West Virginia got off to a hot start at the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis by knocking off undefeated Gonzaga 86-78 in overtime in their first-round matchup.

Javon Small, West Virginia’s top scorer at 15.5 points per game, struggled throughout the first half, but the Oklahoma State transfer torched the Zags in the second half, fueling the Mountaineers’ comeback victory.

West Virginia University men’s basketball head coach Darian DeVries and guards Javon Small and Tucker DeVries met with the media Wednesday evening following the Mountaineers’ 86-78 win over No. 3 Gonzaga in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Javon Small scored five of his 31 points in overtime and Tucker DeVries added key free throws late in regulation and finished with 16 points as West Virginia beat No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in the Battle 4 A

No. 3 Gonzaga is in Paradise Island, Bahamas, to take part in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament this week. The Zags open today against West Virginia at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN. The winner of today’s game will advance to face Louisville in the semifinals. The Cardinals dispatched Indiana in the early game.

West Virginia completed an 86-78 overtime upset of No. 4 Gonzaga in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, Wednesday in the Bahamas.

Turbulence arrived early for Gonzaga and followed the nation’s third-ranked team through 40 minutes of regulation – and five more in overtime – before the Bulldogs were left staring at a deficit too large to overcome in the final minute of an 86-78 upset loss to the Mountaineers at Imperial Arena.