WVU TAKES ON DAYTON IN ROUND ONE

March 20, 2009


West Virginia enters the NCAA Tournament as a six-seed and will take on Dayton in first round action. Despite some difficulty traveling, the Mountaineers have made it to Minneapolis and will be ready to take on 26-7 Dayton Friday afternoon.

The Flyers received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament on the strength of their full season of work, which included a November win over Marquette in Chicago.

The Flyers are quite a unique team as they will play hard every second of the full forty minutes, rotating 12 players in and out of the game.

"I think the one thing that really stands out is how hard they work," WVU coach bob Huggins said of the Flyers. "They are a terrific offensive rebounding team because they work so hard at it, and... they don't run in transition, they sprint. If you watch them, they just get out and they get in lanes and sprint. And they really put a lot of pressure on your defense to make sure that you get back and find people."

"And that's, you know I think (Dayton head coach) Brian (Gregory) has done a great job of getting them all to buy in, and he's playing a lot of people. And I think they've responded very well for him."

Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson are the Flyers' leading scorers. Both players were recruiting by schools in the Big East and other top conferences, but opted to play for the Atlantic 10 program with hopes of some day being in the position they are in today, with a chance to knock off a high-major in the NCAA Tournament, but they are taking it one game at a time, no matter who the opponent is.

"You stay up watching films because it is the NCAA tournament and you have to play your best game in March, but it is just motivation to be able to play in the NCAA tournament and playing against a team like, you know, West Virginia is a good test for us, our defense," said Wright, the athletic 6'8 sophomore forward that will remind many of several WVU players.

This game is likely to be an absolute battle. Both teams are tough and really get after it on the glass. Dayton seemed to slump a bit towards the end of the season, losing in the A-10 semifinals to Duquesne, while also losing to Rhode Island, St. Louis and Xavier among their final five regular season games.

West Virginia, on the other hand, has been steadily picking up their level of play, especially with Devin Ebanks emerging as a freshman star down the stretch. Ebanks' play seems to be potentially the kind of versatile production that can carry the Mountaineers, similar to how Joe Alexander led them last season into the Sweet 16.

"In the Big East, he started blossoming and doing the things he does in practice," junior Da'Sean Butler said of Ebanks' improved play down the stretch. "It is a surprise to everybody else, but these are things we have seen him do and his abilities."

Ebanks certainly can be the x-factor. In the Big East Tournament win over Notre Dame, Ebanks grabbed 18 rebounds. The next night in an upset of Pittsburgh, Ebanks went for a career-high 20 points, only to better the mark in the loss to Syracuse the next night with 22.

With Ebanks emerging as the star he always had the potential to be, there is less pressure on Alex Ruoff and Da'Sean Butler to carry the load. They also have less attention on them from opposing defenses.

Look for the Mountaineers to be a very, very dangerous team in this tournament. Bob Huggins knows the kind of player and team he likes and he has continued to mold this squad to have the make-up he prefers. The Flyers are tough, but WVU is 'Big East-tough'.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 73
Dayton 62

Read more!

WEST VIRGINIA LOOKS TO END ORANGE RUN IN NYC

March 13, 2009



WOW!




WOW!!


That pretty much sums up Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. First, Pittsburgh fell to West Virginia, spoiling everyone's hope for a third match-up, and second in less than a week, between Pitt and Connecticut. Now, that game seems to have happened days ago because it was upstaged as the story in NYC this week by the incredible game that followed between Syracuse and Connecticut.

The Orange let a seven-point lead slip away in the final three minutes and change and then saw a potential buzzer-beating three-pointer from Eric Devendorf that would have won the game come a fraction of a second too late and were forced to go to overtime against the more-rested Huskies. Afterall, SU played a pretty emotionally charged game the night before against Seton Hall. Through FIVE, yes, count them FIVE, overtimes, the Orange seemed to battle uphill, never leading for a single second in any of the overtimes. Yet, they made their foul shots, got timely buckets from the three-point line from Andy Rautins and, kept knotting the score to force another extra session. Finally, in the sixth overtime, a Andy Rautins three and Paul Harris (finally) converted a couple shots in close and SU took an eight-point lead and this one would stand as SU upset UConn 127-117 in a six overtime CLASSIC.

Wow!


Will the Orange have ANYTHING left tonight?


Here are some pregame previews and stories on tonight's match-up:

Six Overtimes (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Special Freshman Give Huggins' Game Plan a Boost (Times West Virginian)
WVU Upsets Rival Pitt, Advances to BE Quarterfinals (Daily Mail)
WVU's 1-3-1 Zone Stymies Panthers (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

By the time 9:30 tonight rolls around, Syracuse and West Virginia both would need to put Thursday night behind them. Each team probably has accomplished what they set out to do in NYC this week, win their opener and knock off their top rival, now they both have a real shot at staying in Madison Square Garden for the duration of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

Of course, the question on everyone's mind, will Syracuse have anything left?

This is not a real deep team, usually playing a seven-man rotation with a cameo appearance here and there from an 8th player. In two nights, they have played 110 minutes of basketball, completing a 3-hour, 40-minute plus epic showdown after 1 AM on Friday morning against the Huskies. Now, they need to pick back up and go after the Mountaineers, a team they cruised past in the regular season, 74-61, at the Carrier Dome.

Bob Huggins' team got through their first two days with toughness and tenacity. Despite shooting just 36% in their opening win over Notre Dame, WVU dominated the boards and their athletic ability and speed buried the Irish early. The ultimate test of toughness came Thursday night when WWVU out-toughed the big, bad Panthers and shocked their rival 74-60.

In their first meeting, the SU zone caused the young Mountaineers a lot of trouble. Freshman Darryl 'Truck' Bryant will be in the spotlight once again as he will need to do a much better job of attacking the zone to hit the seams and spot shooter Alex Ruoff open for a wing jumper. Also, look for WVU to get the ball in the high-post area, likely with Devin Ebanks, and use their versatility to attack SU from inside. Ebanks and Da'Sean Butler are very capable scorers.

For Syracuse, they have size in Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson and they will need to use it and try to get easy baskets near the hoop. They will also need to attack the boards with some intensity because WVU will go after rebounds from every angle and position.

Both SU and WVU also need to avoid falling into a trap that might have hirt both Pitt and UConn, they need to focus on there here and now...not what happened last night. Whichever team is able to do that, I think will be the winner. In this case, since they did not have to grind through 70 minutes of basketball into the wee hours of the morning, look for the Mountaineers to have a bit more in the tank and follow the lead of the exploding Devin Ebanks and get another impressive win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 74
Syracuse 68

Read more!

WEST VIRGINIA OUT FOR REVENGE AGAINST HATED RIVAL

March 12, 2009


Round three of the 'Backyeard Brawl', Hoops Style, is set for tonight and the location does not get any better as Madison Square Garden in New York City plays host to the intense rivalry.

