Javon Small got 25 points, Amani Hansberry had a double double with 18 points and 10 returns and West Virginia was defeating UCF 72-65 on Saturday in the final in the regular season for both teams.
Small, a 6-foot-3 senior guard who entered as the next leading painter in Big 12 at 18.2 points per match, chipped in nine assists and seven returns to flirt with a triple double. Mountaineers (19-12, 10-10 Big 12) won for the 10th time in its last 12 Senior Day matches before the upcoming conference tournament at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Small had 19 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including five 3 points, during the first half when West Virginia took a lead 47-25 into the break. The rock climbers shot 47.6 percent (20 out of 42), made 7 out of 22 triples and collected 24 points in the color during the opening 20 minutes.
A 24-10 driving pulled UCF (16-15, 7-13) within 60-49 at the 9:35 mark in the second half. Darius Johnson met two freeasts-after Sencire Harris received a technical foul-but Hansberry’s arrangement stopped a long West Virginia point dryer and gave the rock climbers a lead of 62-49 with 7:46 to go.
Johnson’s layout closed the gap to 67-64 with 2:04, but the beginner Jonathan Powell’s fifth 3-pointer came with 1:19 left and gave the rock climbs breathing room.
West Virginia, who overcame 13 second half turns, enjoyed a 40-37 advantage on the boards and moved them to 11-0 this season when they surpassed their opponent.
Johnson, who emphasized UCF’s Senior Night victory over Oklahoma State on Wednesday by making a career pile 36 points, led the road again on Saturday with a gaming pile 27. Keyshawn Hall, the leading painter in Big 12, ended with six on 1-of-10 shooting.
Moustapha Thiam added 13 points and seven returns and JJ Taylor came from the bench to get 12 points. The knights committed 17 sales that led to 16 West Virginia points.
Following his loss and Oklahoma State victory over Cincinnati on Saturday, UCF will be No. 14 seed when the first round in the BIG 12 tournament begins on March 11.
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