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SIOUX FALLS, SD (AP) West Virginia missed his first 10 shots of the game. The Mountaineers have always taken a 13-0 lead over VCU.
Derek Culver had 23 points and 15 rebounds to help the No. 15 West Virginia beat VCU 78-66 Thursday in the Bad Boys Mowers Crossover Classic semifinals.
“I’m trying to play hard on the defensive end and the offense was just going to follow,” Culver said. “ I ended up getting in there and playing hard. ”
West Virginia (2-0) will face West Kentucky in the final on Friday.
“That’s the great thing about a tournament like this,” West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. “ Three games in three days with three different styles of play, three different coaching styles. ”
Culver rebounded from a seven-point game Wednesday night in the Mountaineers’ first win over South Dakota State, finishing two off his career high. He was 8 of 14 in the field.
Sean McNeil added 16 points and Oscar Tshiebwe had 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Nah’Shon Hyland led the Rams (1-1) with 13 points.
VCU missed his first nine shots, eventually scoring on a goalie call midway through the first half. The Rams rallied with a full short press and cut it to two with five minutes left in the half.
West Virginia had 21 turnovers.
“We would have done a much better job if we had had the time to prepare,” said Huggins. “We didn’t work on a circuit breaker. We will, of course. We are still terribly young. We’re not as experienced as some of the other people. ”
West Virginia led by nine at the break. After the Rams reduced it to three early in the second period, the Mountaineers opened up a 16-point lead.
BIG PICTURE
The length of West Virginia in the interior was again a factor. The Mountaineers had 23 offensive rebounds and scored 25 points in the second half. They had 17 offensive rebounds and 18 second chance points in their opener against South Dakota State.
NEXT
West Virginia: Vs. Western Kentucky in the championship game on Friday.
VCU: Vs Memphis in the third place game on Friday.
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