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RaeQuan Battle scores 24 in West Virginia’s 77-67 win over UCF

AP
Feb 20, 2024

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) RaeQuan Battle scored 24 points and West Virginia never trailed in a 77-67 win over UCF on Tuesday night.

Jesse Edwards added 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Quinn Slazinski scored 14 for West Virginia (9-17, 4-9 Big 12).

The Mountaineers broke a four-game losing streak and moved out of a last-place tie with idle Oklahoma State.

UCF (13-12, 4-9) has lost four straight and fell to 1-6 on the road.

Darius Johnson scored a career-high 29 points and Marchelus Avery added 14 for the Knights. Leading scorer Jaylin Sellers was limited to six points on 1-of-11 shooting.

Edwards blocked a dunk attempt by UCF’s Omar Payne, and West Virginia’s Noah Farrakhan fed Kobe Johnson for a fast-break layup for a 58-45 lead with 8:57 remaining.

UCF had 10 blocked shots, including one by Ibrahima Diallo on a layup attempt with 7:38 left by Battle, who fell awkwardly to the floor and was shaken up momentarily.

Battle bounced back to score nine points down the stretch to thwart UCF’s comeback attempt.

Battle fared much better than the last time he faced UCF, when he was held to five points and was ejected in West Virginia’s 72-59 loss on Jan. 23 in Orlando, Florida.

Battle made three baskets in the first five minutes Tuesday and West Virginia jumped ahead 13-4. The Mountaineers pushed their lead to as many as 13 points in the first half before Avery and Sellers hit 3-pointers to pull the Knights within 37-30 at halftime.

West Virginia used primarily a zone defense to limit UCF’s inside game, and the Knights responded with a barrage of 3-point shots. But UCF made just 9 of 38 (24%) attempts from beyond the arc.

Both teams return to the court on Saturday. UCF hosts No. 23 Texas Tech while West Virginia, which is 0-6 on the road, plays at No. 6 Iowa State.

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1st Half
UCF
Knights
30
WV
Mountaineers
37

