The Mountaineers (2-0) led throughout, but could never completely distance themselves from the feisty Dukes, who defeated Richmond by 12 on the road last Friday night.
West Virginia began the game with Carter’s alley oop dunk, and then the Mountaineers used their size in the paint to build an early seven-point lead on consecutive baskets by Jonathan Holton and Williams.
An Esa Ahmad 3 from the wing and an Elijah Macon tip-in got it to nine, 15-6, and then a pretty Macon pass to a cutting Holton gave West Virginia its first double-digit advantage at 27-17.