West Virginia aims to secure its second four-game winning streak of the season on Thursday when it hosts Stony Brook in Morgantown, W. Va.
The Mountaineers (9-2) began the season with four victories before splitting their next four games. West Virginia answered an 84-74 setback at Xavier on Dec. 3 by revving its high-octane offense in recording three double-digit wins.
The Mountaineers lead the Big 12 by averaging 81.9 points a game and in the past three have averaged 87.3. They shoot a robust 49.8 percent from the floor, with Erik Stevenson leading the way with a 14.4-point average. Tre Mitchell (13.3), Emmitt Matthews Jr. (10.8) and Joe Toussaint (10.6) also average double-digit scoring.
“This team reminds me of my sophomore year (at Wichita State) because we have so many guys who can knock down a shot,” Stevenson said, referring to a team that won 23 games, which were the most in his four-school college basketball career. “We can score from the outside, we can score from the mid-range, and we can get close and score.”
Stevenson scored a season-high 22 points Sunday in West Virginia’s 96-78 romp over Buffalo. Jimmy Bell Jr. recorded a career-high 18 points and 10 rebounds and Mitchell added 17 points in the victory versus the Bulls.
While the Mountaineers have enjoyed a fast start to the season, the Seawolves (4-8) lost seven of their first nine games before posting wins in two of their past three.
Frankie Policelli matched a career high with 22 points and grabbed a personal-best 19 rebounds in Stony Brook’s 66-59 victory over Army on Sunday.
“From the bench I saw (Kenan) Sarvan having success getting in the paint. He laid out the formula for me,” Policelli said, per Newsday. “I tried to take my time in the paint, slow things down and get some easy buckets.”
Keenan Fitzmorris contributed 14 points, nine boards and three blocks for the Seawolves.
Tyler Stephenson-Moore, Stony Brook’s leading scorer this season at 14.8 points per game, overcame a scoreless first half to finish with 10 points in the second.
–Field Level Media