Normally it is Pittsburgh bringing the local flavoer back home to NYC, but the Mountaineers have also dipped into the 'Big Apple' market with their freshmen trio of Devin Ebanks, Darryl 'Truck' Bryant and Kevin Jones. WVU opened their 2009 Big East Tournament play with a 74-62 win over Notre Dame on Wednesday night. As the tournament's #2 seed, Pitt had a double-bye for rounds one and two and they are now hitting the court at MSG for the first time this season in the quarterfinals.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

Ruoff Bounces Back in Big Way (Times West Virginian)
Vesatile Ebanks Big on the Boards for WVU (Five Boro Sports)
Solid Defense Carries WVU To Win over Notre Dame (Charleston Gazette)
Panthers Feel at Home in MSG (Beaver County Times)
WVU's Win Sets Up Third Meeting with Pitt (Post-Gazette)
Pitt's Dixon Closing in on Mark (Tribune-Review)
Pitt finds Comfort in Big East Routine (Tribune-Review)


West Virginia overcame some cold shooting, just 36% from the field, by dominating the boards and hitting their three's in the ROund 2 win over the Fighting Irish. NYC native Devin Ebanks had 18 rebounds and 'Truck' Bryant, another NYC-bred performer had 17 points and 4 assists. While their performances were key, it was the WVU stars that shined the brightest last night on Broadway as Alex Ruoff scored 25 points and Da'Sean Butler added 20.

The WVU stars will have to bring their game again tonight if they are going to match the talent of Pittsburgh. The Panthers took both games of the season series this season, handily, winning 79-67 in Morgantown and 70-59 in Pittsburgh. Sam Young averaged 21 points in the two prior meetings.

The one area that WVU has continued to struggle with inconsistency is their shooting, but in many games, they have been able to make up for it on the boards. However, that will not be easy against Pitt, one of the top rebounding teams in the nation. Motivated by playing their rivals, the effort on the boards by WVU should be very high.

One question surrounding this game is the health of Levance Fields, the fantastic Pittsburgh point guard. Fields was a gametime decision against UConn last Saturday with a severely bruised tailbone he suffered in a win over Marquette the week before. Fields played an excellent floor game against UConn, but has not practiced since. With a #1 seed in the 2009 NCAA Tournament virtually assured, resting Fields could be a possibility if he is not yet at 100%. However, missing his last chance to play in front of his friends and family from NYC might not sit well with the tough NYC point guard.

The other factor that could lead to a quarterfinal upset is the psyche of the Panthers. They have once again become the popular 'it' team among the media and they have said all season long their focus is past the Big East Tournament. Coming off the emotional high of Senior Day and a two-game sweep of Connecticut, will the Panthers be 'up' for this one right from the start? You know WVU will be as they have been beaten by their rivals twice already this season, and Bob Huggins will not let his team strike out against the big, bad Panthers without a fight.

It should be a good one in MSG tonight. Once the lights come on, I expect Pitt to focus on the game in front of them, but they will certainly have a fight...with a potential date with UConn ahead of them for Friday night in a game EVERYONE seems to want to see, maybe that is the opening that WVU needs to get the Panthers off focus.

The oddsmakers have Pitt listed as a 4 1/2-point favorite. For a team with a pair of double-digit wins over this very team, maybe it should be higher. So, we will do the obvious...look for the upset!

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 69
Pittsburgh 63

Read more!

March 11, 2009



Notre Dame got past Rutgers on the opening night of the 2009 Big East Tournament, 61-50, and sets up Wednesday night's meeting with West Virginia.

Despite a 3-17 shooting performance from Luke Harangody, the Irish were able to keep the Scarlet Knights at bay and put an end to the RU season. Tory Jackson had a team-high 12 points for ND with Staten Ilsand native Myle McAlarney adding 11.

Notre Dame improved to 18-13 overall on the season. The finished 8-10 in the Big East, good for the 10th-seed in the conference tournament. However, a season of disappointment for the Irish can only be salvaged with an unprecendented run of five wins in five nights through the Big East Tournament to earn the automatice bid for the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

On the other side of the ledger this evening is Bob Huggins' West Virginia Mountaineers. With a 10-8 Big East record and overall mark of 21-10, WVU has a ticket punched to the 'Dance' and will use this week in NYC to hopefully improve their seeding.

WVU defeated the Irish, 79-68, in Morgantown in their lone meeting this season. Alex Ruoff broke out of a shooting slump in that contest, scoring 24 points and junior Da'Sean Butler scored 19. Both players will look to shake off their poor night's in the season finale, a loss to Louisville, and lead WVU tonight.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's game:

New Season Starts Today (Times West Virginian)
WVU Chances Hinge Largely on Rebounding, Shooting (Times West Virginian)
Mountaineers Need Shots from Ruoff, Butler (Daily Mail)
To Bye or Not to Bye (Charleston Gazette)
Jackson Points Way for ND (South Bend Tribune)
Irish Home Free in Opener (Journal Gazette)


There is something about Notre Dame that you still beleive they can put something together here in New York. Last night, an off night from Luke Harangody allowed Rutgers to put the clamps on Kyle McAlarney on the perimeter, limiting his open looks and pulling the usually high-scoring Irish into a rock fight. Although it is not their preferred style, they lucked out that their opponent lacks firepower and ND pulled out a 61-50 win.

Tonight they will face another team that will be tougher on the boards and getting after it on defense, traits of a Bob Huggins team. And, if that was not enough, a win over WVU brings up Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals. So, one can see what the Irish are up against if they are to pull off the improbable run through the conference tournament. They will have to get down and dirty on both ends of the floor.

In their first game against the Mountaineers, the Irish grabbed an early double-digit lead, only to see WVU storm back and take a lead at the half and pretty much cruise through the second half. WVU will look to hit the boards hard once again and take care of the basketball. The Irish defense is not one that forces too many turnovers, so the effort on the boards by WVU should lead to extra chances to score, which will make the difference in tonight's game.

The current NCAA Basketball betting odds have WVU as a 5 1/2-point favorite. Their grit and toughness should put them in control as the game comes down the stretch.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 72
Notre Dame 66

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: LOUISVILLE @ WEST VIRGINIA

March 7 2009


By Zach Smart

No longer regarded as a team front-loaded with sharpshooters, analysts have enjoyed watching the development of the youth movement at West Virginia.

Though WVU coach Bobby Huggins typically dreads playing freshman immediately and does his best to get them acclimated to his sophisticated defense, he took a different route this year.

The triumvirate of Kevin Jones, Devin Ebanks, and Darryl "Truck" Bryant have grown by leaps and bounds in one season in Morgantown. They've helped complement the 1-2 punch of Da'Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff. Butler, who erupted for a wowing 43-point showing during a significant victory over Villanova, is averaging a team-high 17 ppg, Ruoff 16.

Ruoff, recruited by John Beilein as strictly a three-point sniper, has also undergone a great deal of player development. He barrels his way to the basket with ease now, as opposed to hanging out on the perimeter. He takes people off the dribble and bursts out a nice, step-back jumper. He's even gotten his elbows dirty and developed a nose for the ball, delivering put-backs and scoring on second chance opportunities. While this aspect of his game has panned out as of late, he's no Mike Gansey. Speaking of the 6-foot-4 freak with pogo stick hops, anyone know the white wonder of the world's whereabouts?

-
Read More on today's game...Click 'Read More' Below!!!

-


But this is Louisville, folks, a team with enough talent and depth and experience to pencil in as a potential final four team.

The Cardinals rolled away with a 69-63 victory last time the two teams met, albeit WVU fought valiantly. The Cardinals nearly surrendered a bulky 20-point edge but were able to group together and gut out the victory.