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Ibrahima Diallo vs. Jesse Edwards (Knights gains possession)
19:41		Jaylin Sellers misses two point jump shot
19:39		Kobe Johnson defensive rebound
19:13	+2	RaeQuan Battle makes two point fadeaway jump shot	0-2
18:46	+2	C.J. Walker makes two point layup (Shemarri Allen assists)	2-2
18:32	+3	Quinn Slazinski makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists)	2-5
18:15		Ibrahima Diallo misses two point jump shot
18:13		RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound
18:06	+2	Jesse Edwards makes two point dunk (Kerr Kriisa assists)	2-7
17:48		Jaylin Sellers misses three point jump shot
17:46		Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound
17:38		Kobe Johnson misses three point jump shot
17:36		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
17:18		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
17:16		Mountaineers defensive rebound
16:54	+2	RaeQuan Battle makes two point pullup jump shot (Kobe Johnson assists)	2-9
16:32		Ibrahima Diallo turnover (out of bounds)
16:16		Shemarri Allen shooting foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
16:16		Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:16		Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:16		Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound
15:52	+2	Shemarri Allen makes two point bank jump shot	4-9
15:38	+2	Kobe Johnson makes two point driving floating bank jump shot	4-11
15:23		Shemarri Allen turnover (traveling)
15:23		TV timeout
15:03		Darius Johnson personal foul
15:01		Antwann Jones personal foul (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul)
14:58	+2	RaeQuan Battle makes two point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists)	4-13
14:43		Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot
14:41		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
14:34		RaeQuan Battle misses two point dunk
14:32		Omar Payne defensive rebound
14:22	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point driving finger roll layup	6-13
14:13	+3	Quinn Slazinski makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists)	6-16
13:39		Shemarri Allen misses three point jump shot
13:37		Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound
13:24	+2	Jesse Edwards makes two point driving layup	6-18
13:07		Antwann Jones misses two point turnaround jump shot
13:05		Marchelus Avery offensive rebound
13:00	+2	Marchelus Avery makes two point putback layup	8-18
12:45		Jesse Edwards misses two point jump shot
12:43		Marchelus Avery defensive rebound
12:35	+3	Marchelus Avery makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists)	11-18
12:06	+2	Kobe Johnson makes two point driving floating jump shot	11-20
11:48		Marchelus Avery turnover (out of bounds)
11:48		TV timeout
11:34	+2	RaeQuan Battle makes two point driving finger roll layup	11-22
11:14		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
11:12		RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound
10:48		Kobe Johnson misses two point floating jump shot
10:46		Patrick Suemnick offensive rebound
10:32		Patrick Suemnick turnover (lost ball) (Darius Johnson steals)
10:32		Darius Johnson misses two point floating jump shot
10:30		Mountaineers defensive rebound
10:05		RaeQuan Battle turnover (traveling)
9:39	+2	Ibrahima Diallo makes two point jump shot (Nils Machowski assists)	13-22
9:21	+2	Kobe Johnson makes two point driving floating jump shot	13-24
9:07		Jaylin Sellers turnover (bad pass) (Jesse Edwards steals)
9:01		Jaylin Sellers blocks Noah Farrakhan's two point layup
8:30		Knights defensive rebound
8:30	+3	Shemarri Allen makes three point pullup bank jump shot	16-24
8:28		TV timeout
8:13		Ibrahima Diallo personal foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
8:00		Patrick Suemnick turnover (traveling)
7:51		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
7:49		Mountaineers defensive rebound
7:40	+2	Kerr Kriisa makes two point pullup jump shot	16-26
7:24		Jesse Edwards personal foul (C.J. Walker draws the foul)
7:24		C.J. Walker misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:24	+1	C.J. Walker makes regular free throw 2 of 2	17-26
7:00	+2	Josiah Harris makes two point driving layup	17-28
6:47		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
6:45		Omar Payne offensive rebound
6:41		Shemarri Allen misses two point putback layup
6:39		Josiah Harris defensive rebound
6:27		Omar Payne blocks Quinn Slazinski's two point layup
6:25		Josiah Harris offensive rebound
6:19		Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
6:17		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
6:04	+2	C.J. Walker makes two point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists)	19-28
5:58		Shemarri Allen personal foul (Noah Farrakhan draws the foul)
5:56		Quinn Slazinski misses three point jump shot
5:54		Darius Johnson defensive rebound
5:36		Jaylin Sellers misses two point pullup jump shot
5:34		RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound
5:25	+2	RaeQuan Battle makes two point driving layup	19-30
5:12		Jaylin Sellers misses two point driving layup
5:10		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
4:52		RaeQuan Battle misses two point fadeaway jump shot
4:50		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
4:42		C.J. Walker misses three point jump shot
4:40		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
4:20	+2	Jesse Edwards makes two point reverse layup (Quinn Slazinski assists)	19-32
4:05	+3	Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot (Jaylin Sellers assists)	22-32
3:48		Omar Payne shooting foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
3:48		TV timeout
3:48		Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 1 of 2
3:48	+1	Jesse Edwards makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-33
3:33	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point pullup jump shot	24-33
3:07		Quinn Slazinski misses three point jump shot
3:05		Knights defensive rebound
2:53		Antwann Jones misses three point jump shot
2:51		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
2:50		RaeQuan Battle personal foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul)
2:43		Omar Payne misses two point hook shot
2:41		Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound
2:27		Quinn Slazinski misses two point layup
2:25		Omar Payne defensive rebound
2:08		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
2:06		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
2:00		Akok Akok blocks Darius Johnson's two point jump shot
1:58		Mountaineers defensive rebound
1:37	+3	Kerr Kriisa makes three point jump shot (Quinn Slazinski assists)	24-36
1:14	+3	Marchelus Avery makes three point jump shot (Omar Payne assists)	27-36
1:14		Mountaineers 30 second timeout
0:48		Marchelus Avery personal foul (Akok Akok draws the foul)
0:48	+1	Akok Akok makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-37
0:48		Knights 30 second timeout
0:48		Akok Akok misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:48		Marchelus Avery defensive rebound
0:36	+3	Jaylin Sellers makes three point jump shot (Darius Johnson assists)	30-37
0:04		Omar Payne blocks Quinn Slazinski's two point reverse layup
0:02		Jaylin Sellers defensive rebound
0:01		Jaylin Sellers misses three point jump shot
0:00		Knights offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
UCF
Knights
37
WV
Mountaineers
40

