Javon Small scores 26 points as No. 21 West Virginia holds off Colorado 78-70

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BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Javon Small scored 26 points and Joseph Yesufu added 18 as No. 21 West Virginia held off Colorado 78-70 on Sunday in the teams' first meeting as members of the Big 12 Conference.

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BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Javon Small scored 26 points and Joseph Yesufu added 18 as No. 21 West Virginia held off Colorado 78-70 on Sunday in the teams’ first meeting as members of the Big 12 Conference.

The Mountaineers (12-3, 3-1 Big 12) overcame foul trouble and used a late 13-4 run to thwart Colorado, which had cut the deficit to two points with 5:28 left. Yesufu had eight points in that spurt.

Julian Hammond III had 23 points and Assane Diop added 13 for Colorado (9-6, 0-4), which lost its fourth straight game.

Colorado guard Javon Ruffin, center, is fouled while collecting the ball by West Virginia forward Amani Hansberry, left, as West Virginia guard Joseph Yesufu, right, covers in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado guard Javon Ruffin, center, is fouled while collecting the ball by West Virginia forward Amani Hansberry, left, as West Virginia guard Joseph Yesufu, right, covers in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado trailed by three and West Virginia had just lost two starters to fouls when the Mountaineers beat the press and started a fast break that ended on Yesufu’s layup and free throw for a 71-65 lead with 1:23 left.

Takeaways

West Virginia: Three straight 3-pointers by Small, the Big 12’s leading scorer and reigning player of the week, gave West Virginia its biggest lead, 49-35, with 17:28 remaining.

Colorado: The Buffaloes, who entered the game with the worst turnover margin in the Big 12, had 14 turnovers in the game.

Key moment

Before the contest, Colorado held a moment of silence to honor longtime Buffaloes head football coach Bill McCartney, who died Friday at age 84.

Key Stat

Colorado is now 2-2 against ranked teams this season. West Virginia rebounded from its unexpected home loss to Arizona that snapped a seven-game winning streak.

Up next

Both teams play Wednesday. Colorado hosts Cincinnati and West Virginia is at Houston.

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