West Virginia defeats Mercer
Senior guard Finley Bizjack scored 15 points to lead the West Virginia Mountaineers past the Mercer Bears 75-61 on Thursday night at Hope Coliseum, according to West Virginia Mountaineers On SI.
The victory brings the Mountaineers’ record to 3-0 on the young season. Mercer drops to 2-3 with the road loss.
West Virginia struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 31.3% from the field. The team went 4-for-18 from three-point range, marking its worst shooting half of the season.
“We were getting good looks but just could not knock them down,” West Virginia Mountaineers On SI reported of the first-half offensive execution.
The Mountaineers held a narrow 31-28 edge at halftime after limiting Mercer to 32.1% shooting from the field. West Virginia improved in the second half, shooting 13-26 from the floor to finish the night at 39.7%.
West Virginia wins despite Mercer second-chance points
West Virginia outrebounded Mercer 41-34 overall but surrendered 14 offensive rebounds. Those boards led to 12 second-chance points for the Bears.
“Some lucky bounces and bad misses fell in to the hands of the Bears, which some led to easy baskets,” West Virginia Mountaineers On SI noted regarding the rebounding battle.
Despite the struggles on the glass, the Mountaineers maintained control of the game through better shooting efficiency after the intermission. Freshman guard Miles Sadler contributed 12 points and six assists in the win.
Upcoming Players Era Festival
West Virginia leaves for Las Vegas next week to compete in the Players Era Festival. The team opens the tournament against Auburn. The lack of early-season notoriety among West Virginia’s opponents may have caused the group to look ahead toward the marquee matchup in Las Vegas. “It’s not uncommon for teams to look ahead at a marquee matchup, but in only game three of the season, there’s plenty to work on,” West Virginia Mountaineers On SI stated about the team’s focus. The Mountaineers played with less tenacity than they showed in their first two victories. “I’ll chalk it up to slightly looking ahead and just an off-night shooting from the field,” West Virginia Mountaineers On SI reported.
Questions about West Virginia playing Mercer
When did West Virginia play Mercer?
The West Virginia Mountaineers played the Mercer Bears on Thursday night.
Where was the game held?
The matchup took place at Hope Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Who led West Virginia in scoring?
Senior guard Finley Bizjack led the Mountaineers with 15 points.
Who does West Virginia play next?
West Virginia travels to Las Vegas next week for the Players Era Festival to face Auburn in game one.
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