The West Virginia Mountaineers ended the 2024 calendar year accomplishing something that had not been done since WVU joined the Big 12 Conference in 2012 -- they knocked off the 7th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks by a score of 62-61.
As a double-digit underdog entering the conference opener, West Virginia certainly had some adversity to overcome in order to pull off the upset. On top of that, West Virginia’s plane issues led to their arrival into Lawrence not coming until the middle of the night less than 12 hours before a game that was set for a 1 PM tip-off local time. Two starters for the Mountaineers were also ruled out for the matchup with Tucker DeVries (upper body) remaining sidelined and Amani Hansberry (ankle) joining him. The Kansas Jayhawks lose at Allen Fieldhouse very infrequently, but a shorthanded Mountaineer team that was lacking sleep was able to get the job done and pick up its first win in conference play.
How West Virginia was able to knock off the Kansas Jayhawks?
1. Javon Small's stability
Point Guard Javon Small played all but a few seconds for the Mountaineers in the win. Small has been nothing short of spectacular this season and was impactful yet again in the conference opener. Through the team’s first 11 games, Small had eclipsed 20+ points on 5 occasions. With DeVries and Hansberry sidelined you may have been led to think the Mountaineers would need 30+ points from Small just to have a chance against Kansas. Think again. Small impacted the game in a multitude of ways en route to a 13-point performance in which he did not make a 3-point field goal for the first time all season. But Small finished with a team-leading 11 rebounds (Eduardo Andre finished with 6) and a team-leading 6 assists. Small’s veteran presence, leadership, and ability to control the game helped carry the Mountaineers to victory.
2. Eduardo Andre’s best game as a Mountaineer came at a good time
Getting the start in place of Amani Hansberry, Eduardo Andre refused to back down. Matched up with 2-time All-American big man Hunter Dickinson, Andre had it going on both ends of the floor and was a huge reason why West Virginia was able to build a double-digit lead in the first half. Andre finished with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting while adding 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 assists in a season-high 34 minutes. Andre also had 14 points in WVU’s previous matchup with Mercyhurst, meaning Andre has scored 29 points in the last two games after having just 30 points total in the team's first 10 games.
3. Resiliency and timely baskets
Whether you were in Allen Fieldhouse or watching the game from the comfort of your own home, you might have had a feeling that the Jayhawks were going to make a run -- and they did. But West Virginia continued to respond with big play after big play. Kansas had cut the West Virginia lead to 2 and freshman KJ Tenner responded with a deep floater. This was followed up by a WVU defensive stand and a Joseph Yesufu three-point basket to extend the lead back to 7 with 5 minutes remaining.
In a 1-point game with 24 seconds left, Javon Small calmly made two free throws. After Kansas star Zeke Mayo converted on an "and-1" and tied the game, it was Small again drawing a foul and getting to the free throw line where he would make 1-of-2 to give the Mountaineers a 62-61 lead with just 1.8 seconds remaining. Through adversity on and off the court, West Virginia survived and escaped Allen Fieldhouse with a narrow victory, thwarting the Jayhawks' threat of a comeback win.
4. Big impacts by true freshman
Both Jonathan Powell and KJ Tenner may have very bright futures for the Mountaineers but West Virginia needed their best efforts today in order to pick up the upset win. Powell finished with 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting from 3-point territory, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Tenner had 2 points (a timely floater late) and 4 assists (improving to 20 assists and just 4 turnovers on the season).
5. Darian DeVries had some excellent coaching decisions
A shorthanded Mountaineer team forced Head Coach Darian DeVries to get creative with his lineups. DeVries showed an ability to adapt to in-game circumstances, which contributed to the win. Whether making offense-for-defense or defense-for-offense substitutions, it seemed like DeVries had the right guys on the floor at the appropriate times. Down 2 starters, it was a next-man-up mentality that helped lead West Virginia. Each player who stepped on the floor for WVU had an impact on winning and major credit is due to the head coach for putting his players in position to be successful.
Freshman KJ Tenner played 19 minutes, the second-most minutes he has had all season and it came in arguably the toughest place to play, Allen Fieldhouse. The same can be said for freshman Jonathan Powell who also played his second-most minutes with 32 against Kansas. While WVU was shorthanded, DeVries showed tremendous trust in players like Tenner, Powell, and Andre leading to this massive win.
Through just 12 games at WVU, Coach DeVries now has 3 big-time wins against Gonzaga, Arizona, and now Kansas.