Mountaineers smash Savannah State, improve to 8-1
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – Joe Alexander scored 16 of his game-high 18 points in the first half and West Virginia hit a dozen 3-pointers in a 76-41 win over Savannah State on Saturday. Frank Young added 15 points and Alex Ruoff scored 11 for West Virginia (8-1).
Savannah State (5-9) lost its ninth consecutive game after opening the year with five straight wins.
West Virginia, which leads the Big East with 11.2 3-pointers per game, hit three in a row for a 28-10 lead with 5:32 remaining in the half and Savannah State got no closer than 14 points afterward.
Alexander, who tied a career-high for points set earlier this season against Montana, scored 10 of West Virginia’s final 12 points of the half for a 43-24 lead.
Savannah State committed 26 turnovers that led to a season-best 40 points for West Virginia. WVU has forced an average of 22.8 turnovers per game and has committed just 94, the third-fewest in the nation.
Josh Obiajunwa scored nine points to lead Savannah State while Javon Randolph, averaging 16.7 points, was held to a season-low four.
West Virginia advanced to 18-0 in December home games under fifth-year coach John Beilein. In its eight wins, opponents are averaging just 48 points per game.