Time		Play	Score
19:49		Omar Payne blocks RaeQuan Battle's two point driving layup
19:47		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
19:35	+2	Shemarri Allen makes two point driving layup	32-37
19:14	+3	RaeQuan Battle makes three point jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists)	32-40
18:56		C.J. Walker misses two point jump shot
18:54		Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound
18:51		Jesse Edwards turnover (lost ball) (Darius Johnson steals)
18:47		Jaylin Sellers turnover (bad pass)
18:35	+2	Quinn Slazinski makes two point floating jump shot (Kerr Kriisa assists)	32-42
18:21		Jesse Edwards blocks Marchelus Avery's three point jump shot
18:19		Marchelus Avery offensive rebound
18:12	+3	Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot (Marchelus Avery assists)	35-42
17:59		Shemarri Allen personal foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
17:52		Omar Payne blocks Quinn Slazinski's two point layup
17:50		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
17:43		Quinn Slazinski shooting foul (Omar Payne draws the foul)
17:43	+1	Omar Payne makes regular free throw 1 of 2	36-42
17:43		Omar Payne misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:43		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
17:22		Omar Payne personal foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
17:20		RaeQuan Battle misses three point jump shot
17:18		Marchelus Avery defensive rebound
17:03		C.J. Walker offensive foul (Kerr Kriisa draws the foul)
17:03		C.J. Walker turnover (offensive foul)
16:39	+2	Jesse Edwards makes two point hook shot (Quinn Slazinski assists)	36-44
16:23		Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot
16:21		Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound
16:15		Kobe Johnson misses two point driving layup
16:13		Omar Payne defensive rebound
16:06		Darius Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Kobe Johnson steals)
16:01		Darius Johnson shooting foul (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul)
16:01	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	36-45
16:01	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-46
15:44		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
15:42		Jaylin Sellers offensive rebound
15:31	+3	Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot (Shemarri Allen assists)	39-46
15:18		RaeQuan Battle offensive foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
15:18		RaeQuan Battle turnover (offensive foul)
15:18		TV timeout
14:57		RaeQuan Battle blocks Jaylin Sellers's two point driving layup
14:55		Noah Farrakhan defensive rebound
14:37		Shemarri Allen blocks RaeQuan Battle's two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot
14:35		Kerr Kriisa offensive rebound
14:24		Kerr Kriisa misses three point jump shot
14:22		Akok Akok offensive rebound
14:16	+3	Josiah Harris makes three point jump shot (Noah Farrakhan assists)	39-49
14:10		Shemarri Allen misses two point layup
14:09		Ibrahima Diallo offensive rebound
14:09		Josiah Harris personal foul
14:05		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
14:03		Akok Akok defensive rebound
13:46		Noah Farrakhan misses two point driving layup
13:44		Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound
13:43		Kerr Kriisa personal foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul)
13:33		Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot
13:31		Mountaineers defensive rebound
13:25		Marchelus Avery shooting foul (Josiah Harris draws the foul)
13:25		Josiah Harris misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:25		Josiah Harris misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:25		Ibrahima Diallo defensive rebound
13:04		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
13:02		Kerr Kriisa defensive rebound
12:57	+2	Quinn Slazinski makes two point layup (Kerr Kriisa assists)	39-51
12:30		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
12:28		Jaylin Sellers offensive rebound
12:23		Josiah Harris shooting foul (Ibrahima Diallo draws the foul)
12:23		Ibrahima Diallo misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:23	+1	Ibrahima Diallo makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-51
12:15		Quinn Slazinski misses two point pullup jump shot
12:13		Nils Machowski defensive rebound
12:06	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point driving layup	42-51
12:06		Noah Farrakhan shooting foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
12:06		Darius Johnson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:38		Josiah Harris defensive rebound
11:38		Ibrahima Diallo blocks Jesse Edwards's two point layup
11:36		Jesse Edwards offensive rebound
11:31	+2	Jesse Edwards makes two point putback layup	42-53
11:24	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point driving layup	44-53
11:24		Jesse Edwards shooting foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
11:24		TV timeout
11:24	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	45-53
10:57	+3	Josiah Harris makes three point jump shot (Jesse Edwards assists)	45-56
10:37		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
10:35		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
10:28		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
10:26		Kobe Johnson defensive rebound
9:55		Omar Payne blocks Jesse Edwards's two point jump shot
9:55		Mountaineers offensive rebound
9:55		Mountaineers turnover (shot clock violation)
9:31		Jaylin Sellers misses two point pullup jump shot
9:29		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
9:21		Omar Payne blocks Kobe Johnson's two point jump shot
9:19		Kobe Johnson offensive rebound
9:19		Jump ball. Kobe Johnson vs. Omar Payne (Knights gains possession)
9:19		Kobe Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Omar Payne steals)
9:04		Jesse Edwards blocks Omar Payne's two point dunk
9:02		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
