A large portion of this game was not pretty for the Mountaineers who picked up their ninth win of the season over Mercyhurst on Sunday afternoon. West Virginia won by a score of 67-46 as they improved to 9-2 as they head into Big 12 Conference play.
If you were unable to catch the action or are looking for some key takeaways from the game, you can find them here:
1. Amani Hansberry exited the game with an ankle injury
Sophomore big man Amani Hansberry exited the game within the opening minute of play with an apparent ankle injury. Hansberry is averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds on the season. With the Mountaineers' next game not coming until December 31st, the hope is Hansberry will be ready to go when West Virginia takes on the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse.
2. Next man up! Hansberry’s replacements played well
Eduardo Andre checked in for Hansberry and made a big impact throughout the game using his size to his advantage against the undersized frontcourt of Mercyhurst. Andre finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. Haris Elezovic also filled in for the team in the post, and collected 4 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists.
3. Significant offensive struggles
The Mountaineers did not exactly light it up offensively and shot just 5-for-19 (26%) from 3-point range. The most significant drought of the game for the Mountaineers came at the end of the first half and lasted a few minutes into the second half. Coach DeVries attributes this to a lack of movement offensively.
4. Javon Small continues to thrive
Javon Small became a 1000-point scorer in this game, finishing with 19 points and 7 assists. Small has been just what the Mountaineers needed at the point guard position averaging nearly 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game this season. His presence on the court is of the utmost importance, especially with Tucker DeVries sidelined.
5. Tucker DeVries remains out
Tucker DeVries missed his third consecutive game as he was ruled out indefinitely with an upper-body injury nearly two weeks ago. While there is plenty of speculation regarding the timeline of a potential return for DeVries, Mountaineer fans will have to wait and see if he returns during Big 12 play.
6. Toby Okani records a double-double
Toby Okani has been a bright spot on several occasions this season and against Mercyhurst he recorded his first double-double as a Mountaineer with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Okani is a very good defender but has provided an added scoring punch through the first 11 games reaching double figures 6 times, including a 20-point performance against Arizona.
7. A few days off before a tough matchup with the Kansas Jayhawks
With the holidays approaching, West Virginia’s players and coaches will get a few days off to travel home and be with their families. The Mountaineers will return back to Morgantown on December 27th as they prepare for battle with Kansas on New Year’s Eve. Tip-off from Allen Fieldhouse is set for 2PM ET.