--West Virginia head coach Josh Eilert said that the team took a day off and watched Baylor play. You get an extra day of rest playing the Monday night game and they are looking forward to taking on a good Baylor team this weekend. The support means the world to this team from the fans.
--There are times that the effort and intensity starts lagging but they respond pretty well in the majority of moments but it's the dog days of the season and that can happen to a team that's winning. They have to be the more efficient with their time and get the most out of every drill. There are moments they are lacking effort but they refocus them and get ready for what's left.
--More than anything the team has to look at themselves in the mirror and figure out what they need to do to be successful. They have look at it as what can they do today to improve and can they be the best versions of themselves each day and continue to find ways to improve. They have to understand that each and every day is an opportunity and they need to carry it forward for when they try to play professionally as well.
--Baylor is a very balanced team and they are heavy on guards. The main thing you look at with the roster and the stats is very balanced scoring with the top six in double figure scoring. There isn't one guy to key on because a lot of different players can beat you. You have to look and guard them as a collective whole. Nobody can feel like they're on an island guarding one guy there needs to be help behind them.
--It's different each and every game when it comes to defense you need to have something in your pocket to try to change the game. There are times they've had opportunities when games have slipped away and nothing worked. That's going to happen and the home team will get the best of you. You have to figure out how to turn the page and learn from it and grow.
--Eilert said they were in a pressure cooker situation when they were squeezed and trying to put the roster together. You have to play to the personnel you have and have to try to figure out the best positions to succeed because you don't have the time to recruit to the idea of what you want to do on defense. You get the best available players that can help you and make an impact but that doesn't necessarily help you when it comes to the system that you want to play on that end of the floor.
--There are a lot of different defensive schemes you can go to but it's hard to have wholesale changes at this time of the year. Now they are heavier gap than what they used to be,
--It's a little bit odd to see a player like Jalen Bridges on the other team. There's no ill will there, but you create those relationships in the recruiting process and know their family but it's a little stranger to see it as a head coach. You want your guys to succeed one way or another and he wants them to succeed just not against the Mountaineers.
--The portal has spread some talent but the teams with the most resources will catch up at the end of the day and the teams that have success have adopted and adapted the changes. At the end of the day, it's about who has the most resources. You will find teams out there that are outliers and can keep and retain most of their players which leads to success because they are so well connected. You want to start from the inside out in terms of recruiting your own guys and the retention of the guys to help you get where you're at.
--In general when it comes to success with the transfer portal it can be done with a lot of new faces. It has everything to do with the mentality of the guys you bring in from the transfer portal when it comes to having success. Guys can't be looking out for their own, you have to have that chemistry and the willingness to do what it takes to win. There's a lot more factors when it comes to recruiting than just the stats. West Virginia has great guys but trying to put them together late and trying to mesh has been the biggest issue.
--Aden Nelson is a great high character kid and is excited to be in the gym every day and loves competing. He is one of the first ones in the gym and one of the last ones to leave. He just loves the game and loves the competitive nature of it.
--Jeremiah Bembry had a nagging shoulder injury that carried over from the Florida trip but he is looking to get a medical redshirt. In order to be eligible he has to meet a certain number of games. He's going to be starting that process to get that.
--There are times that the effort and intensity starts lagging but they respond pretty well in the majority of moments but it's the dog days of the season and that can happen to a team that's winning. They have to be the more efficient with their time and get the most out of every drill. There are moments they are lacking effort but they refocus them and get ready for what's left.
--More than anything the team has to look at themselves in the mirror and figure out what they need to do to be successful. They have look at it as what can they do today to improve and can they be the best versions of themselves each day and continue to find ways to improve. They have to understand that each and every day is an opportunity and they need to carry it forward for when they try to play professionally as well.
--Baylor is a very balanced team and they are heavy on guards. The main thing you look at with the roster and the stats is very balanced scoring with the top six in double figure scoring. There isn't one guy to key on because a lot of different players can beat you. You have to look and guard them as a collective whole. Nobody can feel like they're on an island guarding one guy there needs to be help behind them.
--It's different each and every game when it comes to defense you need to have something in your pocket to try to change the game. There are times they've had opportunities when games have slipped away and nothing worked. That's going to happen and the home team will get the best of you. You have to figure out how to turn the page and learn from it and grow.
--Eilert said they were in a pressure cooker situation when they were squeezed and trying to put the roster together. You have to play to the personnel you have and have to try to figure out the best positions to succeed because you don't have the time to recruit to the idea of what you want to do on defense. You get the best available players that can help you and make an impact but that doesn't necessarily help you when it comes to the system that you want to play on that end of the floor.
--There are a lot of different defensive schemes you can go to but it's hard to have wholesale changes at this time of the year. Now they are heavier gap than what they used to be,
--It's a little bit odd to see a player like Jalen Bridges on the other team. There's no ill will there, but you create those relationships in the recruiting process and know their family but it's a little stranger to see it as a head coach. You want your guys to succeed one way or another and he wants them to succeed just not against the Mountaineers.
--The portal has spread some talent but the teams with the most resources will catch up at the end of the day and the teams that have success have adopted and adapted the changes. At the end of the day, it's about who has the most resources. You will find teams out there that are outliers and can keep and retain most of their players which leads to success because they are so well connected. You want to start from the inside out in terms of recruiting your own guys and the retention of the guys to help you get where you're at.
--In general when it comes to success with the transfer portal it can be done with a lot of new faces. It has everything to do with the mentality of the guys you bring in from the transfer portal when it comes to having success. Guys can't be looking out for their own, you have to have that chemistry and the willingness to do what it takes to win. There's a lot more factors when it comes to recruiting than just the stats. West Virginia has great guys but trying to put them together late and trying to mesh has been the biggest issue.
--Aden Nelson is a great high character kid and is excited to be in the gym every day and loves competing. He is one of the first ones in the gym and one of the last ones to leave. He just loves the game and loves the competitive nature of it.
--Jeremiah Bembry had a nagging shoulder injury that carried over from the Florida trip but he is looking to get a medical redshirt. In order to be eligible he has to meet a certain number of games. He's going to be starting that process to get that.
