McBride, Tshiebwe power No. 17 West Virginia past No. 22 Texas Tech

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — At some point this season, it may become time for West Virginia’s freshman duo of Miles McBride and Oscar Tshiebwe to form their own small-market team-up.

McBride does the scoring, while Tshiebwe cleans the glass.

There were any number of ways to break down No. 17 West Virginia’s 66-54 victory on Saturday against No. 22 Texas Tech.

BOX SCORE

In could start with the Mountaineers’ defense against Texas Tech’s star freshman guard Jahmi’us Ramsey or how WVU attempted 35 free throws to Texas Tech’s seven.

In the end, though, there was no getting around West Virginia’s two prized freshmen.

McBride came up with a career-high 22 points — 13 in the second half to hold off any comeback bid from the Red Raiders — and Tshiebwe added 17 rebounds in what was another physical grind-it-out Big 12 game for the Mountaineers.

“Deuce came up big for us, just when we needed it,” said WVU forward Derek Culver, who added nine points and seven rebounds.

That may have been an understatement in what is a story that can no longer be ignored in McBride’s play this season.

Just one year removed from being a high school kid in Cincinnati, McBride has scored in double figures in each of his last six games.

That includes 21 against then-No. 2 Ohio State, 13 more on the road against Kansas and now 22 against the school that finished as the national runner-up last season.

“I’ve been in big games before. High school and AAU got me prepared for this,” he said in his normal cool and calm tone. “It’s just something that happens. Maybe one day the ball won’t go in and then I’ll have to make the right passes. I’m just making shots right now and I’m going to ride it as long as I can.”

While McBride carries the demeanor of a veteran, Tshiebwe, too, is rebounding unlike any freshman in the country.

His 17 boards is the second time he’s hit that number over his last three games and the third time he’s reached 17 this season.

“I think that’s what we expect from him,” WVU head coach Bob Huggins said. “That’s what he expects from himself.”

For the first time this season, the WVU Coliseum was filled to the top with fans — the attendance was announced at
14,111 — and WVU’s defense responded early.

Behind Culver’s and Tshiebwe’s rim protection, Texas Tech had three been forced into three shot-clock violations and the Mountaineers had blocked four shots in the same time it took the Red Raiders (10-5, 1-2 Big 12) to connect on four baskets.

“I hate the coach that gets up here and talks about how we couldn’t make a shot,” Texas Tech head coach Chris Beard said. “The reason we couldn’t make a shot was the other team is well-coached, has good players and was dialed in and played great defense.”

West Virginia defenders harassed Ramsey and barely gave the guard room to breathe.

Entering the game second in the Big 12 in scoring, Ramsey was just 2 of 6 from the floor in the first half and missed his first seven attempts of the second half. He finished 3 of 14 shooting with eight points, almost 10 under his season average.

“I didn’t think we did enough of what we practiced on doing,” Huggins said. “Everybody has bad days.”

The only problems for the Mountaineers (13-2, 2-1) was they turned it over 10 times, went 6 for 12 from the foul line over the first half and couldn’t find a way to stick an early dagger into Texas Tech.

“We just make some of the most bone-headed plays I’ve ever seen,” Huggins said.

WVU finished with 21 turnovers and was 23 of 35 from the foul line.

While it’s still early in Big 12 play, the league had quite a shake-up earlier in the day with No. 4 Baylor going into Allen Fieldhouse and knocking off No. 3 Kansas.

Meanwhile, TCU, which was picked to finish last in the conference in the coaches’ preseason poll, beat Oklahoma State to remain undefeated in Big 12 play.

The Mountaineers will host TCU at 9 p.m. Tuesday in a game that will have plenty of meaning for the top of the Big 12 standings.

Brandon Knapper came off the bench to add 10 points for the Mountaineers, who held a 46-33 rebounding advantage, but saw Texas Tech take 26 more field-goal attempts.

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