Davis sparks No. 24 Texas over No. 10 West Virginia 85-78
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Eric Davis Jr. scored 15 points and sparked a flurry of first-half 3-pointers for No. 24 Texas as the Longhorns held off a late rally to beat No. 10 West Virginia 85-78 on Tuesday night.
Davis made four 3-pointers in the first half and Texas (17-9, 8-5 Big 12) had 10 in the game in capping a regular-season sweep of the Mountaineers. Texas broke a two-game losing streak.
Texas coach Shaka Smart had implored his team to show more emotion heading in a tough, late-season gauntlet against four ranked opponents in six games. Davis responded with arguably his best half of the season after scoring seven total points in the previous four games.
Isaiah Taylor led Texas with 23 points and seven assists.
Tarik Phillip scored 19 points for West Virginia (20-6, 9-4), which dropped one game behind No. 2 Kansas in the Big 12.
Jaysean Paige, the Mountaineers' leading scorer at 14.0 points per game, injured an ankle in the first half and never returned.
West Virginia, which trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half, pulled within 77-71 on a three-point play by Jonathan Holton with 38 seconds left. Texas put the game away with eight consecutive free throws.
The win is another big result on the NCAA Tournament resume of first-year coach Smart, who still hasn't lost three straight with the Longhorns. Texas is 5-3 against ranked opponents this season and three of its last five games will come against No. 25 Baylor, Kansas and No. 3 Oklahoma.
Just like its first win over the Mountaineers in January, Texas expertly handled West Virginia's pressing defense, turning the ball over just seven times. West Virginia attacked Texas ballhandlers early and produced three quick turnovers in the opening minutes that fueled a 12-4 Mountaineers lead.
But Texas cleaned up the sloppy play and quickly fought back before Davis took over the last 6 minutes of the first half with a slew of 3-pointers. Davis made three as the teams traded seven straight 3-pointers and his fourth pushed the Longhorns to a 45-36 halftime lead.
The Longhorns kept up the barrage in the second half. Connor Lammert's 3-pointer followed by a three-point play by Taylor quickly pushed Texas to a 12-point lead in the opening minutes.
Even when Texas' scoring slowed down, the Mountaineers couldn't make the run they needed to rally. After shooting 63 percent in the first half, West Virginia tapered off badly in the second and struggled from the free throw line.
And Texas kept handling the West Virginia press to perfection. Taylor's off-balance alley-oop pass to Prince Ibeh for a dunk finished off a three-pass sequence that sliced through the Mountaineers and put the Longhorns up 65-52.
TIP-INS
West Virginia: The Mountaineers played without starting guard Daxter Miles because of a strained right hamstring. Starting in his place was Teyvon Myers, who came in averaging just 2.2 points and finished with six points, one assist and no steals.
Texas: The Longhorns are keeping watch on their own injured lineup. Smart said this week that center Cam Ridley still hasn't been cleared to put his full weight on a surgically repaired bone in his right foot, putting his return before the postseason in doubt.
UP NEXT
West Virginia plays at No. 3 Oklahoma on Saturday
Texas hosts No. 25 Baylor on Saturday.