by (Las Vegas, NV – In a game that swung wildly from start to finish, West Virginia leaned on toughness, timely shot-making, and clutch free throws to secure an 82–77 overtime victory over Stanford in a hard-fought battle.
West Virginia wasted no time setting the tone. Harlan Obioha controlled the opening tip and quickly got the Mountaineers on the board with a strong finish inside. Moments later, Brenen Lorient added to the early surge, converting through contact for a three-point play that pushed the lead to 5–0. When Treysen Eaglestaff drilled a three-pointer, West Virginia had built an 8–0 advantage and early control.
Stanford, however, settled in behind Ebuka Okorie, who began to find rhythm offensively. The Cardinal chipped away, using second-chance opportunities and interior scoring to stay within striking distance. A thunderous dunk by Oskar Giltay brought Stanford within one, and the momentum began to shift.
The Mountaineers responded with contributions from their bench. DJ Thomas provided a spark with aggressive drives, while Morris Ugusuk and Chance Moore added key baskets to maintain a narrow lead. Despite Stanford’s persistence, West Virginia carried a 35–29 advantage into halftime after a late dunk from Thomas energized the squad.
The second half turned into a back-and-forth affair. West Virginia extended its lead early behind Lorient and Eaglestaff, but Stanford refused to fade. Okorie continued to lead the charge, scoring at all three levels and keeping the Cardinal within reach.
Midway through the half, Stanford surged. A string of baskets, including a three-pointer and transition opportunities, gave the Cardinal their first lead since the opening minutes. West Virginia answered each time, with Eaglestaff and Moore delivering key buckets to keep the game tight.
With under a minute remaining, Stanford held a slim advantage, but West Virginia executed under pressure. Lorient scored inside to cut the deficit, and after a defensive stop, Honor Huff stepped to the line with ice in his veins. Huff calmly knocked down three critical free throws in the final seconds, tying the game at 68–68 and forcing overtime.
In the extra period, West Virginia’s composure proved decisive. Obioha opened the scoring with a putback and free throw, while Jasper Floyd followed with clutch free throws after a steal. Huff then took over, scoring from the field and converting repeatedly at the line to keep the Mountaineers ahead.
Stanford had chances late, securing multiple offensive rebounds in the closing seconds, but could not convert. West Virginia sealed the victory at the free-throw line, with Huff and Lorient delivering the final blows.
Huff emerged as the hero in overtime, while Eaglestaff and Lorient provided consistent scoring throughout. Obioha’s presence in the paint and Floyd’s defensive playmaking were equally vital in the win.