8:52	+2	Kobe Johnson makes two point layup (Noah Farrakhan assists)	45-58
8:49		Knights 30 second timeout
8:49		TV timeout
8:26	+2	Darius Johnson makes two point jump shot	47-58
8:06		Omar Payne personal foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
7:59		Quinn Slazinski turnover (lost ball) (Shemarri Allen steals)
7:56		RaeQuan Battle personal foul (Jaylin Sellers draws the foul)
7:56		TV timeout
7:56	+1	Jaylin Sellers makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-58
7:56	+1	Jaylin Sellers makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-58
7:51		Noah Farrakhan turnover (bad pass) (Darius Johnson steals)
7:45	+2	Marchelus Avery makes two point dunk (Darius Johnson assists)	51-58
7:38		Ibrahima Diallo blocks RaeQuan Battle's two point layup
7:36		Darius Johnson defensive rebound
7:27		Jaylin Sellers misses two point driving layup
7:25		Patrick Suemnick defensive rebound
7:07		Jaylin Sellers personal foul (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul)
7:07	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-59
7:07	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-60
7:02		Kerr Kriisa personal foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
7:02	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-60
7:02	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	53-60
6:36	+2	Kerr Kriisa makes two point driving floating jump shot	53-62
6:12	+3	Darius Johnson makes three point jump shot (Shemarri Allen assists)	56-62
5:49	+3	RaeQuan Battle makes three point jump shot (Quinn Slazinski assists)	56-65
5:38		Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot
5:36		Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound
5:14		Darius Johnson personal foul (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul)
5:14	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-66
5:14	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-67
5:08		RaeQuan Battle blocks Darius Johnson's two point layup
5:07		Kobe Johnson defensive rebound
5:07		Jump ball. (Mountaineers gains possession)
4:56		RaeQuan Battle misses two point pullup jump shot
4:54		Jesse Edwards offensive rebound
4:52		Shemarri Allen personal foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
4:52	+1	Jesse Edwards makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-68
4:52	+1	Jesse Edwards makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-69
4:43		Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot
4:41		C.J. Walker offensive rebound
4:33	+2	C.J. Walker makes two point putback layup	58-69
4:25		Quinn Slazinski turnover (lost ball) (Darius Johnson steals)
4:23		Kerr Kriisa personal foul (Darius Johnson draws the foul)
4:23	+1	Darius Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-69
4:23		Darius Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:23		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
3:57		Kerr Kriisa turnover (bad pass) (Nils Machowski steals)
3:46		Marchelus Avery misses two point reverse layup
3:44		Quinn Slazinski defensive rebound
3:35		Mountaineers 30 second timeout
3:35		TV timeout
3:33		RaeQuan Battle turnover (bad pass) (Marchelus Avery steals)
3:22		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
3:20		Marchelus Avery offensive rebound
3:13		Shemarri Allen misses three point jump shot
3:11		RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound
3:01		Shemarri Allen shooting foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
3:01		Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 1 of 2
3:01		Jesse Edwards misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:01		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
2:51		Jaylin Sellers misses three point jump shot
2:49		Jesse Edwards defensive rebound
2:49		C.J. Walker personal foul (Jesse Edwards draws the foul)
2:49	+1	Jesse Edwards makes regular free throw 1 of 2	59-70
2:49	+1	Jesse Edwards makes regular free throw 2 of 2	59-71
2:40		C.J. Walker misses two point layup
2:38		Mountaineers defensive rebound
2:38		RaeQuan Battle turnover (bad pass) (Nils Machowski steals)
2:30		Darius Johnson misses three point jump shot
2:28		Kobe Johnson defensive rebound
2:21		RaeQuan Battle misses two point driving layup
2:19		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
2:15		Jesse Edwards shooting foul (Jaylin Sellers draws the foul)
2:15		Jaylin Sellers misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:15	+1	Jaylin Sellers makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-71
2:15		Darius Johnson flagrant 1 (RaeQuan Battle draws the foul)
2:15	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2	60-72
2:15	+1	RaeQuan Battle makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2	60-73
2:04		Kerr Kriisa misses two point driving layup
2:02		C.J. Walker defensive rebound
1:57		Nils Machowski misses three point jump shot
1:55		RaeQuan Battle defensive rebound
1:43		Mountaineers 30 second timeout
1:36		Marchelus Avery personal foul (Quinn Slazinski draws the foul)
1:36	+1	Quinn Slazinski makes regular free throw 1 of 2	60-74
1:36	+1	Quinn Slazinski makes regular free throw 2 of 2	60-75
1:30		Marchelus Avery misses three point jump shot
1:28		Nils Machowski offensive rebound
1:23		Jaylin Sellers misses three point pullup jump shot
1:21		Marchelus Avery offensive rebound
1:13	+2	Marchelus Avery makes two point putback layup	62-75
1:08		Nils Machowski personal foul (Quinn Slazinski draws the foul)
1:08	+1	Quinn Slazinski makes regular free throw 1 of 2	62-76
1:08	+1	Quinn Slazinski makes regular free throw 2 of 2	62-77
1:00		Quinn Slazinski shooting foul (Marchelus Avery draws the foul)
1:00	+1	Marchelus Avery makes regular free throw 1 of 2	63-77
1:00	+1	Marchelus Avery makes regular free throw 2 of 2	64-77
0:32		Kobe Johnson misses three point jump shot
0:30		Omar Payne defensive rebound
0:24	+3	Darius Johnson makes three point pullup jump shot	67-77
0:00		End of period

+ 3

Darius Johnson makes three point pullup jump shot