WVU is 2-6 against Top 25 teams this season, BUT
the 6 losses are by an average 9.1 point margin . . . against #1, #7, #8, #10, #11, #15 and #16 in the country!!
Yes, some losses are better than others even though every L is unwanted. It shows that WVU is competitive and not just a team to walk over.
Purdue, #1 in the nation, was ahead by 4 with 5 minutes to go before pulling away by 12 by the end.
And 2 WVU upsets of Top 25 teams were by 9 and 3 points.
Better performances in the final 5 minutes and WVU would be a Top 25 team. If WVU plays the rest of the way the way it did against TCU and Stevenson did against then-#15 Auburn, it will be in March Madness where nobody knows who will win any game!
Those 9 strangers who transferred from other colleges are showing better signs of cohesion. If that teamwork continues to improve, with already 5 players averaging in double digits in scoring, and if we can EVER stop the tsunami of points in the paint against our defense then my beloved alma mater might surprise the nation in March Madness.
We ALL hope that happens, right?
TCU on the road at 9 p.m. Tuesday on ESPNU will be a good gut-check. WVU won 74-65 in Morgantown but away games in the Big 12 are Machu Picchu hurdles.
WVU needs to defense Mike Miles better. He had 21 points in WVU Coliseum even with 14,000 people yelling against TCU.
Maybe Keddy, who had 20 against TCU; Bell, with 15; and Matthews, with 10, and Bell with 12 rebounds can repeat those statistics.
Eric, Tre and Toussaint have WVU’s best season scoring averages so that gives TCU SIX shooters to worry about. Hard to double-team 6 sharpshooters.
And if Erik can chip in with an Auburn game-like effort, a 2-game sweep of TCU is possible.
It also would be fantastic if WVU could out-rebound TCU, 31-18, as it did in the earlier game.
We all hope so, anyway, right?
Both teams were terrible shooting 3’s last time (TCU 2-9 and WVU 4-15). If Stevenson and Seth Wilson, who has our best 3’s shooting percentage at 42.1%, have hot long-range game . . .
Team 3’s percentage isn’t all that terrible (35.2%). FIVE players average 30% or better! Can’t put hands in face of all 5 at the same time, huh?
The numbers that give me hope for the future, particularly March Madness:
WVU 80, #25 Auburn 77 (#15 till WVU beat Auburn)
#10 Texas 69, WVU 61 (lost by 8)
WVU 74, #15 TCU 65
#11 Baylor 83, WVU 78 (lost by 5)
#8 Kansas 76, WVU 62 (lost by 14)
#7 Kansas State 82, WVU 76 (lost by 6)
#16 Xavier 84, WVU 74 (lost by 10)
#1 Purdue 80, WVU 68 (lost by 12)
the 6 losses are by an average 9.1 point margin . . . against #1, #7, #8, #10, #11, #15 and #16 in the country!!
Yes, some losses are better than others even though every L is unwanted. It shows that WVU is competitive and not just a team to walk over.
Purdue, #1 in the nation, was ahead by 4 with 5 minutes to go before pulling away by 12 by the end.
And 2 WVU upsets of Top 25 teams were by 9 and 3 points.
Better performances in the final 5 minutes and WVU would be a Top 25 team. If WVU plays the rest of the way the way it did against TCU and Stevenson did against then-#15 Auburn, it will be in March Madness where nobody knows who will win any game!
Those 9 strangers who transferred from other colleges are showing better signs of cohesion. If that teamwork continues to improve, with already 5 players averaging in double digits in scoring, and if we can EVER stop the tsunami of points in the paint against our defense then my beloved alma mater might surprise the nation in March Madness.
We ALL hope that happens, right?
TCU on the road at 9 p.m. Tuesday on ESPNU will be a good gut-check. WVU won 74-65 in Morgantown but away games in the Big 12 are Machu Picchu hurdles.
WVU needs to defense Mike Miles better. He had 21 points in WVU Coliseum even with 14,000 people yelling against TCU.
Maybe Keddy, who had 20 against TCU; Bell, with 15; and Matthews, with 10, and Bell with 12 rebounds can repeat those statistics.
Eric, Tre and Toussaint have WVU’s best season scoring averages so that gives TCU SIX shooters to worry about. Hard to double-team 6 sharpshooters.
And if Erik can chip in with an Auburn game-like effort, a 2-game sweep of TCU is possible.
It also would be fantastic if WVU could out-rebound TCU, 31-18, as it did in the earlier game.
We all hope so, anyway, right?
Both teams were terrible shooting 3’s last time (TCU 2-9 and WVU 4-15). If Stevenson and Seth Wilson, who has our best 3’s shooting percentage at 42.1%, have hot long-range game . . .
Team 3’s percentage isn’t all that terrible (35.2%). FIVE players average 30% or better! Can’t put hands in face of all 5 at the same time, huh?
The numbers that give me hope for the future, particularly March Madness:
WVU 80, #25 Auburn 77 (#15 till WVU beat Auburn)
#10 Texas 69, WVU 61 (lost by 8)
WVU 74, #15 TCU 65
#11 Baylor 83, WVU 78 (lost by 5)
#8 Kansas 76, WVU 62 (lost by 14)
#7 Kansas State 82, WVU 76 (lost by 6)
#16 Xavier 84, WVU 74 (lost by 10)
#1 Purdue 80, WVU 68 (lost by 12)
