West Virginia men's basketball bulldozes past Bethune-Cookman 84-61

It was another big night for West Virginia senior Javon Small in a season that has been full of big nights.

As the Mountaineers hosted Bethune-Cookman in their penultimate non-conference matchup and their second game since senior forward Tucker DeVries was ruled out indefinitely due to injury, Small shouldered a big scoring load for his team. With the WVU bench plagued by depth issue and the bench only contributing 15-of-84 points, Small was able to compensate as he recorded his fifth 20+ point performance in 10 games as he dropped 27 points and the Mountaineers cruised to a 84-61 win.

The game also proved another stepping stone for true freshman Jonathan Powell to re-discover his confidence -- Powell started the season with four consecutive double-digit scoring efforts, during which he converted 12-of-29 three-point buckets. However, his next four game stretch saw him shoot just 2-of-15 from behind-the-arc and score just 8 combined points.

It was assumed by fans that the team would need Powell to supplement the scoring of DeVries and Small for the team to find success, and while Amani Hansberry has helped out in that regard, it's more crucial than ever for Powell to regain his footing as a scorer. He started the process with a career-high 17 points on six field goals (four 3-pointers) and one free throw against North Carolina Central, but more importantly maintained that momentum with a 14-point effort against Bethune-Cookman (2-8) that saw him convert 4-of-9 from three-point range.

The Mountaineers now have a week off from action to rest -- they next take the hardwood in eight days when they host Mercyhurst in their final game on the non-conference slate on Sunday, December 22nd. That contest is slated for a 2:00 PM tip-off from the WVU Coliseum.