Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles Jr. followed up tearful pregame tributes by combining for 39 points in the Mountaineers' 84-74 victory over the Red Raiders at Morgantown, W.Va.

The Mountaineers (22-8, 11-6 Big 12) won their third straight to gain sole possession of second place in the conference. They can clinch the No. 2 seed in the league tournament with a win Saturday at Texas in the regular-season finale.

Short-handed Texas Tech (22-8, 10-7) took its fourth consecutive loss, playing without leading scorer Keenan Evans (toe), 29-game starter Justin Gray (concussion) and reserve forward Zach Smith (foot).

Carter finished with 21 points and seven assists and took part in his 101st career victory, six shy of the school record. His backcourt mate Miles scored 18 while making 4 of 8 shots from 3-point range.

The senior honorees had plenty of support. West Virginia center Sagaba Konate added 16 points on 8-of-9 shooting, and Esa Ahmad produced his second straight double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Jarrett Culver's 26 points and 12 rebounds paced the Red Raiders. Niem Stevenson scored 24 points for Texas Tech, and Zhaire Smith had 12.

Sprinting out to a 16-0 lead in the opening five minutes, West Virginia sank seven consecutive shots -- three by Carter, highlighted by a 27-foot pull-up bomb in transition.

The Mountaineers led by 20 before taking a 42-29 lead into halftime.

Texas Tech never overcame its 1-of-11 start from the floor. It briefly closed within seven points in the second half, but West Virginia answered with 3-pointers by Beetle Bolden and Lamont West, and the margin never got within single digits again.

Bolden scored 10 off the bench as the Mountaineers made 10 of 23 from long range. The Red Raiders hit 10 of 24 from beyond the arc.

--Field Level Media