West Virginia beats Rutgers
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) – Drew Schifino scored 24 points and, despite scoring just two baskets in the final 12:10, West Virginia took a 52-46 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. West Virginia (13-9, 4-6) moved ahead of Rutgers (11-11, 3-7) into fifth place in the Big East’s West Division and by beating the Scarlet Knights for the second time this year earned the tiebreaker if the two teams are tied at season’s end.
The Mountaineers, who trailed by 10 early in the game, opened their largest lead at 36-26. Schifino’s 3-pointer made it 39-32 with 12:10 remaining and WVU spent the remainder of the game holding off Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights, who hurt themselves by going 7-for-16 from the foul line, got within 43-42 on Ricky Shields 3-pointer with 4:24 remaining.
Joe Herber then fed Chaz Briggs for a dunk and Herber hit a jumper to make it 47-42. After Jerome Coleman’s jumper cut it to 47-44, Rutgers began to foul.
Patrick Beilein went 4-for-4 from the line in the final 29.8 seconds and Kevin Pittsnogle added a final free throw to ice it.
Coleman, who played most of the game in foul trouble and eventually fouled out, had 16 for Rutgers and Herve Lamizana added 11.
Rutgers shot just 32.1 percent from the field and 5-for-20 from 3-point range. WVU shot 36.4 percent and committed 12 turnovers, but made 14 of 19 from the foul line.
The Knights had their lowest point total since a 46-44 win over Princeton in December 2000. It was only the second time in 124 games they have been held under 50 points.
Rutgers scored the game’s first 10 points and held a 15-5 lead before going cold. The Knights went scoreless for 5:36 as WVU cut it to 15-14.
Coleman’s 3-pointer stopped the drought, but WVU finished with an 11-5 run for a 25-23 halftime lead. Both teams shot under 40 percent in the half and WVU had seven turnovers.