West Virginia hadn’t played in the NCAA Tournament in more than a thousand days.
When they took the floor against the No. 14 seed Morehead State in Friday’s first round matchup, it’s safe to say that the No. 3 seed Mountaineers were ready.
Propelled by Miles McBride, who led WVU with 30 points, West Virginia came out on top, winning 84-67.
The Mountaineers opened up strong out of the gate, running ahead to a 17-6 lead against the Ohio Valley Conference champs six minutes into the game. Yet, they quickly experienced the effort that earned the Eagles the No. 1 defensive ranking in their conference.
Morehead State, led by leading-scorer Johni Broome, turned the Mountaineers around, going on a 9-0 scoring run and tying the score at 17.
A layup from Sean McNeil around the nine minute mark ended the streak, and following a handful of baskets, the Mountaineers coasted into halftime with a 38-31 advantage.
West Virginia continued to roll in the second half, continuing to trade blows with the Eagles and keep them working from behind.
Following an 8-0 run midway through the half, the Mountaineers led 57-45. The team continued to pile on — with the lead reaching 18 at its peak — ultimately winning 84-67.
Following McBride in scoring was Jalen Bridges, who finished with 15. McNeil (13)and Derek Culver (12) were the remaining Mountaineers to score in double figures.
With seven, Culver led the Mountaineers in rebounding.
The win was Bob Huggins’ 900th of his coaching career.
Up Next: West Virginia will play next on Sunday, taking on No. 11 seed Syracuse.
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