KEY POINTS
- West Virginia erased a late deficit to defeat Stanford 82-77 in an overtime thriller.
- Senior guard Honor Huff scored a team-high 21 points, including 8 in the extra period.
- The Mountaineers advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas to face either Rutgers or Creighton.
The West Virginia Mountaineers kept their postseason alive with a gritty 82-77 overtime win against the Stanford Cardinal. This quarterfinal matchup took place on Thursday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The victory allows West Virginia to move forward in the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament.
West Virginia appeared to be on the brink of elimination in the final seconds of regulation. Down by three points with under four seconds remaining, Honor Huff drew a foul on a long-range shot attempt. The senior guard remained composed and converted all three free throws to tie the game at 69-69.
The Mountaineers dominated the ensuing overtime period behind a historic performance from Huff. He scored seven consecutive points in the extra frame to give West Virginia a lead they would not relinquish. Huff finished the night with 21 points, officially surpassing the 2,000-career point milestone in the process.
The game began with Stanford establishing control through their standout freshman, Ebuka Okorie. The All-ACC first-team selection challenged the Mountaineers’ defense early, helping the Cardinal build a double-digit lead. Stanford led for the majority of the second half before West Virginia began their late comeback surge.
West Virginia’s defense proved decisive during the closing stages of the game. They limited Okorie’s efficiency down the stretch and forced several critical turnovers. Despite a poor shooting night from beyond the arc, the Mountaineers relied on their proficiency at the free-throw line.
The Mountaineers finished the contest making 22 of their 26 free-throw attempts. This accuracy provided a necessary cushion as they struggled with a 2-for-20 performance from three-point range. Harlan Obioha added a crucial three-point play in overtime to further ignite the West Virginia bench.
Stanford finishes their season with a 20-13 record following the narrow defeat. Coach Kyle Smith praised his team’s effort but noted the difficulty of containing a veteran-led squad in overtime. The Cardinal had hoped to use the tournament as a springboard for their second year in the ACC.
West Virginia now prepares for a semifinal clash on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. They will face the winner of the quarterfinal between Rutgers and Creighton for a spot in the championship. The winner of the tournament is guaranteed $300,000 in name, image, and likeness funding.
