Culver's Double-Double Leads WVU Over Lehigh 78-68

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Derek Culver came off the bench to score 11 points and grab 11 rebounds for his first career double-double and West Virginia beat Lehigh 69-59 on Sunday.

In only his second game in a Mountaineers uniform, Culver's pair of layups late in the game proved to be the difference in the win for WVU (8-4).

After a tightly played first 30 minutes and poor shooting by both teams, Culver scored nine second half points to lift the Mountaineers to victory. Esa Ahmad and Beetle Bolden created opportunities which allowed WVU to pull away in the last five minutes.

Bolden led the Mountaineers with 22 points, Ahmad scored 21 points and Wesley Harris added 10 points.

West Virginia outrebounded Lehigh 52-25, including a 22-3 difference on the offensive glass. The Mountaineers shot only 41.5 percent from the field.

Pat Andree led the Mountain Hawks (7-4) with 18 points, including four 3-pointers. Jordan Cohen added 14 points and Kyle Leufroy scored 12 points.

Andree, Cohen and James Karnik each nabbed four rebounds for Lehigh.

BIG PICTURE

Lehigh: After a pretty chalk non-conference season, with losses to Miami, Kansas State, Yale and West Virginia, the Mountain Hawks head into Patriot League as one of the favorites (along with Colgate) and start off against rival and Lafayette.

West Virginia: Four of the Mountaineers' worst shooting performances have come in the last five games. With No. 11 Texas Tech, Texas and Kansas State on the horizon and defensive presence Sagaba Konate out with a knee injury, it could be a long, cold winter in Morgantown.

UP NEXT

Lehigh returns home to begin Patriot League action against archrival Lafayette on Tuesday.

West Virginia will host No. 11 Texas Tech in a Big 12 opener on Tuesday.

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