West Virginia understands the challenge ahead of them with No. 2 Iowa State coming to town.
The Cyclones have been one of the bigger challenges in recent years due to what they do on the defensive end of the floor and that’s no different this year being perched at No. 5 nationally in the adjusted defensive efficiency ratings on KenPom.
That was after sitting at No. 1 in that department last year.
But the biggest difference in this version of Iowa State has been the improvements on the offensive end. The Cyclones are at No. 8 nationally in that category after sitting at No. 52 in the adjusted offensive efficiency ratings on KenPom last season.
“I was hoping maybe you all could come up with a weakness for me,” West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries joked. “But yeah, they’re good. I think they were really good last year too but the component they’ve improved the most is on the offensive side. Their bigs can really pass, they play well off one another, and I think it’s really complemented their guards from a year ago.”
Overall, Iowa State is averaging 85 points per game after that total being 75 last season. And they do it in a variety of ways with four players averaging in double figures although Milan Momcilovic is currently injured and three more scoring at least 6.0 points per contest.
“If they’re not the best, they’re one of the best. They’re one of the most balanced teams out there in terms of ways they can score and beat you. That’s what really elevated them to another level this year,” DeVries said.
Because of the way that Iowa State can attack it forces opposing defenses to make a lot of difficult decisions on the defensive side of the floor. It’s impossible to take away everything, so you must pick and choose.
“You’ve got to compete at every position to make things as difficult as possible,” DeVries said.
For West Virginia, the Mountaineers must take care of the basketball and prevent giving Iowa State easy opportunities in transition. West Virginia only had 12 turnovers against Houston, but the Cougars were able to turn that into a very efficient 25-points which was certainly a difference in the outcome.
“They’re out in the open floor and if you don’t have a set defense they’ll make you pay,” DeVries said.
West Virginia is going to have to do a lot of things right to knock off a Cyclones team that is playing as well together as any other team in the nation.
“I just think they all come in and all play well together I don’t think they care who scores, who doesn’t score. They play to win. They’re not about stats; they’re about winning they play that way,” DeVries said.
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