MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – Kevin McCullar Jr. finished with a game-high 24 points, but it was not enough as the West Virginia Mountaineers defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 91-85 on Saturday afternoon at WVU Coliseum.
West Virginia’s RaeQuan Battle scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Pat Suemnick added a career-high 20 points.
The Mountaineers (7-11, 2-3 Big 12) improved to 7-5 against Kansas in Morgantown and broke a six-game losing streak in the series.
West Virginia set the pace with an early 3-point shooting barrage and made key free throws in the end.
Kansas (15-3, 3-2) trailed for most of the second half until KJ Adams Jr. hit two free throws for an 81-80 lead with 2:41 remaining. Suemnick answered with a bank shot over Hunter Dickinson 35 seconds later to give the Mountaineers the lead for good.
West Virginia sealed the win by making nine of 10 free throws in the final 34 seconds.
Kerr Kriisa added 15 points for the Mountaineers.
Dickinson scored 19 and freshman Johnny Furphy hit three 3-pointers and grabbed three rebounds in the first four minutes and finished with 13 points. Nicolas Timberlake added 12 and Adams had 11.
The Mountaineers, the Big 12’s worst 3-point shooting team, made 12 of 21 (57%) from beyond the arc, including nine of their first 11.
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: It’s the most points allowed this season by the Jayhawks, who ran into a determined team that has beaten two straight ranked opponents at home.
West Virginia: With West Virginia center Jesse Edwards still out with a broken wrist, interim coach Josh Eilert stressed the importance of rebounding. The Mountaineers outrebounded Kansas 31-22, the Jayhawks’ lowest total this season.
UP NEXT
Kansas: Hosts Cincinnati on Monday night.
West Virginia: Plays at UCF on Tuesday night.
