Felix leads Texas to upset win over No. 6 West Virginia
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Javan Felix scored the final nine points for Texas and led the Longhorns to a 56-49 victory over No. 6 West Virginia on Wednesday night.
Felix, who finished with 17 points, shot 4 of 9 from the field, including 2 of 3 from 3-point range, and was 7 of 8 from the foul line against a Mountaineers team (15-3, 4-2 Big 12) that had not lost at the WVU Coliseum this season.
During the key stretch, Felix had a one-hand follow-up shot, two free throws, a 3-pointer and two more foul shots for the Longhorns (12-6, 4-2).
Because of light snow, slush and ice, Texas' team bus failed to arrive at the WVU Coliseum until 6:15 p.m., just 45 minutes before the tip.
West Virginia received double-doubles from Devin Williams - 11 points, 11 rebounds - and Jonathan Holton - 10 points, 14 rebounds.
Texas fought back from a brief deficit to take a 28-25 halftime lead over West Virginia. The Mountaineers charged ahead 34-29 with 15:24 left.
The Longhorns were ahead 42-37 with 9:18 remaining when West Virginia battled back. After Elijah Macon missed both free throws, Jaysean Paige got the ball and made a layup, and Holton followed with a score. Daxter Miles Jr.'s 3-pointer tied it.
Texas called a timeout with 6:17 left, then outscored West Virginia 14-7 the rest of the way.
The Longhorns, whose first-year coach Shaka Smart created a ''havoc'' press at his previous stop with VCU, turned the ball over just eight times.
The Mountaineers, who split with The AP's Nos. 1-2 teams (then Kansas and Oklahoma, respectively) last week, was turning its opponents over 27.3 percent of the game coming in. They were averaging 25 points off turnovers.
But the Mountaineers scored only seven points off turnovers against the Longhorns this night.
Neither team shot well. The Mountaineers were 19 of 60 from the field (31.7 percent) and just 3 of 21 from 3-point range (a 14.3 percent rate). Though West Virginia outrebounded Texas 49-33, the Mountaineers shot just 8 of 23 from the free-throw line.