For the third day in a row, West Virginia played in a game that featured overtime.
Unlike yesterday, but similar to Wednesday, the Mountaineers caught fire in the extra session as Tucker DeVries scored 26 total points and Toby Okani added 20 as WVU knocked off No. 24 Arizona, 83-76 on Friday.
Arizona started the game hot from the field, leading 10-3 within the first five minutes. That lead held until Tucker DeVries got going for the Mountaineers for the first time all tournament.
DeVries scored 17 points in the first half, making five 3-pointers. WVU took the lead with 8:46 to play in the first half after the Mountaineers went on a 6-0 run, with Toby Okani making a jumper to put WVU in front 21-20.
It would go back and forth, with Arizona leading by six with 4:09 to play before DeVries caught serious fire. DeVries scored nine consecutive points, all on 3-pointers, before he also made two free throws with 1:09 to play as the Mountaineers led 39-37 at the break.
West Virginia’s lead would hold to start the second half, growing to as many as five before Arizona tied the game at 46-46 with 15:03 to play.
The Mountaineers responded with an 8-0 run and all points coming from scorers other than DeVries. West Virginia extended their lead to 10 points twice, but the Wildcats continued to answer the Mountaineers.
Caleb Love made a three-pointer with just about 7:00 to play as WVU’s lead was cut to 61-56. Devries would have multiple chances on the offensive end to extend WVU’s lead but couldn’t find a make. At the same time, WVU would tighten their grip on defense, as both teams went scoreless for almost three minutes before Javon Small would make a pair of free throws. Arizona responded as KJ Lewis made a layup and was fouled by DeVries, his fourth, as WVU’s lead was cut to four with 4:11 to play.
West Virginia would have the ball out of a timeout, but they turned it over, leading to a layup from Arizona to cut WVU’s lead to 63-61. WVU would get a stop on defense before DeVries found Okani for a 3-pointer to put WVU in front by five with just about 2:00 to play.
Arizona made a layup with 47 seconds to play before Small drove on offense for WVU, and he was unable to convert. Love then came right back down the floor for Arizona, hitting a 3-pointer, tying the game at 66-66 with 14.1 seconds to play. WVU turned to DeVries, who would have a jumper at the elbow but missed it as time expired, sending it to overtime.
In overtime, WVU scored the first five points as Amani Hansberry made a layup before DeVries made his eighth 3-pointer of the afternoon, as WVU led by five. Okani then made a jumper and a 3-pointer before Small knocked on two free throws, putting West Virginia in front 78-70 with 1:32 to play in overtime.
West Virginia then used two timeouts as Arizona trapped the Mountaineers, but they eventually turned it over with 50 seconds to play.
Love made an easy layup off the inbounds pass as WVU’s lead was cut to four with 49.2 to play. Small would head back to the free throw line with 46.2 seconds to play after he was fouled, making both free throws to put them back in front by six.
WVU would get a stop on the defensive end as Small went back to the free throw line, making two more as they went up by eight with 27 seconds left.
Small went back to three free throw line after a quick score from the Wildcats, missing the first shot before making the second to put West Virginia ahead by seven. Arizona chucked up a 3-pointer but missed, as WVU would be able to dribble out the clock.
WVU ended the game shooting 40 percent from the field, going 12-for-34 from three-point range. Arizona made 45 percent of their shots, going 7-for-21 from three.
WVU ends the Battle 4 Atlantis 2-1 with a pair of ranked wins over No. 3 Gonzaga and No. 24 Arizona.
