Shannon scores 23, No. 18 Texas Tech beats West Virginia

LUBBOCK, Texas -- — Terrence Shannon is getting back on track and No. 18 Texas Tech keeps winning at home.

Shannon scored a season-high 23 points in only third game back from a lingering back issue, including the go-ahead three-point play, and the Red Raiders remained undefeated on their home court with a 78-65 win over West Virginia in a physical game with 50 fouls called.

“It was an ugly win until it’s over, and now it’s a beautiful win,” Texas Tech coach Mark Adams said. “We’re done with it, and we’re glad and we’re relieved.”

After West Virginia (13-5, 2-4 Big 12) took its only lead in the second half on a 3-pointer by Taz Sherman with 6:21 left, Shannon’s three-point play on the ensuing possession put the Red Raiders up 56-54. That layup when being fouled was part of Shannon making his last four field goal attempts, including back-to-back 3-pointers that extended the margin to 65-56, and a slam dunk with 1:12 left after the last of West Virginia’s 17 turnovers.

“It felt good. I won't say I'm all the way back. I'm still finding my rhythm in a game,” said Shannon, who had been encouraged by coaches to let the game come to him. “I feel like I did a better job this game.”

Kevin Obanor added 18 points and Bryson Williams had 13 for Texas Tech (15-4, 5-2), which is 12-0 at home.

It was the 1,300th college game coached by Bob Huggins, who is in his 40th season overall. He is in his 16th season at West Virginia, with a 323-176 record at his alma mater.

The Mountaineers (13-5, 2-4 Big 12) have lost three consecutive games. While all of those losses were to Top 25 opponents, Huggins had an extended talk with his team in the locker room after the game.

“We’ve got to be more competitive than what we are,” Huggins said. “We had stretches where we competed a little bit, but not for an entire game. We haven’t competed for an entire game yet.”

Sherman led West Virginia with 21 points. Malik Curry added 11 before becoming one of four Mountaineers who fouled out of the game.

The game was tied only once in the second half, and the only time the Mountaineers went ahead after the break was when Sherman scored six points in 34 seconds, on a three-point play before following a missed 3 by Shannon with a 3-pointer for a 54-53 lead.

LOT OF WHISTLES

Of the 50 fouls called, 30 were against West Virginia. Texas Tech made 25 free throws — and had 24 made field goals. While Huggins lamented the free throw shooting of his team, the Mountaineers were 18 of 22 from the line.

BIG PICTURE

West Virginia: The Mountaineers finished their third game against Top 25 teams in eight days, starting with a loss at Kansas the previous Saturday before a home loss to Baylor. ... Only five college coaches have more games to their credit than Huggins, whose total includes 97 games at NAIA school Walsh in his first coaching job, before going to Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia. He has 913 wins overall.

Texas Tech: Shannon made only his second start since missing six games over a month while hurt. The standout junior forward also was held out of the first three games of the season during a review of eligibility rules related to Shannon going through the NBA draft process last summer before deciding to return to school.

“I was excited that we had such a good play out of T.J. and he made some great plays,” Adams said of Shannon, who finished 7-of-12 shooting with his first three made 3-pointers since returning.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Texas Tech could move up in the Top 25 for the third week in a row when the new poll comes out Monday. The Red Raiders were 25th for four consecutive weeks, then moved up in each of the past two weeks.

UP NEXT

West Virginia: Home vs. Oklahoma on Wednesday.

Texas Tech: At No. 7 Kansas on Monday night, 16 days after beating the Jayhawks 75-67 at home.

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