West Virginia Sweeps Season Series With Texas Tech
McNeil records career-high 26 points in 82-71 victory
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LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- Sean McNeil scored a career-high 26 points and No. 14 West Virginia finished a regular-season sweep of seventh-ranked Texas Tech with an 82-71 victory over the Red Raiders on Tuesday night.
The Mountaineers (14-5, 7-3 Big 12) won their third consecutive game and ended a four-game skid in Lubbock 15 days after a thrilling 88-87 win at home when Miles McBride hit the go-ahead jumper in the final seconds.
McNeil, a late addition to the starting lineup after Taz Sherman injured a groin the day before the game, was 5 of 7 from 3-point range, including one with the shot clock about to expire late in the second half.
McBride scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half coming off a career-best 31 points in a win over Kansas that helped knock the Jayhawks out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in 12 years.
Mac McClung scored 17 points before fouling out for the Red Raiders (14-6, 6-5), who saw a three-game winning streak end a day after reaching their highest ranking of the season.
Derek Culver sat most of the second half with four fouls, but converted a three-point play to help West Virginia stay in front and finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. McClung fouled out after getting whistled twice in a span of 17 seconds in the final two minutes.
The first foul came before the ball was thrown in on a West Virginia inbound play with just two seconds on the shot clock. McClung was called for holding Jalen Bridges, who made both free throws for a 73-69 lead with 1:20 remaining.
After missing the rim on a driving layup, McClung was called for his fifth foul when he hit McBride, who made both shots as West Virginia scored its final 12 points at the line and finished 29 of 39 on free throws.
After rallying from 12 points down in the final seven minutes of the first meeting at home, the Mountaineers had to protect a second-half lead on the road.
West Virginia took its biggest lead at nine early in the second half on a 3-pointer from McNeil, but Texas Tech scored six quick points to get within two and keep the game close before the Mountaineers pulled away late.
NO. 11 ALABAMA 81
SOUTH CAROLINA 78
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- John Petty Jr. scored 20 points and Alabama held off South Carolina to bounce back from its first Southeastern Conference loss of the season.
NO. 13 TEXAS 80, KANSAS STATE 77
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- Andrew Jones scored 24 points and Texas held off Kansas State.
NO. 19 CREIGHTON 63, GEORGETOWN 48
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Christian Bishop scored 17 points and Creighton capitalized on Georgetown's worst shooting performance in a decade.
Creighton (15-5, 11-4 Big East) avenged an 86-79 home loss to the Hoyas last Wednesday.