Myers and No. 10 West Virginia earn win at Texas
AUSTIN, Texas - Teyvon Myers scored 16 points and No. 10 West Virginia avoided one of the bigger upsets of the Big 12 season so far with a 74-72 win Saturday over short-handed Texas.
Jevon Carter added 15 points for the Mountaineers (15-2, 4-1 Big 12), including two free throws in the final seconds that gave West Virginia a four-point lead.
Jarrett Allen scored 19 points for the Longhorns (7-10, 1-4) and his put-back basket with 1.1 seconds left gave Texas a final desperate chance. But after Myers missed two free throws, Allen's final cross-court short never made it to the basket.
The tough win came just a few days after West Virginia routed No. 1 Baylor at home and keeps the Mountaineers within a game of Big 12 leader No. 2 Kansas.
Texas played without leading scorer Tevin Mack, who was suspended indefinitely this week for an unspecified violation of team rules. It was the second suspension of the season for the sophomore, who missed the first game for a rules violation during the offseason.
Mack's absence left Texas using basically a six-man rotation for nearly the entire game.
Andrew Jones scored 17 for Texas, but fouled with more than three minutes to play.
BIG PICTURE
West Virginia: The Mountaineers had to shake off the hangover from their court-storming win over Baylor. West Virginia struggled to shoot over Texas' zone defense and for once couldn't rely on its own pressure defense to force turnovers that create big runs.
Texas: The Longhorns proved they have some mettle even without Mack's scoring, and his absence may have forced on-the-court cohesion that has rarely been on display this season. But the road only gets tougher from here. Texas has road games at Baylor and Kansas in the coming week and face the prospect of a long stay near the bottom of the Big 12.
UP NEXT
West Virginia: Host Oklahoma on Wednesday. The Mountaineers are undefeated at home this season.
Texas: Travel to No. 1 Baylor on Tuesday. The Longhorns are winless on the road.