The Cardinals shot nearly 56 percent from the floor and got a major boost from their role players, who made up for pin-drop quiet nights from Terrence Williams and Earl Clark.

Jerry Smith scorched the nets to the tune of a season-high 20 points. He shot the rock at a 7-for-8 clip and the Mountaineers, once the team that bred shooters from the farm, had no answer.

They closed it to within four points with 2:16 remaining, but the Cardinals wouldn't falter.

Louisville has been on a tear, ripping off six consecutive victories after an embarrassing, 90-57 washout at Notre Dame. They've beaten opponents by a whopping 20.4 points during their recent win streak, showing no mercy. The streak is underscored by an 18-point victory over Georgetown and a tight, four-point victory that knocked Marquette out of the chase for conference supremacy.

Earl Clark, who will bolt for the NBA after this season, has been a big part of the team's success.

The 6-foot-9 New Jersey native who's received athletic gifts from God that GMs and agents brawl for had 27 points and 14 boards during the 95-78 win the Cardinals stamped on Seton Hall. Against Georgetown, Clark got to the charity stripe--where he was 9-for-13-- early and often.

Simply put, Clark is the reputable five-tool talent in basketball. He can shoot, distribute, handle the ball, bang, and play defense. Having Clark in uniform certainly helps Rick Pitino and Louisville's NCAA Odds.

Terrence Williams, who's sky-rocketed to stardom his senior year, has been just as efficient. He's averaging 12.6 points but like his teammate, he can provide balance in the stat sheet and his defense and strength could prove problematic.

West Virginia has had their fair share of eye-popping wins this year. A 30-point clubbing of Ohio State and the aforementioned victory over Villanova stand out for themselves.

Against a Louisville team that's starting to feel the mayhem that the month of March inevitably creates--and obviously, the Cardinals have ripped through the tail end of their conference schedule in shark-size bites--an upset seems unlikely.

Louisville Playing for Share of Big East Crown (SportingNews.com)
Alex Ruoff Ready to Enter WVU Record Books (Times West Virginian)
Can’t Turn it over vs. Cards (Charleston Gazette)
It’s All in the Cards (wvmetronews.com)
WVU Students Pumped for ESPN Gameday Visit (Charleston Gazette)
A Full Event of Memories Hits Morgantown in Finale (Wheeling Register)
Flowers Doing the Little Things (Wheeling Register)
Ready to Go (Times West Virginian)
A Lot on the Line for Cardinals (Louisville Courier-Journal)


NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 67
Louisville 65

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DEPAUL @ WEST VIRGINIA

March 4, 2009


West Virginia heads into the final week of the regular season before the 2009 Big East Tournament as winners of four of their last five games, dropping the emotional return of Bob Huggins to Cincinnati in that span. At 9-7 in the Big East and 20-9 overall, WVU looks to be safely 'in' the NCAA Tournament and will be playing for seeding in these last two weeks of play.

On the other end of the spectrum tonight is DePaul. The Blue Demons are 16 of 16 in Big East regular season games so far, unfortunatley, 16 of 16 in losses. The low point of their season, just as you thought it could not get any lower, occurred last Saturday when they were demolished at home, 84-63, by St. John's, making 0-18 in the Big East a near certainty with road games against WVU and Georgetown to close the Big East slate.

Hey, at least everyone is invited to NYC next week. Any DePaul fans going???

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's match-up:

Huggins: Sorting NCAA Field a Tall task (Times West Virginian)
DePaul’s Futility Historic in Nig East (Charleston Gazette)
Mountaineers Focused on DePaul (wvMetroNews.com)
Huggins Says DePaul a ‘Huge Game’ for Mountaineers (Register-Herald)
’Truck’ Gets in Gear (Charleston Gazette)
State of DePaul Hoops Just Pathetic (Daily Herald)
DePaul Athletic Director Sticking by Embattled Coach Wainwright (Chicago Tribune)
Huggins Cautious About DePaul Game (Martinsburg Journal)

There really is not a whole lot to go over in this game that has not already been said about DePaul. They do have a couple capable players in the Big East in sophomores Dar Tucker and Mac Koshwal. Will Walker has turned into an adequate third scorer, but from there the talent takes a major nosedize in terms of Big East talent. Plus, their continued upheaval at point guard limits their ability to get the ball to Koshwal and they are usually left with Tucker and Walker launching a high amount of shots trying to keep up with the opposition.

West Virginia has performed quite well this season. They rely on three key freshmen in Darryl Bryant, Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones and they have seen junior Da'Sean Butler blossom as one of the conference's top scores. Senior Alex Ruoff gives them an experienced leader and a Bob Huggins staple of athletic forwards, such as Wllington Smith and John Flowers, and the resident banger Cam Thoroughman, give this team a very solid make-up. They have had to overcome the loss of projected starting point guard Joe Mazzulla to a season-ending shoulder injury and they have grown up in a hurry in the process. While the future under Huggins at WVU looks really bright, the present is not too shabby and the Mountaineers are an interesting threat heading into the postseason.

Today's college basketball lines indicate little problem for the Mountaineers tonight as they have been pegged as a 21 1/2-point favorite. I do see two factors in this game that will likely keep the game closer than the line...

1) DePaul's dead-cat bounce. After their embarrasing home loss, te players come back and play for pride. As mentioned, there are a few capable players, more than enough to beat someone in the Big East. While that opportunity has sailed, an effort is expected in tonight's game, if not for pride alone...

2) WVU has Louisville coming in for a primetime showdown at 9 PM on Saturday to close the regular season. The chance to be looking right past the Blue Demons is very possible. If not at the beginning, when WVU reaches a big lead, it likely could set in then...

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 81
DePaul 66

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ CINCINNATI

February 26, 2009


Although much of the attention in tonight's game between West Virginia and Cincinnati will focus on the return to UC by former coach Bob Huggins, this is a pivotal game for both schools. West Virginia is 19-8 overall on the season and 8-6 in Big East play, having won their last three games, beating Villanov, Notre Dame and Rutgers in succession. While everything looks good for WVU in terms of the NCAA Tournament, they can not afford to slump at the wrong time as the stretch run continues.

Cincinnati is is more dire need of wins. At 7-7 in the Big East and 17-10 overall, the Bearcats are fully on the bubble, most likely on the wrong side of it at the moment. They have a chance tonight, along with a game at Syracuse on Sunday, to pick up a quality win against a fellow NCAA Tournament-worthy opponent. They finish up against South Florida and Seton Hall, two games they will be expected to win, so finding a win in a game that will pad their resume is a must.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's match-up:

Huggs Returns to Cincinnati, Tribute Planned (kypost.com)
Ruoff Grew Up a Cincy Fan (Times West Virginian)
Bearcats Must Avoid Distractions (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Huggs Will Be 'Fine' for Cincy Game (Daily Mail)
Old Stomping Grounds (Charleston Gazette)
Homecoming 'Uncomfortable' for Huggins (Register-Herald)
Emotional Night in Store for Huggins (Charleston Gazette)
Cincinnati Game Means a lot to Huggins (Charleston Gazette)
Mountaineer Players Want to Win Next One for Huggins (Daily Mail)
Huggs Got their Best (Cincinnati Enquirer)

For 16 seasons, Bob Huggins roamed the sidelines as head coach of the University of Cincinnati. The last 14 of those seasons finished with a trip to the NCAA Tournament, including a run to the 1992 Final Four as 'Huggs' built a very loyal fan following. Since being pushed out as coach by UC president Nancy Zimpher, the fan support at UC has noticeably dwindled as the program, now headed by former Huggins' assistant Mick Cronin, has yet to make a NCAA Tournament appearance since he was exiled from the program.

