RaeQuan Battle, Pat Suemnick lead West Virginia over No. 3 Kansas 91-85
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) West Virginia can finally enjoy some positives after going through the wringer the past eight months.
The Mountaineers have endured Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins' exit following a drunken driving arrest that led to a roster makeover.
Add to that a preseason health scare for forward Akok Akok, a nine-game suspension for guard Kerr Kriisa, Jesse Edwards missing the past month with a broken wrist, and an ongoing court fight with the NCAA that had temporarily sidelined multiple-transfer players RaeQuan Battle and Noah Farrakhan.
Tipping the scale in the other direction was Saturday's euphoria. Battle scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Pat Suemnick added a career-high 20 points and West Virginia beat No. 3 Kansas 91-85.
“It’s a surreal moment, man,” Battle said. “It’s hard to win games like that, especially doing it at this level and being a few steps behind because we had a crazy offseason. I’m just proud of this team and the coaching staff.”
Fans stormed the court after 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.
“That one felt good,” said West Virginia interim coach Josh Eilert, who took over a week after Huggins' arrest.
“That's what our guys needed,” Eilert said. "I’m going to savor it tonight, I promise you that. We’ve been through a lot. This fan base has been through a lot. But tomorrow it’s right back to it to figure out a game plan for Central Florida.”
The win came a week after the Mountaineers beat then-No. 25 Texas, also at home.
West Virginia set the pace Saturday with an early 3-point barrage and outhustled the Jayhawks to get key free throws in the end.
Kansas (15-3, 3-2) trailed for most of the second half until KJ Adams 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.
“I just think we wanted it more,” Suemnick said.
Kriisa added 15 points for the Mountaineers.
Kevin McCullar led Kansas with 24 points and Dickinson scored 19. Freshman Johnny Furphy hit three 3-pointers and grabbed three rebounds in the first four minutes but went 22 minutes before scoring again and finished with 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
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.
Shooting wasn't a problem for Kansas, either. The Jayhawks went 32 of 60 (53%) from the floor.
“There's going to be games like this for everybody" in the Big 12, Kansas coach Bill Self said. “It's a monster league.”
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Kansas could drop several spots in the AP Top 25 poll.
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 Edwards still out, Eilert stressed the importance of rebounding. The Mountaineers outrebounded Kansas 31-22, the Jayhawks' lowest total this season.
“I felt like we were quicker to the ball,” Eilert said.
UP NEXT
Kansas: Hosts Cincinnati on Monday night.
West Virginia: Plays at UCF on Tuesday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Hunter Dickinson vs. Patrick Suemnick (Jayhawks gains possession) | |||
19:39 | Jump ball. Hunter Dickinson vs. Kerr Kriisa (Mountaineers gains possession) | |||
19:39 | KJ Adams Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Kerr Kriisa steals) | |||
19:39 | Hunter Dickinson personal foul | |||
19:18 | Dajuan Harris Jr. shooting foul (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul) | |||
19:18 | +1 | RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 0-1 | |
19:18 | +1 | RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 0-2 | |
18:59 | Dajuan Harris Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
18:57 | Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound | |||
18:35 | RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot | |||
18:33 | KJ Adams Jr. defensive rebound | |||
18:18 | +3 | Johnny Furphy makes three point jump shot (Kevin McCullar Jr. assists) | 3-2 | |
18:04 | Patrick Suemnick misses two point jump shot | |||
18:02 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
17:54 | Hunter Dickinson misses two point jump shot | |||
17:50 | Johnny Furphy offensive rebound | |||
17:43 | Akok Akok shooting foul (KJ Adams Jr. draws the foul) | |||
17:43 | +1 | KJ Adams Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 4-2 | |
