LAWRENCE, Kan. — West Virginia has won a men’s basketball game in every Big 12 arena — except Kansas’ Allen Fieldhouse — since joining the league in 2012-13.
The No. 9-ranked Jayhawks on Saturday improved to a perfect 10-0 all-time against Bob Huggins’ Mountaineers at home by overcoming an eight-point first-half deficit and running away from the unranked visitors, 85-59.
Jalen Wilson scored a career-high-tying 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting (with eight rebounds, five assists) while David McCormack started a game for the first time in the conference season and contributed 19 points and 15 rebounds for KU (14-2, 3-1). McCormack’s rebound total tied a career high.
Ochai Agbaji hit four 3s and scored 20 points for the Jayhawks, who were playing without guard Remy Martin, who has missed three of the last five games because of a knee injury. He sat on the bench but did not suit up for the game.
Malik Curry scored 23 points for the Mountaineers (13-3, 2-2), who hit 21 of 28 free throws to KU’s 5 of 9.
KU, which led 11-5 five minutes into the game, trailed 22-14 at 10:49 after having some problems breaking WVU’s press. The Jayhawks led 33-31 at the half despite hitting 2 of 5 free throws to the Mountaineers’ 14 of 15.
Agbaji had 10 points, while McCormack had nine in the initial half. Wilson contributed seven points for the Jayhawks. Christian Braun shot 1 for 7 and played 18 minutes. Dajuan Harris played just 10 minutes in the half after picking up two quick fouls.
Curry had 10 points and Jalen Bridges nine for WVU in the half. It was all about free-throw shooting as WVU trailed by just two despite hitting 7 of 31 shots for 22.6%. KU in the half hit 14 of 34 shots for 41.2%. KU was 3 of 10 from 3-point range; WVU 3 of 13.
KU opened the second half on a 9-0 run and led 42-31 at 16:26. McCormack had four points and Agbaji hit a three in the run. The Jayhawks expanded the lead to 20 points at 62-42 with 9:37 left.
However, WVU did not stop playing. The Mountaineers cut the gap to 64-50 at 7:33.
WVU, which is also 0-3 versus KU in the Big 12 Tournament but 6-3 at WVU Coliseum against Bill Self’s Jayhawks, will meet KU again on Feb. 19 in Morgantown.
The unranked Mountaineers had entered having won two in a row in league play. KU now has won two in a row since a loss to Texas Tech on Jan. 8.
The Jayhawks will next take on Oklahoma at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.
