MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – With an opportunity firmly in hand to put away the only winless team in Big 12 play, No. 17 West Virginia instead let its foot off the gas.
What was a 15-point lead against Iowa State with 10 minutes remaining turned into a nail-biter that went down to the final seconds in the Mountaineers’ 76-72 victory.
Minutes later, WVU forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. was asked about WVU’s upcoming schedule and how the Mountaineers will prepare themselves for a stretch of six consecutive games against top 25 teams, beginning with No. 23 Kansas on Saturday.
“We’re not going to do special stuff just based on who we play,” Matthews said. “We’re going to go out there and be the same team we’ve always been. We’re not going to change the way we play for anybody. To answer the question, we’re going to stay as us.”
Depending on the circumstances, WVU head coach Bob Huggins wouldn’t be tickled if his players simply kept the status quo.
Not after watching the Mountaineers (12-5, 5-3 Big 12) nearly blow that lead to the Cyclones. Not after watching Iowa State shoot 51.5% from the field and go 5 of 9 from 3-point range in what was mostly uncontested shots from behind the arc.
That came off the heels of games against Texas Tech and Florida, in which the Mountaineers allowed a combined 172 points.
“I’m going to be honest. I know I’ll catch a wrath of crap for it,” Huggins said during his postgame radio interview. “It’s the worst defensive team I’ve ever had. Ever. And I’ve been doing this a long time.”
Inexperience, Huggins said, was not the culprit.
“I don’t think so. Derek’s (Culver) been here three years. Emmitt’s been here three years. Jordan’s (McCabe) been here three years,” Huggins said. “Taz (Sherman) has been here two. Sean (McNeil) has been here two. I don’t think so. They just let down. They quit playing hard.”
Statistically, this hasn’t been the worst WVU defense under Huggins. The Mountaineers’ first two seasons in the Big 12 saw them give up more points or higher shooting percentages.
Those teams never sniffed the national rankings, however, and WVU struggled just to make the NIT in 2014.
This WVU team has been nationally ranked since the start of the season and has much higher aspirations than the NIT.
Compared to similar WVU teams with the same high expectations, this is where Huggins draws the comparison.
“Why could Joe Mazzulla play?” Huggins said. “When we got him, he couldn’t shoot. He couldn’t dribble with his right hand. But you know what? It really bothered him when his guy scored.
“It bothered (Devin) Ebanks. It bothered (Da’Sean) Butler. Go to any of those teams. They were upset when their man scored on them. They felt like they let their teammates down, let their team down. It meant something. That’s how my teams have been. We try to make that part of our culture. It hasn’t sunk in as part of our culture.”
Where does that leave WVU?
Through the first 17 games, at the very least, the Mountaineers’ level of inconsistency has at least made things interesting.
WVU fell behind by 18 points in the second half against Oklahoma and nearly pulled off a comeback. It fell behind by 19 points against Oklahoma State and came back to win that game.
It lost to Texas at the buzzer after allowing a wide-open 3-pointer from the corner.
WVU gave up 87 points against Texas Tech, but won that game in the final seconds on a shot from Deuce McBride.
The latest installment came against the Cyclones, a victory, Huggins said, wasn’t exactly worth celebrating.
“What you’re saying is we should jump up and down and be happy because we beat a team that hasn’t won a game in the league, yet,” Huggins said. “I have a hard time finding any solace in that. I’m thinking, now we’re getting ready to go play Baylor twice, go play Texas at Texas, go play TCU, play Kansas at home. We’re getting ready to play the real dudes in the league. This doesn’t give me a ray of optimism.”
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