Tonight, Huggins returns to Fifth Third Arena and will be brining in his new team, West Virginia, his alma mater, along with him in an attempt to come up with a win and make a return to the NCAA Tournament even more tougher for the Bearcats. Both teams have plenty to play for and motivation to get a key win tonight.

West Virginia's ability to defend and rebound the basketball make them a very worthy candidate to pick up key road wins in the Big East. Senior Alex Ruoff and junior Da'Sean Butler provide the scoring punch needed and make WVU a very dangerous team on both ends of the floor. However, the emerging threat of freshman Devin Ebanks could mean the Mountaineers still have their best basketball ahead of them this season.

The Bearcats have been getting deeper, stronger and more athletic, especially in the frontcourt, under Mick Cronin. In the process, they do resemble a team that Huggins might have coached in the past. While the talent level might not be up to the par as a whole of a Huggins coached UC team, the program is definitely moving in a positive direction, even if the crowd still yearns for the days of their former leader on the bench.

Cronin was a former UC assistant under Huggins and also served under Rick Pitino at Louisville. Last season, the Bearcats shocked both teams coached by Cronin's former mentors on the road. This year they have already lost to Louisville and in the emotional setting that tonight promises to be, they will look to avoid a sweep at the hands of their coach's former mentors.

Both teams will work hard defensively and on the boards, but it will likely be offense that is the key. West Virginia, a 4 1/2-point favorite, seems to have a couple more players with higher offensive potential. While UC will likely look to ride Deonta Vaughn's scoring tough, the WVU perimeter defense could be fairly successful in limiting his amount of free looks. If that is the case, UC will struggle in scoring.

I expect a very tight game, emotions and energy could be at a fever pitch, but in the end, Bob Huggins walks out as a winner in his return home.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 67
Cincinnati 64

Read more!

WEST VIRGINIA LOOKS TO PICK UP ROAD WIN AT RU

February 22, 2009


West Virginia has won three of their last four games to move to 7-6 in the Big East and 18-8 overall. All three of those wins came at home and now they embark on a three-game road swing of winnable games, but they have lost their last three conference road games.

The first opponent for WVU in this road swing is the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers, who are 1-12 in Big East play. The game is a homecoming of sorts for junior small forward Da’Sean Butler and forward Wellington Smith, a pair of Jersey natives in the WVU starting line-up.

Huggins Sees No Let Down at Rutgers (Times West Virginian)
WVU Hits Road for Three Games (Times West Virginian)
Rutgers’ Frosh Sensation (Charleston Gazette)

West Virginia finds themselves in a pretty good position heading into the Big East stretch drive. They have climbed over .500 in the conference and they have a favorable slate to close out, even with the next three on the road.

The WVU toughness and willingness to defend and rebound should serve them well against Rutgers. Expect them to hold a lead throughout with Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff leading the way like upperclassmen should.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 76
Rutgers 64

Read more!

WEST VIRGINIA HOSTS NOTRE DAME IN BIG EAST CONTEST

February 18, 2009


As we head down the stretch of the big East conference season, key games carry more and more weight. Tonight in Morgantown is such a game as Notre Dame travels to take on West Virginia. The Irish have won two in a row following their seven-game losing streak, but now they leave the comfy confines of the Joyce Center to hit the road.

West Virginia, coming off Friday's 93-72 romp over Villanova in the Coliseum, is looking to start a favorable stretch of scheduling off on the right foot. The win over 'Nova should restore some confidence for a young team as they clumbed back to .500, at 6-6, in Big East play. Following the game with the Irish, WVU hits the road for three games against Rutgers, Cincinnati and South Florida before finishing up at home with DePaul and Louisville.

Much like WVU, Notre Dame ended their recent slide in memorable fashion with a 90-57 dismantling of Louisville last Thursday. The Irish followed that up with a 67-57 win over USF on Sunday. At 5-7 in the Big East and 14-10 overall, the Irish need wins and need them in a hurry.


Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

Kevin Jones Unsung Part of Heralded Frosh Class (Times West Virginian)
Can ND Locate its Road Swagger (South Bend Tribune)
Notre Dame vs. West Virginia (Chicago Tribune)
3 Pointers Could Decide It (Charleston Gazette)
WVU Hosting Skidding Irish (Journal News)
Huggins Confident RPI Will Get WVU NCAA Berth (Charleston Gazette)
Fighting Irish Will Test Mountaineers Perimeter Defense (Daily Mail)


Everyone still seems perplexed about Notre Dame's seven-game losing streak. Looking at that stretch, it really does seem rather simple...six of the teams were rated in the top 10 at one time or another in that stretch. The other team, Cincinnati, is a pretty good team and that game, along with four of the other six, was on the road. I do not think the stretch of losses proved the Irish are not good, maybe not quite top 25 good, but it was a stretch than many teams would have found themselves 0-7 in.

However, it is about winning and that is what the Irish need to do now. The perimeter shooting from multiple players that was missing in the seven game losing streak has returned the last few games, now it needs to show itself on the road. Luke Harangody seems good for 25 points and 15 rebounds each time out, but the level of efficiency of those numbers rises significantly when he is getting help from the perimeter.

West Virginia is not always the prettiest team, but like a Bob Huggins-coached team, they will battle and scrap and there is not a shortage of long, lean and athletic players that will wreak havoc on offenses. The Mountaineer attack is driven by senior guard Alex Ruoff and junior win Da'Sean Butler. Their veteran leadership is needed as they have a young supporting crew, which includes freshmen point guard Darryl Bryant and forward Devin Ebanks. In the win over Villanova, Butler rebounded from a four-point night in a loss at Pitt to explode for 43 points in the win. Ebanks matched his career high of 16 points, originally established in the Pitt loss on Monday, and added 10 rebounds. The pair are very tough match-ups for the WVU defense and could be in line for big nights. If Ruoff can connect on a few three's, the Mountaineer momentum can start to roll again.

The Mountaineers are a healthy 9 1/2-point favorite at home. At first blush, that numbers seems high, but looking at the Kenpom.com effeciency ratings, it shows WVU as a 12-point winner. I still contend that much of the WVU strength in the power numbers was built on the backs of the poor in their non-conference schedule, but they still should be a match-up tonight that is difficult for the Irish to handle as WVU will keep coming at them in waves of athleticism.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 74
Notre Dame 66

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: VILLANOVA @ WEST VIRINIA

February 13, 2009


Last night we saw how a desperate team could react on their home floor in a must-win situation. West Virginia has much of the same necessity for a win tonight when they host Villanova for a Friday night Big East conference special.

Friday the 13th in Morgantown for a 9 PM contest, that is a scary proposition for an opponent. The red-hot Villanova Wildcats, winners of six in a row, look to continue their winning ways against a WVU squad that has lost three of their last four games and fallen below .500 in the Big East at 5-6.


Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's contest:

Nova-WVU Not Lacking Intrigue (Times West Virginian)
Rare Friday Night Gem Kicks Off Full Weekend of Hoops (ESPN)
WVU Faces Elite Villanova (Daily Mail)
WVU Looks to Cage Wildcat Offense (Journal-News)
Streaking Villanova Visits (Charleston Gazette)
WVU to Host No. 13 West Virginia at its Hottest (Times West Virginian)
Difficult Stretch Continues for WVU (Metro News)
Wildcats Hopes to Open Tourney Close to Home (Philadelphia Inquirer)

During the 'Nova six-game winning streak, they have gotten big games from Scottie Reynolds (31 at PC, 27 vs. Marquette) and Dante Cunningham (31 vs. SU), but the consistent play of Corey Fisher, averaging 13 points, shooting over 56% and stepping up his defensive efforts, might be the biggest lift the team has had.

Fisher came to Villanova amidst much hype, but he struggled in his freshman season. He battled injuries as well as finding his place in the backcourt alongside Scottie Reynolds as both seemed to be scoring point guards. Fisher finished the Big East schedule last season shooting under 25% (15-61) from the field over the last eight games and averaging 5.6 points a game and in the Big East Tournament, he scored just two points in two games.

His play of late seems to indicate he finally is getting 'it' in Jay Wright's system and finding his place. His 21-points in this week's win over Marquette was another display of a more efficient Fisher on offense while still helping with the little things at the other end of the court when needed.

With Reynolds and Cunningham consistently leading the offense, Fisher finding a role to excel at in a complimentary position has helped take VU to new heights.

The schedule has been pretty brutal for WVU and they begin a crucial two-game homestand with Villanova on Friday and then Notre Dame coming in on Wednesday. For a team fighting to stay on the right side of the NCAA Bubble, they must pick up wins that will serarate them from other NCAA hopefuls. Following the pair of home games, they hit the road for Rutgers, the anticipated return of Bob Huggins to Cincinnati and a game at South Florida before finishing at home with DePaul and Louisville to close the regular season.

Offensively, WVU has shown they can struggle mightily in Big East play. Villanova will look to concentrate on Alex Ruoff and Da'Sean Butler, the two most responsible for making the WVU offense go. The experienced guard corps of VU will also target freshman point guard Darryl Bryant and try to disrupt the flow of the Mountaineer offense by making everything tough on him. This might be the key development. WVU has not dealt well with the pressure and physical defense of Louisville, UConn, Pitt and Marquette, and the Wildcats will look to unleash their attack as well.

For WVU to win, the x-factor will likely have to be Devin Ebanks. The much-hyped, 6-foot-9, multi-talented freshman forward needs to be a consistent source of offense in support of Ruoff and Butler. Ebanks has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, including a career-high 16 in Monday's loss at Pitt.

West Virginia, unranked, is a 4 1/2-point favorite tonight against the 13th ranked team in the country. While the WVU computer numbers remain very strong, led by a tough defense, their play in the Big East does not give one a lot of confidence in this match-up, mostly because of their youth at key spots, especially at point guard.

Villanova is averaging 99 points a game in their last three outings as they have been able to play in a free-flowing environment, averaging over 81 possessions a game, an astounding number. WVU plays at an average pace nearly identical to the national average of 66.7 possessions a game. With a freshman point guard, controlling that tempo will decide the game. However, in the ebb and flow of college hoops over the long season, 'Nova is due for an off game and with a raucous crowd and a desperate team coached by Bob Huggins, WVU should squeek one out.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 68
Villanova 65

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ PITTSBURGH

February 9, 2009


The 'Backyard Brawl', basketball-style, heads to Pittsburgh tonight for an ESPN Big Monday showdown between the Pitt Panthers and West Virginia Mountaineers. The two rivals just 90 miles apart will square off in a key Big East conference game at the Peterson Events Center on the Pittsburgh campus. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM with a national ESPN television audience set to watch.

If you subscribe to the Pomeroy Ratings as being the best indicator of team's strengths and weaknesses, then this game should be a dandy as the Panthers are #4 in the current Pomeroy Ratings and West Virginia is a surprising #7. It is also surprising, based on the perception of the two teams, that Pitt is rated that high because of their offense, currently the best in America according to Pomeroy with an effeciency of 123.1, which means they score 1.23 points per posession. The Panther defense is rated #36, with a 90.8 rating. The Mountaineers are #5 in the nation in regards to defense, with an 85.8 rating.

However, if you adjust the WVU numbers for Big East games, in which they are 5-5, WVU has an offensive effeciency of 1.06 and a defense of 0.97 and in road games in the Big East they have a 1.00 on offense and a 0.99 on defense.

Pitt, meanwhile, has an offensive effeciency of 1.17 in league games and a defense of 1.01. At home, in their four Big East contests in the Peterson Events Center, their offense is cranking at an unreal clip of 1.27 and their defense is 1.02, not quite Pitt-like, but with that offense, it more than gets the job done as Pitt has an extremely low turnover rate and is off the charts in terms of offensive rebounding, led by DeJuan Blair.

In Pitt's two losses, at Louisville and at Villanova, Blair struggled with foul trouble and the Pitt offense was held well below their normal average. Blair's offensive rebounding ability and his presence in the paint makes all the difference in the world for Pitt. In the 8 wins, Pitt is at an offensive effeciency clip of 1.26 in Big East games, in the two losses, the Panthers struggled at a rate of 0.87! The case for Blair being the most important player in the Big East could probably be made right there!


Here are some pregame stories and previews on tonight's Backyard Brawl matchup:

Mountaineers Catching Pitt at Bad Time (Times West Virginian)
Mountaineers Set for Rematch (Register Herald)
Can WVU Finish the Job (Charleston Gazette)
Playing the Mind Game (Martinsburg Journal)
Pitt Guard Fields Silencing Skeptics (Tribune Review)
Panthers Taking Long Look at Defense (Tribune-Review)
WVU Energized by Offense (Daily Mail)
Big Backyard Brawl Monday (wvmetronews.com)
Porous Defense Angers Dixon (Post-Gazette)


So, with all the Pomoroy number crunching, their site predicts Pitt by 5 points tonight. The latest odds have the Panthers as a 7 1/2-point favorite and when you factor in the numbers looking just at Big East games, that number seems to be very fair.

The two teams met back in January in Morgantown and Pitt used an impressive run midway through the second half to beat WVU 79-67. Sam Young led the way with 22 points, 16 of which were in the second half and Blair added 16 points and 11 rebounds. Pitt torched WVU with a 54% field goal percentage on their own floor.

With Pitt looking to put more of an emphasis on defense, that is not very good news for WVU. The Mountaineers are still a rather young team, and that has shown itself on the road. They were blown out at Marquette and trailed Louisville by 20 at the half. In their latest road game, they were blitzed by Syracuse as their effort and decision making was very inconsistent, traits of a younger team.

Da"Seant Butler had 21 in their first meeting and Alex Ruoff add3ed 16. Ruoff seemed to snap out of his recent shooting slump, nailing six of seven on three's in Saturday's win over Providence, but tonight he will see a lot of Jermaine Dixon and Brad Wanamaker, two of the better defensive players on the perimeter in the Big East. Another key for Pitt has been the offense provided by Dixon and Wanamaker, along with freshman Ashton Gibbs, giving Pitt some capable three-point shooters.

