BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: Cincinnati @ West Virginia

March 3, 2007



In order for West Virginia to keep any hope for a bid to the NCAA Tournament they must win on Saturday. It probably will not be as easy as one thinks seeing that the Mountaineers have already dropped one to Cincinnati, losing in OT on the road back in January. That was the lone Bearcat Big East win until Wednesday when they edged Seton Hall in overtime.

The Mountaineers have seen their 3-pters fall with less regularity of late, but they will need to begin to crank them back up on Saturday, hopefully led by senior Frank Young who is playing his last regular season game in the Coliseum. The 1-3-1 zone defense will likely give Cincinnati some trouble taking care of the ball, but in the 1st meeting the Bearcats shredded the defense with their athletic ability down the stretch when WVU could not stop Cincinnati at all.

However, getting back home should help the WVU shooting efforts. Look for Young to lead the way and others to start to find their range just in time to help WVU pull away late with their shooting.

NEB Blogger Prediction: West Virginia 73 Cincinnati 63