17:43 | KJ Adams Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
17:43 | Johnny Furphy offensive rebound | |||
17:39 | +3 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes three point jump shot (Johnny Furphy assists) | 7-2 | |
17:24 | +3 | Kerr Kriisa makes three point jump shot (Akok Akok assists) | 7-5 | |
17:02 | +3 | Johnny Furphy makes three point jump shot (Kevin McCullar Jr. assists) | 10-5 | |
16:37 | Kevin McCullar Jr. shooting foul (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul) | |||
16:37 | +1 | RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-6 | |
16:37 | RaeQuan Battle misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
16:37 | Kevin McCullar Jr. defensive rebound | |||
16:16 | +3 | Johnny Furphy makes three point jump shot (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 13-6 | |
15:57 | Patrick Suemnick turnover (traveling) | |||
15:57 | TV timeout | |||
15:34 | Hunter Dickinson misses two point jump shot | |||
15:32 | Seth Wilson defensive rebound | |||
15:05 | +3 | Kobe Johnson makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 13-9 | |
14:43 | +2 | Dajuan Harris Jr. makes two point layup | 15-9 | |
14:17 | +3 | Kerr Kriisa makes three point jump shot (Quinn Slazinski assists) | 15-12 | |
14:04 | Dajuan Harris Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
14:02 | Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound | |||
13:47 | +3 | Seth Wilson makes three point jump shot (Quinn Slazinski assists) | 15-15 | |
13:23 | +2 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes two point layup (Hunter Dickinson assists) | 17-15 | |
13:23 | Kerr Kriisa shooting foul (Kevin McCullar Jr. draws the foul) | |||
13:23 | +1 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 18-15 | |
13:09 | Quinn Slazinski turnover (traveling) | |||
12:59 | +2 | KJ Adams Jr. makes two point dunk (Dajuan Harris Jr. assists) | 20-15 | |
12:36 | +3 | Kerr Kriisa makes three point jump shot | 20-18 | |
12:25 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point jump shot (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 22-18 | |
12:03 | Hunter Dickinson blocks Patrick Suemnick's two point layup | |||
12:01 | Hunter Dickinson defensive rebound | |||
11:49 | Seth Wilson personal foul (KJ Adams Jr. draws the foul) | |||
11:49 | TV timeout | |||
11:37 | Hunter Dickinson misses two point jump shot | |||
11:35 | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | |||
11:29 | +3 | Akok Akok makes three point jump shot (Quinn Slazinski assists) | 22-21 | |
11:16 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point layup | 24-21 | |
11:00 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point jump shot | 24-23 | |
10:41 | Hunter Dickinson misses two point layup | |||
10:39 | Akok Akok defensive rebound | |||
10:15 | Noah Farrakhan misses two point jump shot | |||
10:13 | Noah Farrakhan offensive rebound | |||
10:08 | Noah Farrakhan misses two point layup | |||
10:06 | Kevin McCullar Jr. shooting foul (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul) | |||
10:06 | +1 | RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-24 | |
10:06 | +1 | RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-25 | |
9:51 | Quinn Slazinski personal foul (KJ Adams Jr. draws the foul) | |||
9:42 | Johnny Furphy misses three point jump shot | |||
9:40 | Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound | |||
9:16 | Patrick Suemnick misses two point jump shot | |||
9:14 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
9:05 | +3 | Nicolas Timberlake makes three point jump shot (KJ Adams Jr. assists) | 27-25 | |
8:41 | +2 | Patrick Suemnick makes two point jump shot (RaeQuan Battle assists) | 27-27 | |
8:31 | Nicolas Timberlake misses three point jump shot | |||
8:29 | Noah Farrakhan defensive rebound | |||
8:23 | Quinn Slazinski misses three point jump shot | |||
8:21 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
8:08 | +2 | Nicolas Timberlake makes two point layup | 29-27 | |
7:47 | Johnny Furphy personal foul (Noah Farrakhan draws the foul) | |||
7:47 | TV timeout | |||
7:38 | +3 | Quinn Slazinski makes three point jump shot (Josiah Harris assists) | 29-30 | |
7:17 | +2 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes two point jump shot (Hunter Dickinson assists) | 31-30 | |
