After consecutive victories over ranked opponents, West Virginia is off to its best start in more than 40 years.
Johannes Herber and Mike Gansey each scored 15 points Sunday to lift the Mountaineers past No. 17 North Carolina State 82-69 in Raleigh, N.C.
The Mountaineers improved to 10-0 for the first time since the 1959-60 season, when Jerry West played there. Six players scored in double figures, and West Virginia shot 59 percent.
Coach John Beilein said after the game that he would rather his team remain under the national radar, but he might not have a choice anymore. The Mountaineers defeated No. 20 George Washington 71-65 last week, then followed by beating a team that had won 48 of 52 non-conference home games.
That could add up to West Virginia’s first appearance in the Associated Press’ Top 25 since March 1998, which was the last year the Mountaineers reached the NCAA tournament.
The Mountaineers got contributions from just about everywhere Sunday. Gansey, a 6-foot-4-inch guard, led the team with 10 rebounds and four steals. Four players had at least three assists, five hit three-pointers and D’or Fisher blocked six shots.
“That is the story with this team,” Beilein said. “We hit shots, play hard and know that we can win.”
Freshman Andrew Brackman scored 19 points in his first start for the Wolfpack (10-3), which played without leading scorer Julius Hodge. Hodge, last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, was sidelined with a sprained right ankle suffered in last week’s lopsided loss to St. John’s. Wolfpack point guard Tony Bethel went scoreless for the third straight game.
RESULTS, SYNOPSIS
William & Mary 66 at #4 N.C. 105
Sean May shot 9 of 13 for 24 pts and Jawad Williams had 19 for Tar Heels, who are 12-0 since losing opener to Santa Clara. Corey Cofield and Nate Loehrke each had 16 for W&M (4-6).
#5 Wake Forest 89 at #25 Virginia 70
Chris Paul scored 21 pts, Justin Gray had 6 in 13-0 run as Deacons (12-1) won ACC opener. Cavs (8-2) scored 9 straight to close to 61-54 with 11:37 left, but Paul led 14-5 response.
Clemson 54 at #6 Duke 62
J.J. Redick scored 20 of his 24 in 2nd half, Lee Melchionni hit 2 clutch 3-pointers as Duke (9-0, 1-0 ACC) beat Tigers (9-4, 0-1) for 18th time in row. Duke’s Shelden Williams 13 pts, 16 rebs.
Bucknell at 69 #10 Pittsburgh 66
Kevin Bettencourt hit 2 FTs with 23 secs left as Bucknell (9-4) beat Pitt (10-1) for first time since Jim Valvano’s Bison did it in ’75. Pitt’s 48-game home non-conference win streak ended.
Stanford 73 at #13 Wash. 76
Mike Jensen and Tre Simmons each had 17 points to lead Huskies (12-1, 2-0 Pac-10). Defending conference champion Cardinal (6-6) off to 1st 0-2 league start since 1990-91.
Arizona State 79 at #14 Arizona 97
Channing Frye had 21 pts and Mustafa Shakur added 20 for Wildcats (11-2), who won 8th straight in Pac-10 opener for both. Ike Diogu had 23 pts, 11 rebs, 5 blks for ASU (11-2).
UNLV 82 at #15 Texas 89
P.J. Tucker had 25 pts, 10 rebs for Texas (10-2), which shook off UNLV (6-5) with 12-1 run after Rebels pulled within 67-65. Romel Beck and Jerel Blassingame each had 17 pts for UNLV.
Tennessee St. 64 at #19 Louisville 98
Francisco Garcia matched career-high 29 pts, including 8 straight during 27-4 run, as Louisville (11-2) pulled away from State (5-9). Garcia hit 4 of Cardinals’ 12 3-pointers.
Western Mich. 72 at N. Illinois 69
Ben Reed had 26 pts, hit fadeaway with 13 secs left for Western (9-4). Anthony Maestranzi of NIU (5-5) cut Broncs’ lead to 70-69 on 2 FTs with :48 left. Mike McKinney’s 19 pts led NIU.
Marquette 91 IPFW 57
Travis Diener had 21 pts, 11 assists and Todd Townsend scored 15 for Golden Eagles (12-1), off to best start since 1977-78 team was 15-1. Mastodons (3-11) have lost 6 in a row.
Drake 45 Southern Illinois 51
Jamaal Tatum had 12 pts, 4 assists for SIU (11-2). Salukis hit 23 of 56 from field but were just 25 pct from FT line (1 of 4) and behind arc (4 of 16). Drake had 23 turnovers.
Bradley 76 Indiana St. 66
Five Braves in double digits, led by Marcellus Sommerville’s 14, as Bradley improved to 8-2. Sycamores (5-8) led 39-36 at half but went 9 for 25 from field, 0 for 4 behind arc in 2nd half.
Eastern Illinois 67 at Purdue 87
Carl Landry’s 24 pts, 6 rebs led Boilermakers (4-6) to 3rd win in last 4 games. Emanuel Dildy scored season-high 25 on 9-of-13 shooting for Panthers (5-6), who fell to 0-5 on road.
Furman 52 at Indiana 68
Bracey Wright had best game of season (25 pts, 8 rebs, 5 assists) as Hoosiers (5-6) closed non-league schedule with 3rd straight win. Paladins (7-5) had topped 100 in last 3 games.
Texas A&M 62 at Penn State 60
Acie Law’s 2 FTs with 11.4 secs left won it for Aggies (11-0), who trailed by up to 15 in 2nd half. Law and Antoine Wright scored 19. Aaron Johnson led Lions (6-7) with 15 pts.
