Buddy Hield propels No. 3 Oklahoma past No. 11 West Virginia 76-62

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Buddy Hield scored 29 points to lead No. 3 Oklahoma to a 76-62 victory past No. 11 West Virginia on Saturday.

Oklahoma (21-5, 9-5 Big 12) stayed close in the conference race, tying the Mountaineers and Baylor for second place behind Kansas.

In a second half of several scoring swings, Hield helped put Oklahoma in control. He capped a 9-0 run with a 3-pointer to put the Sooners ahead 61-52 with 5:22 left, silencing the home crowd.

Jaysean Paige scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half for West Virginia (20-7, 9-5), but the Mountaineers couldn't answer with its own decisive run.

Isaiah Cousins added 12 points and Jordan Woodard had 11 for Oklahoma, which was coming off three losses in four games after spending three weeks at No. 1.

Tarik Phillip led West Virginia with 17 points. The Mountaineers, who were alone in first place two weeks ago, have lost three of four.

Hield often got ahead of West Virginia’s defense for layups, and nifty passing in the halfcourt enabled him to get open outside for shots. He made five 3-pointers to give him 109 this season, breaking the school record of 105 set by Nate Erdmann in 1997.

After leading only briefly in the first half, West Virginia scored 11 points in the first 2 minutes of the second half to grab the lead, only to see the Sooners go on a 17-4 run.

West Virginia put together its final burst behind Paige, who made four free throws, a fadeaway jumper and a fast-break layup to knot the score at 52-all with 7:48 left.

But the Mountaineers went nearly 4 minutes until their next basket.

MILES AWAY

West Virginia guard Daxter Miles Jr. missed his second straight game with a strained right hamstring. He is listed as day-to-day. Teyvon Myers again started in his place.

TIP-INS

Oklahoma: The Sooners improved to 6-3 this season against ranked teams. … Oklahoma swept the regular-season series after beating the Mountaineers 70-68 on Jan. 16 in Norman, Oklahoma.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers forced nine turnovers, half their season average of more than 18 per game.

HOT ROD

A statue of “Hot Rod” Hundley was unveiled outside of West Virginia’s arena before the game near a statue of another former Mountaineer great, Jerry West. Hundley averaged 24.5 points per game at WVU from 1955-57 and still holds the school record with 54 points against Furman in January 1957. A former NBA player who broadcast Jazz games in New Orleans and Utah for 35 years, Hundley died last March at age 80.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma: Hosts Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

West Virginia: Hosts No. 13 Iowa State on Monday.

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