The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
12-6/4-2
West Virginia
15-3/4-2
Felix leads Men's Basketball to 56-49 win at No. 6/7 West Virginia
01.20.2016 | Men's Basketball
Senior guard registers game-high 17 points to lead Longhorns to first true road win against AP Top 10 opponent since 2010-11.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Senior guard Javan Felix scored the team's final nine points of the game to lead the Longhorns to an impressive 56-49 win at No. 6/7 West Virginia on Wednesday night at WVU Coliseum. Felix finished the night with a game-high 17 points, converting 2-of-3 three-pointers and 7-of-8 free throws, and added two rebounds.
This marked UT's first true road win against an AP Top 10 team since a 74-63 win at No. 2 Kansas on Jan. 22, 2011. The Longhorns (12-6, 4-2 Big 12) have won four of their last five games, including the last three straight.
The Longhorns held West Virginia to 49 points on 31.1-percent shooting from the floor (19-of-61), including a 14.3-percent mark from behind the 3-point line (3-of-21). Texas committed just 8 turnovers against a West Virginia team that entered the game leading the country in steals (11.4 pg) and turnovers forced (20.7 pg).
Devin Williams led West Virginia (15-3, 4-2 Big 12) with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Jonathan Holton also recorded a double-double for the Mountaineers, adding 10 points and 14 rebounds.
After both defenses dominated play for the majority of the first half, freshman Tevin Mack provided a spark with a steal and a layup to give Texas a 17-11 advantage with 6:56 remaining. Trailing 25-23 at the 1:00 mark, the Horns used a Felix three-pointer and a pair of Isaiah Taylor free throws to take a 28-25 lead into the break.
Texas did not allow a West Virginia field goal until the 16:07 mark, and the Longhorns built a 34-29 lead following a Kendal Yancy drive and dunk with 15:31 remaining. The Horns increased their cushion to 42-35 at the 9:18 mark after an impressive alley-oop from Taylor to Prince Ibeh.
The Mountaineers used a 7-0 run to tie the score at 42-42 after a Daxter Miles Jr. three-pointer with 6:20 left. Texas then responded with five consecutive points on a Shaquille Cleare dunk and a Connor Lammert three-pointer to build a 47-42 lead at the 4:58 mark.
After an Elijah Macon jumper trimmed the margin to 49-47 with 2:27, Felix took over the game. The senior guard grabbed an offensive rebound and converted a baseline jumper, nailed a three-pointer in front of the Texas bench and hit two free throws to give the Longhorns a 56-47 cushion and seal the victory.
The Longhorns travel to play at No. 2/2 Kansas on Saturday, Jan. 23. Tip is set for 1 p.m. Central at Allen Fieldhouse, and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
Texas Basketball Postgame Notes
Texas 56, #6/7 West Virginia 49
January 20, 2016
WVU Coliseum (Morgantown, W. Va.)
Attendance: 9,881
Team Notes
UT improved to 3-1 this season in games against the AP Top 25.
Texas posted its first true road victory against an AP Top 10 opponent (No. 6 West Virginia) since a 74-63 win at No. 2 Kansas on Jan. 22, 2011.
The Longhorns posted their first true road win against an AP Top 25 opponent since a 74-60 victory at No. 24 Baylor on Jan. 25, 2014.
Texas now holds a 7-4 lead in the all-time series against West Virginia. The Horns have won five of the last six contests in the series.
UT held West Virginia to just 49 points on 31.1% FG shooting (19-of-61), including a 3-of-21 (.143) mark from three-point range.
West Virginia entered the game with an 8-0 home record and a +33.5 scoring margin in those previous eight contests (including a 74-63 win against then-No. 1 Kansas). WVU also entered the game averaging 91.1 ppg at home.
West Virginia entered the game leading the nation (Division I) in steals (11.4 per game) and turnovers forced (20.7 per game). WVU registered only 3 steals and 8 forced turnovers in Wednesday's game. Prior to Wednesday's contest, West Virginia had posted at least 7 steals in every game and had forced at least 14 turnovers in every game.
Texas committed just 8 turnovers during the game, marking the fourth straight contest that the Horns have had less than 10 turnovers. UT has committed just 27 total turnovers in its last four games.
UT converted 18-of-30 free throws (including 10-of-14 in the second half), while West Virginia hit just 8-of-23 free throws.
For the second straight contest, all 10 UT scholarship players scored at least 2 points.
Saw 22 minutes of action (one shy of his season high, 23 at TCU)
Reached double figures in scoring (team-high 17 points) for the 12th time this year and 55th time in his career (117 games)
Tied his career high in FT made (7-of-8)
Led the team in rebounds (6) for the first time this year
Recorded 3 assists without a turnover in 36 minutes against the West Virginia press
Tied his season high in scoring (7 points) on 3-of-3 FG
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