With senior point guard Levance Fields running the ship, Pitt has scored at least 92 points in their last three games. Fields has been incredible, handing out 36 assists with just three turnovers in the three games. He has also picked up his scoring, averaging 14 a game in that stretch. A top-notch Fields makes this a top-notch club, expect them to show it again tonight.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Pittsburgh 76
West Virginia 67

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: MOUNTAINEERS HOST FRIARS

February 7, 2009


The Providence Friars, losers of two straight, travel to Morgantown to take on West Virginia, losers of three of their last four, in a Big East conference showdown on Saturday afternoon.

The Friars, despite a 6-4 record in Big East play, are off the NCAA Tournament picture right now, so finding quality wins is a must. Finding one on the road would be a huge lift in their chances.

West Virginia, at 4-5 in the conference, is very much in the NCAA Tournament picture, but they need to be careful not to slip up down the stretch. Besides a game at Pitt on Monday night, WVU’s biggest challenges closing the regular season schedule are at home and the schedule eases significantly, but that means nothing if you do not get the job done in games you are supposed to win.

Here are some pregame stories and previews on today’s game:

Mountaineers Hope to Avert Third Straight Defeat (Register-Herald)
Getting in Big East’s Top Eight is WVU’s Goal (Daily Mail)
Huggins Spread Defense Ineffective (Daily Mail)
WVU Settles in Behind Big East Elite (Charleston Gazette)
Experience Comes to Town (wvmetronews.com)
For PC, Staying Fresh is a Challenge During Season’s Dog Days (Providence Journal)
Capsule Preview: PC @ West Virginia (Providence Journal)

The Mountaineers will look for a much better effort in this contest than what they showed against Syracuse on Wednesday night. With an energized home crowd and Bob Huggins expecting more from his team, look for WVU to have a full effort, especially defensively and on the boards.

Providence really needs to add some quality wins and any wins on the road against solid teams are a must as well. This will be a tough match-up for PC, however, as the athletic ability and toughness of the Mountaineers are likely to come to the forefront this afternoon.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 78
Providence 65

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ SYRACUSE

February 4, 2009


A very important Big East conference match-up takes place tonight in the Carrier Dome as the Syracuse Orange will host West Virginia. The Mountaineers are 4-4 in the Big East and 15-6 overall on the season. They are coming off a 69-63 loss at Louisville where they dug themselves a large hole, trailing by 20 at halftime, before closing the gap but it was too little too late.

Syracuse has lost three straight games and four of their last five after a 16-1 start to the season. The Orange were 4-0 in the Big East, but now stand at 5-4 and desperately need to gain some footing as the second half of conference play is set to begin.

Here are some pregame stories and previews from the internet this morning:

SU's Onuaku Appears Tentative for WVU Game (Syracuse.com)
SU Hopes to Free Up Wings Tonight (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Scouting Report: Orange vs. West Virginia (Post-Standard)
Must-Win Game for WVU at Syracuse (Times West Virginian)
Syracuse Hungry for a Win (Charleston Gazette)
Ebanks Evolving, Improving (Daily Mail)
Syracuse Basketball in Danger of Complete Collapse (Rochester D&C)
Pivital Road Game for WVU (wvmetronews.com)


Although we still have one-half the Big East schedule left to play, this is an important game for both sides and the pregame stories available today from beat writers covering each team definitely confirms that thought.

It shoudl be a very good game and the early college basketball odds have Syracuse as the 2 1/2-point favorite on their home floor.

The biggest advantage most teams enjoy over WVU is size in the paint. Arinze Onuaku is exactly the type of player Bob Huggins' team lacks. Unfotunately for the Orange, they may be without their 6-foot-9, 265-pound interior banger as tendonitis in his knee leaves him as a gametime decision. Onuaku was listed as a gametime decision last Wednesday when SU played at Providence. He made an attempt to play, but in 15 minutes of action, he did not score and grabbed just one rebound in what should have been a favorable match-up.

The expectation was that Onuaku would be ready for the game against WVU, same with Andy Rautins, who missed the PC game all-together because of an injured ankle. While Rautins is still a bit swollen and sore, he should be a go, but in the last couple days, more questions have arisen about Onuaku's ability.

In the game with PC, SU was beaten, 100-94. Sophomore point guard Jonny Flynn poured in 35 points, playing all 40 minutes, and junior Eric Devendord added 17, also playing all 40 minutes. The Orange defense, however, was non-existent, yielding 100 points and allowing PC to shoot 54% from the field. SU also turned the ball over 21 times, while forcing just 11 turnovers of the Friars. Devendorf, himself, turned the ball over 9 times.

West Virginia relies on Da'Sean Butler, who averages a team-best 17.6 points a game, and senior Alex Ruoff (16 ppg) for the bulk of their scoring. Ruoff has not shot the ball as well as expected recently, but finding a comfort against the SU zone could help him shake some of his shooting woes.

The Mountaineers also rely on a freshman point guard, Darryl Bryant, for the bulk of their ball-handling chores. It is always a stern test for a frosh to penetrate the SU zone and dissect it, rather than just content to pass around the perimeter and settle for three's.

If Onuaku can play and be effective, he and Rick Jackson have a decided advantage of size and strength in the paint. WVU counters with several combination forwards in the 6'7+ range that are athletic and long, but can be bodied up effectively. They will attack, but solid fundamentals in the paint can limit their effectiveness, making Onuaku's availability the games biggest key to victory, for both teams.

This one has me nervous, with Onuaku, I would definitely go with the Orange. Without Onuaku or having him in limited capacity, this is a toss-up. The Orange need it, they have the scorers (Flynn, Devendorf) and an athlete in Paul Harris to get the job done. The week off hopefully has been put to good use and they win a good one.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Syracuse 75
West Virginia 73

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ LOUISVILLE

January 31, 2009


Louisville looks for their ninth consecutive win on Saturday afternoon when they host the Mountaineers of West Virginia. Bob Huggins’ club is 4-3 in conference play and 15-5 overall heading into the noon showdown at Freedom Hall.

After a slow start to the season, the Cards have been rolling since conference play began and are tied with Marquette atop the Big East at 7-0 in conference play. UL has to resist the urge to look ahead as they have a date with UConn looming on Monday night.

Here are some pregame stories and previews:

WVU at Home on the Road (Courier-Journal)
WVU Looking to Snap Louisville’s Streak (Register-Herald)
Louisville Shows Impressive Size, Depth (Charleston Gazette)
Cards Can Defend With Man or Zone (Daily Mail)
Freedom Riders (Charleston Gazette)
Looking for Big Win (Times West Virginian)

Louisville has been impressive since the beginning of conference play, impressing the pollsters as they have climbed to No. 7 in the latest rankings. They have also left an impression on WVU head coach Bob Huggins, and he is impressed.

“They’re good,” Huggins told media members this week during the coach’s conference call when addressing Louisville. “I think they’re the deepest team in the league…I think Rick [Pitino] does as good a job as anybody in our game of defining rolls and making sure everybody knows what they have to do. And then they just have incredible size. They stretch from one end of the floor in that 2-3 zone to the other.”

