Derek Culver scored 15 points to propel No. 15 West Virginia to a 70-64 victory over Western Kentucky in the championship game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic on Friday in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Culver overcame early foul trouble to record 11 points during the second half as the Mountaineers (3-0) outscored the Hilltoppers (2-1) by a 37-28 margin after intermission.

Miles McBride scored 14 points and Taz Sherman added 12 for West Virginia, which saw Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe receive plenty of pine time early in the contest. Tshiewbe, who was celebrating his 21st birthday on Friday, was whistled for two fouls in the first 2 1/2 minutes of the contest before Culver was called for his second just past the 11-minute mark.

Charles Bassey overcame early foul trouble to collect 15 points and eight rebounds for the Hilltoppers, who were bidding to win their first in-season tournament since 2001. Western Kentucky, in fact, wasn't even supposed to be involved in this event before replacing Creighton, which dropped out due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests.

West Virginia turned the tide by erupting for a 29-10 run in the second half, highlighted by Sherman draining a 3-pointer to give the Mountaineers a 55-52 lead with just over eight minutes to play. The Mountaineers kept their foot on the gas as Sean McNeil pushed their advantage to 64-55 with under four minutes remaining.

Western Kentucky continued to work the interior, with Bassey's dunk and layup highlighting a 7-2 run. McBride and McNeil each made their free throws as West Virginia held the fort to seal the win.

Culver opened the second half with a jumper to bring West Virginia to within one. However, Western Kentucky scored the next nine points to push its lead to 45-35. Taveion Hollingsworth sandwiched a 3-pointer and a jumper around Josh Anderson's emphatic dunk before Bassey capped the surge with another dunk.

Carson Williams stepped up with Bassey on the bench in the first half, with his emphatic dunk giving Western Kentucky a 27-26 lead with 5:45 to play. Williams continued to work the interior with a layup with 42 seconds left before Tshiebwe answered with a free throw to allow West Virginia to cut its deficit to 36-33 at halftime.

--Field Level Media