--Well, West Virginia won this game 75-63 and honestly outside some curious foul calls it wasn't even that close. The Mountaineers dominated the glass +17 and can call itself the champion of the Cancun Challenge. Again, another impressive performance from a team that is still really figuring things out but tonight they did it again on the defensive end. The Shockers shot 31-percent for the game and were only 24-percent from three. It might be time to start wondering if this team is a good defensive team after all.
--Of that +17 advantage, the Mountaineers recorded 17 offensive rebounds. The Mountaineers led this game for over 37 minutes.
--The Mountaineers started 4-11 from the line, but finished 18-30 overall. Think about that, this team finished 14-19 down the stretch not perfect but much better.
--West Virginia shot 41-percent from the field and 41.2-percent from three. You'll take that.
--Freshman Oscar Tshiebwe, on his birthday, was dominant tonight with 19 points and 18 rebounds. It seems we are rotating between so-so games and completely dominant ones and tonight it was the latter as he was the best player on the floor. This is a true freshman that is still figuring things out but is so impressive at times. He now has two games with at least 17 points and 17 rebounds through six games, the first time any player has done that since Mo Robinson in 1978-1979. Wow.
--Sophomore Derek Culver had 7 points and 9 rebounds and dealt with foul trouble. What an impressive front line.
--Sophomore Emmitt Matthews hit some big time shots in this game with 13 points. He made a difference in this one with his shooting.
--People aren't going to give him the credit he deserves, but senior Chase Harler was excellent in his 18 minutes tonight. He only made one shot but he was productive on the defensive end and his one shot he did make killed a run for Wichita State. Same can be said for Logan Routt, while he only netted 3 rebounds he was excellent in his minutes.
--Sophomore Sean McNeil was a major spark again with 8 points and in 11 minutes and 2-3 from deep. He has almost developed into an instant offense guy for this team.
--Sophomore Jordan McCabe was 7-8 from the line and was big in closing this one out. Freshman Miles McBride make for a great one-two punch there and at times he looked like he was ready to take the game over again. He just doesn't play like a freshman.
--Things reversed itself in this one as the Mountaineers were +14 in points in the post.
--This is the best start for West Virginia since the 7-0 start in the 2015-16 season.
--Next up is Rhode Island Sunday and some revenge on the Mountaineers mind.
--Of that +17 advantage, the Mountaineers recorded 17 offensive rebounds. The Mountaineers led this game for over 37 minutes.
--The Mountaineers started 4-11 from the line, but finished 18-30 overall. Think about that, this team finished 14-19 down the stretch not perfect but much better.
--West Virginia shot 41-percent from the field and 41.2-percent from three. You'll take that.
--Freshman Oscar Tshiebwe, on his birthday, was dominant tonight with 19 points and 18 rebounds. It seems we are rotating between so-so games and completely dominant ones and tonight it was the latter as he was the best player on the floor. This is a true freshman that is still figuring things out but is so impressive at times. He now has two games with at least 17 points and 17 rebounds through six games, the first time any player has done that since Mo Robinson in 1978-1979. Wow.
--Sophomore Derek Culver had 7 points and 9 rebounds and dealt with foul trouble. What an impressive front line.
--Sophomore Emmitt Matthews hit some big time shots in this game with 13 points. He made a difference in this one with his shooting.
--People aren't going to give him the credit he deserves, but senior Chase Harler was excellent in his 18 minutes tonight. He only made one shot but he was productive on the defensive end and his one shot he did make killed a run for Wichita State. Same can be said for Logan Routt, while he only netted 3 rebounds he was excellent in his minutes.
--Sophomore Sean McNeil was a major spark again with 8 points and in 11 minutes and 2-3 from deep. He has almost developed into an instant offense guy for this team.
--Sophomore Jordan McCabe was 7-8 from the line and was big in closing this one out. Freshman Miles McBride make for a great one-two punch there and at times he looked like he was ready to take the game over again. He just doesn't play like a freshman.
--Things reversed itself in this one as the Mountaineers were +14 in points in the post.
--This is the best start for West Virginia since the 7-0 start in the 2015-16 season.
--Next up is Rhode Island Sunday and some revenge on the Mountaineers mind.