While the veteran WVU coach is saying all the right things publicly how impressed he is with Louisville, he is feeding his players motivation to try and steal a road win on Saturday. The Mountaineers certainly have an impressive stable of athletes that are also long and will get after it defensively, which is important in trying to win on the road.

This is likely a game where WVU misses a veteran guard handling the ball. Freshman Darryl ‘Truck’ Bryant is going to be under constant pressure, much like he was against Marquette. WVU will hope he took the game against the Golden Eagles as a learning experience to be applied in this one, because he will need to be smart with the ball and not get WVU out of their offense.

The other area of concern for WVU is in the middle where they do not have the size or bulk to slow down Samardo Samuels if Louisville dedicates themselves to going inside. The Mountaineers match-up elsewhere pretty well, but unless Alex Ruoff and Da’Sean Butler are both in the 20’s, the Terrence Williams, Earl Clark and Samuels front line should be able to pull this one out. The Cards are 6 1/2 –point favorites.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Louisiville 67
West Virginia 61

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WVU WELCOMES IN ST. JOHN'S

January 28, 2009


West Virginia will look to shake off the sting of their rivalry game loss to Pittsburgh from the weekend. The Mountaineers are in the midst of a brutal stretch of games and they can not afford to take a breath against the Redstorm and let up in any way.

St. John’s got a win over the weekend against Rutgers and are now 2-5 in Big East play. They have yet to win on the road in the Big East and Morgantown is not a friendly venue for a visiting team.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet this morning:

WVU Seels Ninth in a Row vs. St. John’s (Times West Virginian)
Redstorm Descends on Mounties (Bluefield Daily Telegraph)
Mountaineers Host Redstorm (Register-Herald)
Mountaineers Board Work Rebounds Under Huggins (Daily Mail)
Mountaineers Out to Regroup (Martinsburg Journal)

Even though the lost on Sunday to Pittsburgh, I am starting to like this West Virginia team more and more. They play hard on both ends of the floor for coach Huggins, they play unselfish and they will attack the boards. Their inexperience at key positions and the lack of a player ready to carry them offensively is still holding them back, but Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff are definitely very capable scorers. If Devin Ebanks starts to flash more on the offensive end, this is a team that should continue to improve. They might be the team to watch and with Notre Dame and Georgetown showing signs of heading in the other direction of WVU, they could find themselves setting in among the top third of the Big East.

It is still a tough go for St. John’s and Norm Roberts. They are another team that will play hard for their coach, but they do not have enough bullets available to win consistently, especially on the road in the Big East. With injuries claiming Malik Boothe, Anthony Mason Jr and Rob Thomas, the Redstorm line-up is limited in scoring punch and ball-handlers, an area that WVU will certainly exploit.

While a 16 ½-point line seems quite high, considering that WVU is prone to some poor offensive showings and that SJU will defend, they still should earn a comfortable win right in that neighborhood of a difference.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 77
St. John’s 60

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WVU HOSTS HOOPS BACKYARD BRAWL

January 25, 2009

It is the Backyard basketBrawl as Pittsburgh and West Virginia square off at 4 PM in Morgantown in a Big East conference match-up. The two bitter rivals will lock horns on the hardwood twice this season, Sunday is the first of those meetings.

West Virginia earned an impressive 75-58 road victory on Thursday night against Georgetown. Just when you were expecting the Mountaineers to possibly fade away in the Big East race, they showed us all they can not be counted out.

Pittsburgh is off to a 5-1 conference start and rebounded from their first loss of the season last Saturday at Louisville by pummeling Syracuse, 78-60, Monday night.

Brawl in Morgantown (WVmetroNews.com)
Pitt’s Blair Continues to Make Steady Progress (Tribune-Review)
No Rest for WVU (Register-Herald)
Panthers on Top of their Game (Register-Herald)
Everhart Thinks Pitt, WVU Will Duke it Out (Charleston Gazette)
WVU Expects to See Pitt at its Best (Martinsburg Journal)
Pitt’s Big Man a Fan of WVU Coach (Tribune-Review)
Tall Order for WVU (Charleston Gazette)
Pitt, West Virginia Clash in Morgantown (Tribune-Review)
WVU’s Butler Starting to heat Up (Post-Gazette)

Two teams that will get after it very hard on the defensive end of the floor will meet in Morgantown on Sunday. With this game being such a big rivalry, expect the atmosphere to be extra charged, especially with the lofty ranking attached to the Panthers.

Pitt has the experience and, although they are not much bigger than the Mountaineers, they certainly play bigger. That will likely hold true as long as star sophomore center DeJuan Blair stays out of foul trouble.

Limited to just 20 minutes at Louisville last Saturday, Blair still managed 9 points and 10 rebounds. When he was on the floor, Pitt seemed in control, but when he left the game with his fourth foul, Pitt’s undefeated season unraveled and they tasted defeat.

West Virginia will likely try to force Pitt to use their hedge defensive philosophy to see if they can pick up fouls on Blair away from the basket, if they are successful, it changes the whole dynamic of the game for Pitt.

On the WVU side, the play of freshman point guard Darryl Bryant will be tested. In a game with emotions likely charged, Bryant will need to be a calming influence beyond his years in the Mountaineer backcourt. You know Pitt’s Levance Fields will likely have a near flawless floor game, Bryant will need to keep his excitement under wraps and orchestrate the attack.

The rest of the line-ups are filled with athletes. The small forward match-up also could decide the game with either Sam Young or Da’Sean Butler tipping the game in their team’s favor.

West Virginia has had trouble scoring and some three’s from Alex Ruoff will be a huge lift to their team. Something tells me he will shake off some of his recent struggles in a big spot here for the senior.

WVU is a slight 1 ½-point favorite. This should be quite a game…but, the home team should be primed for the upset…in a thriller!


NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 67
Pittsburgh 66

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: HOYAS HOST WVU AT VERIZON CENTER

January 22, 2009

A key Big East match-up takes place tonight in the Nation’s capital when West Virginia travels to take on the Georgetown Hoyas. Game time is 7 PM at the Verizon center.

The Mountaineers evened their conference mark at 2-2 with a 62-59 win over South Florida in Morgantown last Saturday. WVU has an overall record of 13-4 and tonight begins a run of nine games with seven against ranked conference opponents in what could define their season.

Georgetown is 3-2 in the Big East and 12-4 overall on the season. All four losses have come against ranked foes (Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Duke), but the Hoyas have also shown the ability to beat ranked teams with a win at Connecticut as well as a home victory over Syracuse and a non-league win over Memphis.

Here are some pregame stories and previews found on the internet today:

Huggins, Thompson cut from Same Cloth (Times West Virginian)
Monroe a Big Plus for Georgetown (Washington Times)
Backcourt Depth Helps Keep Hoyas Afloat (Washington Post)
No Looking Ahead for WVU (Charleston Gazette)
Tall Task Awaits Mountaineers (Register Herald)
WVU’s Flowers Beginning to Bloom (Daily Mail)
Hoya Freshman Making Big Mark in the Middle (Charleston Gazette)
Georgetown Looms Again for WVU’s Butler (Daily Mail)

West Virginia has struggled scoring point of late, averaging just 56.7 points in their last three Big East contests, losing two. There will be a lot of pressure on Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff to finding scoring opportunities and be efficient with those opportunities against a stingy Hoya attack. Neither Butler nor Ruoff have a favorable match-up to indicate they will be able to exploit Georgetown for points.

