When Joe Alexander missed what could've been the game-winning freebie with 14 seconds left in regulation, it was a troubling sign. Instead of completing that old-school three-point, this game was going overtime instead.

Once there, the Mountaineers went 5-for-9 from the charity stripe, those four coming after they had taken a 71-69 lead. The Musketeers would tie it up with a three-pointer from Drew Lavender a few seconds later. The 'Neers would only score three more points the rest of the way.

But guard Alex Ruoff didn't see the free throws as that big of a big deal. "That's one thing. But you can't really blame free throws. You're going to miss free throws during games. I guess a lack of communication down the stretch hurt us more."

His feeling was not unanimous for the guys in the dark jerseys, "Guys have to make free throws down the stretch and unfortunately we weren't able to." Said Wellington Smith.

Xavier used a trio of threes and a key steal by Drew Lavender to ice the game down the wire.

Coach Sean Miller would provide the "whew!" factor in the post-game press conference. "Well, obviously anyone who watched the game here tonight saw a phenomenal game. You need a little luck when it is this tight with so much at stake and we got a couple of balls to bounce our way."

B.J. Raymond, who scored all eight of his points in overtime, admitted his three-point bomb that put the screws to WVU with 30 seconds left, wasn't supposed to be his to take. "The play was actually to give Josh (Duncan) a lob. But my man kind of dropped off on him to take away the lob. Stan (Burrell) saw me and made a great pass."

Instead, Raymond backed up beyond the arc and drained a painful three that made it a two-possession game with half a minute left. It was XU's third three-pointer of the extra period. And it also seemed that without Alexander in the game, the continuity that keyed the West Virginia comeback late in the first half and early in the second was suddenly missing.

"It was just miscommunication. Coach stresses that we can't take a play off and that was the consequences of taking plays off at the wrong time."

Indeed, now the Mountaineers find themselves treating their fans to another "What it?" scenario. And that's a painful thing to rehash for this group.

Key play:
B.J. Raymond's three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining from the right side put the X up by two possessions, 78-74. That, and a little defensive pressure here and there down the stretch put the game away.

Key player:
Josh Duncan
Unlike the Mountaineers, Duncan made his foul shots when they counted, going 9-for-10. He also crashed the middle and shot it well from the outside, going 7-for-15, including three treys. Duncan finished the game with 26 points.

Key stat:
The 14 fouls by the WVU frontcourt.
Joe Alexander didn't play for most of the overtime period and center Wellington Smith also fouled out. Da'Sean Butler's effectiveness was limited as he finished the game with four fouls.