Game Recap: WVU vs. Purdue - WVU Football, WVU Basketball, News - Mountaineer Sports

MORGANTOWN - The Purdue Boilermakers were too much to handle as the Mountaineers fall 79-52 at Keady Court in Indiana.

17 turnovers would be too costly for West Virginia (8-9) to overcome.  The team has now dropped four of their last five contests.

West Virginias largest lead was three, after Matt Humphrey drained a three-pointer for the games first points.  That lead would diminish just about as quickly as it happened, and the Mountaineers would never see a lead again.

Head coach Bob Huggins went with a starting lineup of Staten, Hinds, Harris, Humphrey and Noreen.  It was the first time this season he went with four wing players and just one big forward.

Did the move pay off?  Slightly.  The game was tied, 6-6, with that lineup to open the game.  However, Huggins was forced to put in the big men of Aaric Murray and Deniz Kilicli as the team couldn't hit a two-point basket until nine minutes into the contest.

Staten was possibly the only bright spot for WVU in the game.  In the first twenty minutes, he had just as many baskets as the entire rest of his team.

For Purdue (10-8), it was total teamwork following the leadership of D.J. Byrd.  The senior forward knocked down several three-point shots to boost the Boilermakers lead.  At one point in the second half, Purdue held a 32-point lead.  It was the largest point differential in the game.

Four players scored in double digits for the Boilermakers.  Meanwhile, just one did for West Virginia as Huggins played 12 of the players on his roster.  Eron Harris finished with 10 points, a team high.

West Virginia was 3-for-18 from three point range as their shooting struggles continued.  They were also severely beaten inside the paint as Purdue put up 36 points inside, compared to just 20 from West Virginia.

Conference play continues on January 23 as last place TCU heads to Morgantown looking for their first conference win.