6:57 | +3 | RaeQuan Battle makes three point jump shot (Noah Farrakhan assists) | 31-33 | |
6:53 | Jayhawks 30 second timeout | |||
6:35 | Hunter Dickinson misses three point jump shot | |||
6:33 | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | |||
6:19 | Kerr Kriisa misses two point layup | |||
6:17 | Patrick Suemnick offensive rebound | |||
6:14 | Johnny Furphy shooting foul (Patrick Suemnick draws the foul) | |||
6:14 | Patrick Suemnick misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:14 | +1 | Patrick Suemnick makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-34 | |
6:03 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point dunk (Dajuan Harris Jr. assists) | 33-34 | |
5:49 | +3 | RaeQuan Battle makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists) | 33-37 | |
5:26 | RaeQuan Battle shooting foul (Hunter Dickinson draws the foul) | |||
5:26 | +1 | Hunter Dickinson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 34-37 | |
5:26 | +1 | Hunter Dickinson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 35-37 | |
5:01 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point jump shot | 35-39 | |
4:40 | Johnny Furphy misses three point jump shot | |||
4:38 | Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound | |||
4:35 | Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot | |||
4:33 | Johnny Furphy defensive rebound | |||
4:27 | Johnny Furphy misses two point layup | |||
4:25 | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | |||
4:21 | +2 | RaeQuan Battle makes two point jump shot | 35-41 | |
4:03 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point layup (Johnny Furphy assists) | 37-41 | |
4:03 | Patrick Suemnick shooting foul (Hunter Dickinson draws the foul) | |||
4:03 | +1 | Hunter Dickinson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 38-41 | |
3:51 | Kerr Kriisa turnover (bad pass) (Dajuan Harris Jr. steals) | |||
3:48 | Kerr Kriisa shooting foul (Nicolas Timberlake draws the foul) | |||
3:48 | TV timeout | |||
3:48 | +1 | Nicolas Timberlake makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 39-41 | |
3:48 | +1 | Nicolas Timberlake makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 40-41 | |
3:28 | Kobe Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
3:26 | Nicolas Timberlake defensive rebound | |||
3:21 | +2 | Dajuan Harris Jr. makes two point layup (Nicolas Timberlake assists) | 42-41 | |
2:58 | +2 | Patrick Suemnick makes two point jump shot (RaeQuan Battle assists) | 42-43 | |
2:48 | +3 | Nicolas Timberlake makes three point jump shot (Hunter Dickinson assists) | 45-43 | |
2:37 | Kobe Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Hunter Dickinson steals) | |||
2:29 | Hunter Dickinson misses three point jump shot | |||
2:27 | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | |||
2:09 | Kerr Kriisa turnover (bad pass) (Nicolas Timberlake steals) | |||
2:04 | +2 | Nicolas Timberlake makes two point layup | 47-43 | |
1:53 | Mountaineers 30 second timeout | |||
1:41 | +2 | Patrick Suemnick makes two point layup (Noah Farrakhan assists) | 47-45 | |
1:23 | Quinn Slazinski personal foul (KJ Adams Jr. draws the foul) | |||
1:23 | KJ Adams Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:23 | RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound | |||
1:11 | +2 | Patrick Suemnick makes two point layup (Noah Farrakhan assists) | 47-47 | |
0:52 | +2 | Kevin McCullar Jr. makes two point jump shot | 49-47 | |
0:35 | RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot | |||
0:33 | Patrick Suemnick offensive rebound | |||
0:30 | Nicolas Timberlake shooting foul (Patrick Suemnick draws the foul) | |||
0:30 | +1 | Patrick Suemnick makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 49-48 | |
0:30 | +1 | Patrick Suemnick makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 49-49 | |
0:04 | +2 | Hunter Dickinson makes two point layup | 51-49 | |
0:01 | Jamari McDowell shooting foul (Noah Farrakhan draws the foul) | |||
0:01 | +1 | Noah Farrakhan makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 51-50 | |
0:01 | +1 | Noah Farrakhan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 51-51 | |
0:00 | Hunter Dickinson turnover (bad pass) (Patrick Suemnick steals) | |||
0:00 | End of period |