WOAY – Both West Virginia University basketball teams are spending Thanksgiving weekend in Florida, with each team recording a win on Thursday.
The men’s team is playing at the Advocare Invitational in Orlando, with their first-round matchup against Marist being much closer than the Mountaineers might have anticipated. Chase Harler made several critical three-pointers in the second half, as WVU held on to win 84-78 for a fourth straight victory. Jevon Carter led all scorers with 20 points, while Sagaba Konate recorded a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds). Bob Huggins’ team will face UCF on Friday afternoon.
Over at the Paradise Jam in Melbourne, the WVU women held Butler to seven points in the first quarter, setting the tone for a 75-68 win over the Bulldogs. All five starters reached double figures; Teana Muldrow led the way with 18 points, while Naomi Davenport had a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds. The Bulldogs rallied from their slow start to keep it close in the final minutes before WVU was able to pull away. Mike Carey’s squad plays Drexel on Friday afternoon.