Alexander started and played 28 minutes in West Virginia's 88-65 win on Saturday night. The uber-athletic junior finished with 19 points, six rebounds, and five blocked shots to lead West Virginia.
Alexander was especially effective in the second half, scoring 12 points and blocking four shots to hold off Mountain State long enough for he and the rest of his teammates to make a late run to put away the Cougars, one of the NAIA's top teams.
NET BURNERS
West Virginia's starting backcourt of Darris Nichols and Alex Ruoff were a big reason why the Mountaineers held MSU at bay in the first half. The pair combined for ten three-pointers with six by Nichols, and four by Ruoff. Nichols finished with a game-high 21 points, while Ruoff chipped in with 14, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Speaking of three-pointers, West Virginia made its fair share on Saturday. The Mountaineers were 12-29 from downtown on the night, and made as many 3's as foul shots.
One area where West Virginia certainly needs improvement is rebounding. The Cougars pulled down 46 boards on the night, with 22 coming off of the offensive glass. The Mountaineers, meanwhile, snared 38 boards, with junior forward Da'Sean Butler's eight leading the way.