There's never a good time to play at Allen Fieldhouse as a visitor — but there are times that are theoretically worse than others. Pretty high on that list, I think, is when two of your top three scorers are sidelined with injuries.
Such was West Virginia's reality on Tuesday, though.
The Mountaineers were missing both Tucker Devries and Amani Hansberry, leaving them down two starters who are combining to average 25.5 points per contest. That's why they were 12.5-point underdogs at Kansas in both teams' Big 12 opener. That's why what happened next isn't something any reasonable person could have seen coming.
Final score: West Virginia 62, Kansas 61.
Javon Small made the game-winning free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining and handed the Jayhawks their first conference-opening loss since -- believe it or not -- January 1991. In its latest disappointing performance since being ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, KU missed 15 of its first 19 shots, trailed 9-0 to start the game and by as many as 18 points in the second half.
"That's as miserable of an offensive team as I've seen play in this building in 22 years," said Kansas coach Bill Self. "That was horrid."
(This is where I gather some Kansas fans would like for me to note that KJ Adams was 1-of-5 from the field while finishing with just two points and two rebounds in 28 minutes. So, KU fans, consider it noted. I understand your frustration. It'll be interesting to see if Self does any lineup-tinkering in the coming weeks.)
I've dropped Kansas to No. 14 in Wednesday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings and pushed West Virginia to No. 24. The Mountaineers going from unranked to No. 24 caused Georgia, Baylor and North Carolina to each be pushed down one spot each, no fault of their own. That means UNC is now what amounts to No. 27.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Chaz Lanier finished with 24 points and two assists in Tuesday's 67-52 win over Norfolk State. The Vols' next game is Saturday against Arkansas. | -- | 13-0 |
| 2 |  | Johni Broome finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds in Monday's 87-58 win over Monmouth. The Tigers' next game is Saturday against Missouri. | -- | 12-1 |
| 3 |  | Curtis Jones finished with 20 points and three rebounds in Monday's 79-69 win at Colorado. The Cyclones' next game is Saturday against Baylor. | -- | 11-1 |
| 4 |  | Cooper Flagg finished with 24 points and six assists in Tuesday's 88-65 win over Virginia Tech. The Blue Devils' next game is Saturday at SMU. | -- | 11-2 |
| 5 |  | Labaron Philon finished with 21 points and six assists in Sunday's 105-82 win over South Dakota State. The Crimson Tide's next game is Saturday against Oklahoma. | -- | 11-2 |
| 6 |  | Alijah Martin finished with 18 points and four steals in Sunday's 85-45 win over Stetson. The Gators' next game is Saturday at Kentucky. | 1 | 13-0 |
| 7 |  | Kam Jones finished with 18 points and 10 assists in Tuesday's 78-50 win at Providence. The Golden Eagles' next game is Friday against Creighton. | 1 | 12-2 |
| 8 |  | Andrew Carr finished with 14 points and five rebounds in Tuesday's 88-54 win over Brown. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Florida. | 1 | 11-2 |
| 9 |  | Jaden Akins finished with 18 points and two rebounds in Monday's 80-62 win over Western Michigan. The Spartans' next game is Friday at Ohio State. | 1 | 11-2 |
| 10 |  | Eric Dailey finished with 18 points and six rebounds in Saturday's 65-62 win over Gonzaga. The Bruins' next game is Saturday at Nebraska. | 1 | 11-2 |
| 11 |  | Kwame Evans Jr. finished with 13 points and three rebounds in Saturday's 76-61 win over Stanford. The Ducks' next game is Sunday against Weber State. | 1 | 12-1 |
| 12 |  | Josh Hubbard finished with 16 points and two assists in Monday's 87-73 win over Bethune-Cookman. The Bulldogs' next game is Saturday against South Carolina. | 1 | 12-1 |
| 13 |  | Wade Taylor IV finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday's 92-54 win over Abilene Christian. The Aggies' next game is Saturday against Texas. | 1 | 11-2 |
| 14 |  | KJ Adams was 1 of 5 from the field in Tuesday's 62-61 loss to West Virginia. The Jayhawks' next game is Sunday at UCF. | 8 | 9-3 |
| 15 |  | Julian Reese finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday's 81-66 win over Maryland Eastern Shore. The Terrapins' next game is Thursday at Washington. | -- | 11-2 |
| 16 |  | Braden Smith finished with 34 points and 12 assists in Sunday's 83-64 win over Toledo. The Boilermakers' next game is Thursday at Minnesota. | -- | 9-4 |
| 17 |  | Tomislav Ivisic finished with 23 points and five assists in Sunday's 117-64 win over Chicago State. The Illini's next game is Thursday at Oregon. | -- | 9-3 |
| 18 |  | Colby Rogers finished with 28 points and four rebounds in Saturday's 87-70 win over Ole Miss. The Tigers' next game is Thursday at Florida Atlantic. | -- | 10-3 |
| 19 |  | Alex Karaban finished with 21 points and six rebonds in Saturday's 78-74 win at Butler. The Huskies' next game is Jan. 1 at DePaul. | -- | 10-3 |
| 20 |  | Dre Davis was 1-of-5 from the field in Saturday's 87-70 loss at Memphis. The Rebels' next game is Saturday against Georgia. | -- | 11-2 |
| 21 |  | Khalif Battle finished with 21 points and three rebounds in Monday's 89-82 win at Pepperdine. The Zags' next game is Thursday against Portland. | -- | 10-4 |
| 22 |  | J'Wan Roberts finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Monday's 60-47 win at Oklahoma State. The Cougars' next game is Saturday against BYU. | -- | 9-3 |
| 23 |  | Jalon Moore finished with 22 points and six rebounds in Sunday's 89-67 win over Prairie View. The Sooners' next game is Saturday at Alabama. | -- | 13-0 |
| 24 |  | Eduardo Andre finished with 15 points and six rebounds in Tuesday's 62-61 win at Kansas. The Mountaineers' next game is Saturday against Oklahoma State. | NR | 10-2 |
| 25 |  | RJ Godfrey finished with 14 points and six rebounds in Sunday's 79-72 win over South Carolina State. The Bulldogs' next game is Saturday at Ole Miss. | 1 | 12-1 |
| 26 |  | VJ Edgecombe finished with 19 points and six rebounds in Tuesday's 81-56 win over Utah. The Bears' next game is Saturday at Iowa State. | 1 | 9-3 |
