic comeback from a four-point halftime deficit will be remembered for a long time in Morgantown.
At the break, West Virginia trailed 43-39 but came out firing in the second half, outscoring Kansas 17-14 to retake the lead midway through the period. A pivotal three-pointer by senior forward Honor Huff sparked the surge, giving WVU its first lead of the night and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Huff finished with 23 points, including four treys, and a game-high 10 rebounds for the Mountaineers, who shot an impressive 58.0% from the field to outgun Kansas' 49.2%. The senior forward's performance was nothing short of spectacular as he battled his way through defenders all night.
On the other side of the court, Kansas struggled with its outside shooting, making just 30 percent of its attempts compared to West Virginia's 42.0% clip. Jayhawks leading scorer Darryn Peterson chipped in with 23 points but couldn't will his team to victory despite a strong all-around effort from Melvin Council Jr.
The Jayhawks were also plagued by turnovers, committing six miscues that WVU capitalized on for several easy baskets. The Mountaineers' bench provided a spark off the pine as well, outscoring Kansas' unit 13-7 in the second half to seal the win.
West Virginia's victory moves them up in conference standings and sets up a crucial matchup next week against a top-ranked foe.