The Hoyas got a big bench boost from Jason Clark and others recently, which was an area of much concern as Big East play began. Just keeping their starting five, which is among the best on the conference, fresh will go a long way in helping the Hoyas improve.

That starting five of Georgetown is full of all-league potential, but they are still working their way into the roles of the Princeton-style attack. While they definitely have more potential to run than the previous editions, their youthful decision-making can sometimes lead to inconsistency.

West Virginia will defend and hit the boards, albeit with an undersized group, which is needed on the road. However, their offensive struggles are something that they will really have a tough time overcoming against a Georgetown team that will force the opponent to be very efficient. With oddsmakers listing the Hoyas as 5 ½-point favoroites, it seems that early success of WVU is still having some believe they might be a little better than they really are.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Georgetown 68
West Virginia 61

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: SOUTH FLORIDA @ WEST VIRGINIA

January 17, 2009


West Virginia will look to get their offense in order in conference play on Saturday afternoon when the South Florida Bulls come to Morgantown. WVU is 1-2 in Big East play, suffering a pair of losses last week to UConn and Marquette where they struggled mightily in putting the ball in the basket. On Wednesday, WVU had their annual Capital Classic showdown with in-state rival Marshall and scored an 87-76 victory.

The Bulls have stayed up north following Wednesday’s contest at Pittsburgh and finish a three-game Big East road swing Saturday with their meeting against the Mountaineers. USF started the three-game run off with a surprisingly easy win at DePaul, 80-58. The Bulls also looked pretty good in stretches at Pitt on Wednesday, despite travel problems within the city of Pittsburgh which delayed the start of the game 25 minutes.

Mountaineers Turn their Attention to South Florida (Daily Mail)
Striving for Consistency (Charleston Gazette)
WVU Resumes Big East Slate (Register-Herald)

Bob Huggins’ squad is long on athleticism but short on size and shooting ability. The Mountaineers have a plethora of 6’7 combo forwards that can get up and down the court and crash the boards. They have overwhelmed many lesser teams on their schedule but are still trying to find the right formula for the top teams of the Big East. The Mountaineers have had a tough time scoring against the size and comparable athleticism of Big East teams.

South Florida is a match-up the Mountaineers should find a little more to their liking. The Bulls are not overly athletic in the backcourt and will not likely be able to take advantage of a freshman point guard (Darryl Bryant) used by WVU like a Marquette squad did. The Bulls have some height in the paint, but they are not a very strong team on the boards.

All in all, this is a game that WVU should win and win handily. The Bulls are bound to be weary with their third road game in a week and having spent the last several days away from home. The line for this game has been set with WVU a 16 1/2-pt favorite by the oddsmakers, and it is one in which WVU should roll.


NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 74
South Florida 57

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: WEST VIRGINIA @ MARQUETTE

January 10, 2009


Marquette looks to extend their best-even Big East start to 4-0 when they welcome former Conference USA rival Bob Huggins, who will bring his current team, West Virginia, to the Bradley center for a Big East showdown at noon on Saturday.

The Bradley Center is home to one of the best home court crowds in the league, hopefully the early start time (11 AM locally) does not negatively impact that home court edge the Golden Eagles usually enjoy. Marquette escaped Rutgers with an 81-76 win earlier this week. Buzz Williams’ crew say a 21-point lead sliced to two in the final minute, but hung on for the victory, improving their conference record to 3-0.

West Virginia dropped to 1-1 with a Tuesday night home loss to Connecticut. The Mountaineers shot the ball poorly (30%) and were dominated on the boards by the bigger Huskies. They will not have to worry about the size of the Golden Eagles, but an aggressive perimeter defense might cause the shooting woes to linger.

Here are some game previews and stories from the web this morning:

Golden Eagles Preview: Marquette vs. West Virginia (Appleton Post Crescent)
Freshman Trio Powering Mountaineers (Times West Virginian)
Marquette Takes on west Virginia (Cracked Sidewalks)
Game 17: West Virginia (Journal Sentinel)
Mountaineers Look to Snap Marquette’s Win Streak (Register-Herald)
MU’s Middle Men Getting it Done on Defense (Journal Sentinel)
Marquette Coach Says WVU Will Compete (Daily Mail)

The three amigos, Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Mathews, with a lot of help from junior Lazar Hayward, are off to a 3-0 start in the Big East and will look to continue that run this afternoon. As usual, the Golden Eagles will hope that their guard play dictates the flow of the game to mask their interior and rebounding deficiencies that bigger Big East teams will look to exploit.

West Virginia has not been shooting the ball very well, and that was key in their recent loss to UConn. Look for Marquette to be all over Alex Ruoff on the perimeter and for James to harass freshman Darryl Bryant when on the ball.

The Mountaineers are likely to respond with a variety of zone defenses to keep the Marquette guards out of the lane and shooting from the perimeter. In their last home game, the MU perimeter shooters were on fire, going 15-25 from beyond the arc. Marquette has great confidence right now and the college basketball odds have MU as a 3 ½ point home favorite as guards rule in college basketball.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

Marquette 72
West Virginia 63

Read more!

BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: CONNECTICUT @ WEST VIRGINIA

January 6, 2009

by Matt Whitfield

West Virginia faces its toughest challenge of the season tonight when they host the #5 ranked Connecticut Huskies, led by big men Stanley Robinson, and Hasheem Thabet. If West Virginia is to the win tonight the Mountaineers must be the aggressors under the boards and play the way they did in the last two victories as Connecticut is not a team known for giving away easy rebounds.

Coming into tonight game the Mountaineers have history on their side. The last time the two teams meet in Morgantown Wellington Smith and Da’Sean Butler were freshman, and the Mountaineers knocked off Connecticut 81-71. Furthermore, the last time the two teams played the Mountaineers knocked off the Huskies in last years Big East Tournament by a score of 79-72. This is not the same Huskies team as previous years though. Players like Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien, who were unproven stars several years ago are now season veterans and have undoubtedly matured and improved their game. West Virginia while it has players like Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff who have stepped up their game, and freshman in Devin Ebanks, and Darryl ‘Tuck’ Bryant who could be superstars in the making is undoubtedly without their go-to guy superstar of the previous two years as Joe Alexander is now a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

History on their side or not the Mountaineers must rebound well tonight. The team collectively ranks amongst Big East leaders in offensive boards; however no one player for the Mountaineers ranks in the top 15 statically of that category. The Huskies however aren’t too shabby either as they rank 6th in the Big East in rebounds per game, and have two players in Thabeet and Jeff Adrien who average about 10 rebounds a game. Defense is often the best offense though, and that should key one team to victory tonight.

Starters for the game tonight should look like this Da’Sean Butler, Devin Ebanks, Wellington Smith, Alex Ruoff, and Darryl Bryant going against Connecticut’s Jeff Adrien, Stanley Robinson, Hasheem Thabeet, Jerome Dyson, and AJ Price. Tipoff is set for 7:00 PM tonight as the Coliseum should be loud and rocking tonight and the latest the latest NCAA basketball odds have WVU as a three and a half point favorite.

For the links to pregame stories and previews on the web, as well as the prediction from the NBE Blogger on tonight's game, you can also check out the Connecticut Team Blog Site for more on tonight's game.

Read more!