MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (AP) — Erik Stevenson scored a season-high 22 points, Jimmy Bell Jr. had a double-double, and West Virginia celebrated Bob Huggins Hall of Fame Day by defeating Buffalo 96-78 on Sunday.
With 925 wins, Huggins is third all-time in Division I behind Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim. Huggins, who was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September, is the 17th Division I coach with as many as 41 years on the bench.
Down by double digits early in the second half, Buffalo hit three 3-pointers in four minutes and got within 61-60 with 11:40 remaining. West Virginia then got a big boost when Buffalo’s Jonnivius Smith was called for a foul and also picked up a technical with 11:18 to go. Tre Mitchell made four free throws and West Virginia was on its way to a 17-3 run that was capped by Bell’s three-point play at the 6-minute mark. The Mountaineers led 78-63 at that point.
Bell had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Stevenson made 8 of 13 shots, which included five of the Mountaineers’ eight 3-pointers. Mitchell added 17 points and Seth Wilson scored 10 off the bench.
Isaiah Adams scored 20 points for the Bulls, and Curtis Jones and Isaac Jack scored 13 each.
Emmitt Matthews, West Virginia’s fourth-leading scorer at nearly 11 points per game, missed the game with a left knee injury. His status is day to day.
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