Feb 1, 2003

Box Score?|? Notes?|? Photo Gallery

By CHRIS MORKIDES
Associated Press Writer

VILLANOVA, Pa. - Drew Schifino scored 31 points to lead West Virginia to a 91-83 win over Villanova on Saturday.

Schifino scored 15 of his points in the first half, going 5-for-8 from the field, as the Mountaineers (12-7, 3-4 Big East) sped to a 42-26 halftime lead. Schifino and the rest of his West Virginia teammates kept up their hot shooting in the second half - they finished 25-for-39 in the game - to keep Villanova at bay.

Villanova (12-7, 5-2) hit its first two 3-pointers of the second half - after missing its first 10 of the game - to trim West Virginia's lead to 42-32.

The Wildcats cut the lead to eight, at 69-61, on Gary Buchanan's rebound basket with 5:01 left, but West Virginia hit 18 of 20 free throws in the last two minutes to wrap up the victory.

Tyrone Sally scored 19 points and Chaz Briggs added 11 for West Virginia.

Ricky Wright led Villanova with 21. Buchanan scored 17 to move into ninth place on the Wildcats' all-time scoring list. The Villanova senior has scored 1,661 points in his career, 13 more than Paul Arizin.