WVU will take a hard look to find solutions in turning its basketball fortunes around

MORGANTOWN — The problems were detected early and then piled one on top of the other until they could no longer be supported.

In a nutshell, that explains West Virginia’s loss last week against Monmouth, a defeat WVU hopes to overcome when it hosts Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

First it was the Mountaineers’ offense, which was held to just 31% (21 of 67) shooting and is shooting just 33% through their first two games.

“We have to do a better job of executing on offense,” WVU forward Quinn Slazinski said. “The offense was slow. We started our offense with 20 second on the shot clock, and what are we in, what are we in? You look at the clock and there’s, like, eight seconds left. We as players have to do a better job of getting into stuff and having confidence in yourself.”

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Much of that was a result of Monmouth’s defensive pressure that never really let WVU get comfortable and find a rhythm.

On offense, the Hawks had a much deeper bench, playing a rotation of 10 players regularly, so they were able to push the tempo and wear down WVU’s shortened bench.

“We knew coming into it that their bread and butter is turning people over and getting out to the open floor and they did exactly that,” WVU head coach Josh Eilert said. “They knew our rotational situation, and they took advantage of it and that’s just smart coaching. They got downhill, they put pressure on us, they moved us.”

WVU’s short rotation is not expected to change anytime soon. The same eight players WVU has used in two games will remain that way until point guard Kerr Kriisa’s suspension ends on Dec. 16 or until forward RaeQuan Battle earns clearance for eligibility from a review board.

If those same eight players can’t fight through fatigue and shoot the ball better, opposing teams will learn a simple 2-3 zone can do the trick.

“The defense can take you out of something and then you have to read off each other and get the right look or a good look,” Eilert said. “Trying to figure out how we get that cohesive synergy, so to speak, is something we’ve struggled with at times, and we’re going to have to figure it out sooner than later. I guarantee you, we’re going to see a lot more 2-3 zone.”

In making the next move, Eilert said his own coaching would go under the microscope.

“You know, I told the guys, I’m just as guilty as everyone else,” Eilert said. “I have to learn what I can do better. What can I do better for them? We need to all have a heart-to-heart and start figuring this out.”

Jacksonville State (1-1) is coming off a 13-18 season, and much like Monmouth, has played a lot of guys over its first two games. The Gamecocks don’t have the size to match up inside with WVU, but they have rebounded the ball well and they’re defense is holding opponents to 38% shooting from the floor.

Not much of that will matter to the Mountaineers, who are focused more on themselves and their own setbacks at the moment.

“We didn’t play up to our ability,” is the way Slazinski put it. “That’s not making or missing shots. That’s having energy and having the swag and saying, ‘No one is coming into the Coliseum and scoring on you.
“We’re not going to get bullied again.”