The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

College Sports

December 11, 2011

Mountaineers take down Miami 77-66

Associated Press

MORGANTOWN — Kevin Jones didn’t have to carry the load Saturday night against Miami.

West Virginia’s leading scorer, who came in averaging 21.3 points per game, finished with only 12. 

No problem, said the guy who scored 30 Thursday night against Kansas State. He had Darryl “Truck” Bryant and Deniz Kilicli helping out as West Virginia beat Miami 77-66 for its second straight nonconference victory.

“‘Truck’ has been big for us during the past two games,” Jones said. “He’s playing at a real high level and I know that he’s going to keep on playing like that.  When you’ve got him in a zone like that and you’ve got Deniz Kilicli down low and he’s dominating the paint like that, it’s going to be real hard to get a win against us.”

Bryant scored a career-best 27 points and West Virginia’s defense put the clamps on Miami.

“I’ve been feeling good ever since last game,” said Bryant.  “I just needed one good game to put me where I need to be and I had it, so now I’m in a groove and I feel like I can’t be stopped right now.

“I don’t want that to be my career high.  I want to keep going higher and I want to keep winning, most importantly.  My teammates did a great job finding me.  I couldn’t have done it without them.”

For West Virginia (6-2) it was the second straight victory in about 48 hours after upsetting previously undefeated Kansas State in double overtime Thursday night. Miami (5-4) lost for the fourth time in its last five contests. The Hurricanes started the season 4-0.

Bryant, a senior, was 9 of 12 from the field and 5 of 7 from the 3-point line to eclipse his 24-point performance against the Wildcats. His five made shots from long range also were a personal high.

Kilicli finished with18 points and Jones had 12.

Miami’s Malcolm Grant had 17, including 11 in the first half, and Kenny Kadji and Garrius Adams scored 15 points apiece.

The Hurricanes owned a 37-35 first-half lead as both teams shot 50 percent from the field. The edge belonged to the visitors because they made 6 of 12 triples in the first 20 minutes.

But after intermission, West Virginia stifled the Hurricanes, who continually came up with empty possessions as Bryant and the Mountaineers pushed the lead.

“We guarded a lot better, and I thought our energy was a lot better in the second half,” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. “We changed how we guarded the ball screen, which I think slowed them down coming off the ball screen a little bit, and we made some shots. ‘Truck’ made some shots and everybody looks better when the ball goes in.”

In fact, Miami’s first field goal came with 11:01 left in the game. By then, West Virginia had the tussle in hand.

Trailing by a basket, the Mountaineers began the second half with an 8-0 run for a 43-37 lead with 17:26 left. Bryant and Kilicli scored all 12 points as West Virginia assumed a 51-39 lead with 14:56 to go.

Miami went seven consecutive possessions without scoring a field goal. The Hurricanes’ three free throws at the time were not enough against a soaring West Virginia team, which had outscored Miami 25-3 by the 11:27 mark. Freshman Aaron Brown’s 3-pointer at that juncture gave the Mountaineers their largest lead, 60-40.

West Virginia shot 54 percent (27 of 50) from the floor, 40 percent from long range (8 of 20) and 83.3 percent from the foul line (15 of 18). After hitting half of their 30 first-half shots, the Hurricanes made just 36 percent from the field (9 of 25) and 27.3 (3 of 11) from 3-point range in the second half.

Miami outrebounded West Virginia 15-14 in the first half, but like the defense, the board work picked up for the home team. It out-caromed the Hurricanes 33-26 for the game.

Jones led all rebounders with nine. Kilicli had the second most rebounds with eight.

 

Text Only
College Sports
  • Special moments, players and coaches in state sports history

    In celebration of West Virginia's 150th birthday, our sports staff decided to take a look at some of the athletes, coaches and venues that make sports in the Mountain State special.

    June 19, 2013

  • Huggins says WVU could be very good team

     Coach Bob Huggins admittedly feels much better about the West Virginia men’s basketball team as it prepares for the 2013-14 season.

    June 17, 2013

  • Bloop hits hurt Miners in first game of twin-bill with Paints

    Chicks may dig the long ball, but on some nights just a few well-placed bloop hits can spell more damage than home runs.

    June 15, 2013

  • Huggins says transfers not isolated case

    Coach Bob Huggins will tell you that losing four players to transfer mode from his West Virginia men’s basketball squad was not an unusual or isolated case.

    June 15, 2013

  • 012612 Bolen.jpg Bolen named assistant coach at East Tennessee State

    When Mountain State University lost its general accreditation last year, head basketball coach Bob Bolen was among many that were left without a job.
    However, as expected, he landed on his feet.
    The lifelong Beckley resident and former head coach at MSU has officially been named an assistant coach at East Tennessee State. The move, which had been rumored for weeks, was announced by the school Friday morning.

    June 14, 2013 5 Photos 1 Story

  • 061413 miners Just who are the 2013 Miners?

    A look at the Propsect League standings gives a clear picture of just how important today’s doubleheader between the Chillicothe Paints and the West Virginia Miners at Linda K. Epling Stadium will be for both teams.

    June 13, 2013 1 Photo

  • 061313 Miners.jpg Miscues cost Miners

    If only earned runs counted, the West Virginia Miners and the Slippery Rock Sliders may still be playing at Linda K. Epling Stadium.

    June 13, 2013 1 Photo

  • Geno in close battle with Sanchez for Jets’ QB spot

    If Geno Smith isn’t the starter this fall with the New York Jets, West Virginia University’s all-time leading passer won’t necessarily be holding a clipboard on the sidelines.

    June 13, 2013

  • 061213 Miners Miners win third straight

    Normally, Dale Davis would have batted left-handed in his seventh-inning at-bat against Slippery Rock reliever Kevin Becker-Mendito. But because of the right-hander’s sidearm motion, the switch-hitting Davis attacked from the right side.

    June 12, 2013 1 Photo

  • Prosecutor says handling of WVU FOIA requests OK

    It wasn’t until about a week ago that I found for certain who is responsible to make sure that the Freedom of Information of Act law is enforced in West Virginia.

    June 12, 2013