WVU 71, NC State 60

N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe admitted his team probably wore down at the end. The Wolfpack, without point guard Engin Astur, played four players the entire way.

Only Dennis Horner (three points, six boards), who was recruited heavily by WVU, played off the bench.

"That’s what we have," Lowe said. "That’s what we have to deal with right now."

"The 1-3-1 has been causing everyone problems," said forward Joe Alexander, who finished with 15 points. "At the end of the game, I don’t know if they got frazzled, but it definitely caused them problems."

Alexander helped seal the game with a baseline jumper from the corner with two minutes left. He them stole the ball and dunked before N.C. State was called for a charge with 1:30 remaining and West Virginia holding its largest lead of the game at 65-53. The Mountaineers, which scored 17 points on s many turnovers, made six of seven free throws in the final minute to finish the win.

"We tried to force them into turnovers, and that’s the beauty of the 1-3-1," Young said. "That’s what it is known for, creating turnovers. We made adjustments during the season half and tried to make it more frustrating for them."