The West Virginia Mountaineers went back and forth with the Radford Highlanders. It was a last-second shot from Radford that sealed the deal with a second left on the clock.
The West Virginia Mountaineers have been unable to catch a break this season. After a judicial decision allowed transfers Noah Farrakhan and RaeQuan Battle to be able to play, their star center Jesse Edwards broke his wrist.
Both Farrakhan and Battle led the Mountaineers in scoring, proving that their presence on the team was much needed. It wasn’t a scoring issue that prevented a win, however.
WVU has been unable to rebound the ball all season. They only secured six offensive rebounds in the entire game. Unfortunately for them, their opponents will not be getting any easier.
Takeaway #1: RaeQuan Battle is the most talented player on the team
West Virginia Mountaineers fans have got to feel even more disgust towards the NCAA after Battle’s performance. He took all of that frustration from his waiver situation and channeled it into a phenomenal game.
When asked about how he felt when his first shot fell tonight he said, “Relieved more than anything. I’m happy to be out here with my team.”
Battle led the Mountaineers with 29 points; a figure that anyone would be proud of. He also snagged six rebounds which he pointed out is more than he usually would.
With Edwards out for four weeks, West Virginia is desperate for a scoring presence wherever they can find one. Interim head coach Josh Eilert was pleased with the efforts from Battle and admits that he’s going to be an important player moving forward.
“He’s a special, dynamic player,” Eliert said, “we need him.”
Takeaway #2: Radford has something special
The 10-4 Highlanders held their own and it showed. Not only did they deliver when the game was on the line, but they led WVU in almost every category.
They outshot them, outrebounded them, and played a smoother game than they did. Some may say this is all thanks to head coach Darris Nichols.
Postgame, Nichols said that the situation at West Virginia is certainly “unique” and it was hard to scout them with players making only their first or second appearance on the court this season. You wouldn’t have known by the way they played though.
While they still have a long road ahead of them, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in March making a name for themselves on the big stage.
Takeaway #3: Darris Nichols still loves his school
Nichols was a point guard at WVU from 2004-08 where he became a fan favorite for his style of play. 15 years later, he came back to Morgantown but as a visitor on the other side of the court.
Nichols said this win for him was very special, especially given the faces he saw on the opposing bench. West Virginia Mountaineers assistant coaches Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff were teammates of Nichols’ during his college career. Eliert was on the staff as well when Nichols was a graduate assistant under former head coach Bob Huggins.
While nothing has been said about next season’s plans for a head coach, some think that Nichols could be the man for the job. His win against his old team was enough proof that he’s more than capable.
Next up for West Virginia: vs. Toledo (Dec. 23 – 1 p.m.)
Next up for Radford: at Clemson (Dec. 29 – 7 p.m.)