Sagaba Konate recorded 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots after a one-game absence to help West Virginia roll to a 106-72 victory over Youngstown State on Saturday in Morgantown, W.Va.
Konate has battled a sore right knee all season and missed Wednesday's game against Rider. He played 20 minutes against the Penguins as the Mountaineers (5-2) won their fourth straight game.
Beetle Bolden added 15 points and five assists and Esa Ahmad had 15 points and six rebounds. The pair tied for game-high scoring honors for West Virginia, which shot 54.1 percent from the field.
The victory was the 850th for Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins. He ranks third among active coaches.
Garrett Covington came off the bench to score 20 points for the Penguins (3-6). Youngstown State was just 9 of 36 from 3-point range and shot 37.7 percent overall.
The game marked the return of former West Virginia assistant Jerrod Calhoun -- now the head coach of the Penguins -- who coached under Huggins from 2007-2012. But the Mountaineers made sure his homecoming was not an upset bid by shooting 56 percent in the first half in running out to a 55-37 halftime lead.
It was the first time the Mountaineers broke the 100-point barrier and the second time Youngstown State gave up more than 100 points in a game this season.
Wesley Harris and Lamont West also scored 10 points for West Virginia.
None of the Youngstown State starters reached double digits. They combined for 30 points on 10-of-33 shooting.
Naz Bohannon collected 10 rebounds for the Penguins, who committed 15 turnovers.
Both teams turned the game into a 3-point shooting contest early, combining for 45 long-range attempts at the half, but eventually the Mountaineers' size advantage made the difference.
West Virginia held a 47-39 rebounding edge and finished 11 of 32 from 3-point range.
--Field Level Media
Youngstown St. | West Virginia | |
Garrett Covington 20 | Scoring | Esa Ahmad 15 |
Devin Morgan 7 | Assists | James Bolden 5 |
Naz Bohannon 10 | Rebounds | Sagaba Konate 9 |
Darius Quisenberry 6 | Free Throws Made | Sagaba Konate 6 |
Naz Bohannon 1 | Steals | James Bolden 2 |
Olamide Pedersen 1 | Blocks | Sagaba Konate 3 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Youngstown St. | 72 | 37.7 | 9-36 | 11-16 | 15 | 37 | 1 | 3 | 15 |
West Virginia | 106 | 54.1 | 11-32 | 15-23 | 20 | 47 | 6 | 4 | 9 |