MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — Bob Huggins’ answer as to who is West Virginia’s best passer sort of got sidetracked when WVU forward Derek Culver’s name was thrown into consideration.
“The thing about Derek, if you don’t catch it, it’s going to hurt you,” Huggins said. “It’s coming hot. I’m not sure you would characterize that as a good pass. I’m surprised we haven’t stoved a thumb, or two, trying to field his passes.”
Getting back on track, well, that has become the job of sophomore point guard Deuce McBride, who won the starting job this offseason.
Since then, McBride’s overall play has won over his teammates, even if Huggins still has concerns on the Mountaineers’ passing game.
“I’ve watched Deuce countless days and he put in so much work this summer,” WVU forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. said. “Obviously, you could see what he was going to be like last year. You got small glimpses. We’re still getting glimpses of what we want to see him to, but I’ve seen him put hours into the gym.
“When it comes to crunch time, I have absolutely the utmost faith in giving the ball to Deuce McBride and telling him to go make a play.”
Through five games, McBride has made his share of plays. He’s second on the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game. He’s shooting 41% from 3-point range and 81% from the free-throw line.
But, passing the ball is the top priority of any point guard and Huggins hasn’t seen enough passes thrown by his players in such a way to allow shooters to make a clean catch.
“I think it’s a problem where we don’t deliver the ball, we don’t deliver the ball on time and we don’t deliver the ball in an area where we can shoot it,” Huggins said. “A lot of somebody being a good shooter is getting a good pass. If you have to field it off your knees, it’s tough. Anytime you have to turn your hands over, it’s a tough shot.”
With that said, McBride’s 22 assists is second among Big 12 players. Texas’ Matt Coleman leads that category with 23.
In the final 10 minutes of Sunday’s 80-71 victory against Georgetown — with the game tied at 54 — the Mountaineers had five assists against just one turnover.
“When it came down to crunch time, I think we did,” pass the ball better, McBride said. “Early, I think guys were coming out and getting decent shots, but coach wants us to get better shots. That’s what we have to do as a team is grow together and figure out how to get the guys who are making shots the ball efficiently and quickly.”
McBride’s assist-to-turnover ratio is 3.7, meaning he’s averaging 3.7 assists per every one turnover. He’s seventh in the Big 12 in that category.
McBride’s seven assists against the Hoyas were a career high.
“He’s really just a play-maker,” Matthews said of McBride. “He doesn’t do anything extra with the ball. Sometimes he might throw a turnover, but that’s just part of the game.
“The way he clears that out of his mind and comes back and makes a play on the next play is what makes him a good basketball player.”
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