MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- No. 12 West Virginia pulled away from Missouri-Kansas City with 24 unanswered points in the first half, giving fans an early start in celebrating coach Bob Huggins' 800th victory.
Nathan Adrian's 13 points led seven players in double figures during a 112-67 blowout Saturday, after which Mountaineers fans gathered around the court to honor Huggins.
The coach wiped away tears as players donned commemorative hats and his wife presented him with a ceremonial jersey bearing the No. 800. Then came a star-studded 20-minute tribute video featuring congratulatory wishes from the likes of Jerry West, Jim Boeheim, John Calipari, Rick Pitino, Rod Thorn and Dick Vitale.
"I've been blessed," said Huggins, who ranks among the 10 winningest coaches in Division I history.
He seemed especially touched by the cadre of former players at Cincinnati, Kansas State and West Virginia who surfaced in the video or appeared at the WVU Coliseum in person.
"It was sort of neat seeing all the people, because I didn't score a goal in any of the 800 wins," Huggins said.
The win was another collective effort for West Virginia (9-1), which got 12 points each from Daxter Miles, Brandon Watkins and Esa Ahmad, and 10 apiece from Lamont West, Jevon Carter and Teyvon Myers.
"It's something I'm going to be thinking about in 50 years when I walk in here," said Myers, who didn't tease his intimidating coach about the postgame cry. "Come on, 800 wins? You've gotta cry. I told him 'Just let it out, Huggs. Let it out.'"
The Mountaineers forced 27 turnovers, and despite aggressive defense, committed only 17 fouls.
LaVell Boyd paced UMKC (7-6) with 14 points, while Isaiah Ross and Xavier Bishop scored 12.
Miles had four steals, while Tarik Phillip and Carter made three each for West Virginia, which came in allowing 57 points per game, third-fewest in the nation.
WVU finished with 21 assists - Carter dishing out six and Phillip handing out five - and turned the ball over only seven times.
After Boyd's 3-pointer tied the game at 8-8, the Kangaroos went scoreless the next 6 minutes, committing 10 turnovers and attempting only two shots in the stretch.
The Mountaineers, feeding off those takeaways, poured in five layups while Carter and Lamont West combined for four 3-pointers to build a 32-8 cushion.
That helped West Virginia shoot 55 percent for the half while taking a 56-24 lead into intermission.
By that juncture, Huggins' milestone victory was all but sealed, lifting him into the 800-win club that includes Mike Krzyzewski, Dean Smith, Bobby Knight and Adolph Rupp.
"Those are big names," Huggins said. "Those are some of the guys, that when I first got to go to the final Four, I sat in the lobby all day and just watch them. I'd watch how they interacted with people. Thinking one day I want to be like that, I want to be one of them."
NOTES: West Virginia entered Saturday forcing 26 turnovers per game, most in Division I, and forced 20 in the opening half. ... Kangaroos G Dashawn King fouled out in only five minutes while committing four turnovers. ... The Mountaineers improved to 7-0 at home with a 44-point average margin of victory.
