MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — It was well deserving that Derek Culver was named the MVP of the first-ever Crossover Classic after No. 15 West Virginia held off Western Kentucky on Friday, 70-64, for the tournament’s championship.
Through three challenging games, Culver averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Deuce McBride had some big moments and is the Mountaineers’ leading scorer at 16.3 points per game.
Oscar Tshiebwe dealt with some foul trouble in two of the games, but grabbed an impressive 16 rebounds in the semifinals against Virginia Commonwealth.
These are the things that a simple look at the box score will tell you.
What the box score may not tell you — in a game-inside-the-game sort of way — is that Gabe Osabuohien was the reason why the Mountaineers knocked off the Hilltoppers and are carrying around the trophy today.
To a different extent, Taz Sherman was the second major reason why WVU is off to a 3-0 start to what will be a weird season to be sure.
If rebounding the basketball is the heart and soul to West Virginia’s keys to winning any game, well, Culver had one of them against Western Kentucky.
Tshiebwe got in early foul trouble again, played just a tad over 16 minutes and finished with seven boards.
Know how rare it is for those two guys to not combine for at least 10 rebounds in a game?
It happened in only two games last season and the Mountaineers lost both times.
Osabuohien and his eight rebounds and his five assists and his willingness to step in and take a charge at a key moment in the game is the reason WVU didn’t fall to 0-3 in that weird Culver/Tshiebwe stat category.
“Gabe can do anything,” Culver said. “He’s a glue guy. He’s going to work hard. He’s going to be the first one on the floor. Hats off to Gabe. He really works.”
Two key possessions came into play in this game, both of them with the Mountaineers trailing, 50-44, midway through the second half.
The first came when Osabuohien saw Western Kentucky guard Dayvion McKnight working his way around a scrum with a path to the basket.
That was until Osabuohien got to the right spot and drew the offensive foul.
Moments later, the Mountaineers forced a shot-clock violation, and it was Osabuohien who was charging out at shooters to make them put the ball on the floor rather than taking a shot.
“He does all the little dirty work,” Culver continued. “He’ll set screens. He’ll box out. He does things that may not pop out on the stat sheet, but you most definitely know Gabe is doing it.”
Sherman, too, is worth mentioning here today.
Throughout this tournament, the senior stepped up and hit big shots. He shot 54% from the field over the three games and was 7 of 11 (64%) from 3-point range.
When WVU went on its run to erase a 45-35 deficit with 15:36 remaining, it was Sherman who hit a big three to cut it to seven.
Minutes later, he came around a screen and popped up to the foul line to hit another big shot, this one to make it a two-point game, and then capped it off with another big 3-pointer that gave the Mountaineers a 55-52 lead with 8:09 remaining.
“Taz is much better all-around player than I think he was given credit for in the beginning,” WVU head coach Bob Huggins said. “He passes the ball well. He’s a much better defender than advertised and he’s probably our most consistent shooter.
“Sean (McNeil) had his moments. Deuce had his moments, but I think the most consistent guy and the guy who made a couple of huge shots for us again tonight was Taz.”
If you look back at championship teams in any sport throughout the years, you generally find guys who weren’t the stars, but still found a way to make major contributions.
It could be the career .240 hitter that suddenly bats .300 for one magical season or the seldom-used receiver who suddenly goes out and gives you 50 catches.
I don’t know if there are any more championships heading the Mountaineers way this season. If there are, guys like Culver, Tshiebwe and McBride will likely continue to get the headlines.
Make no mistake, though, it could very well be Osabuohien and Sherman who make the contributions that matter the most.
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