Energy key for WVU in quick turnaround against Oklahoma
Overcoming sickness, fatigue and a stretch of bad basketball, West Virginia found a way to beat Kansas State in rather convincing fashion to end a skid with five losses in six games.
But can they do it again, and muster the energy on a quick turnaround?
Those turnarounds haven’t been friendly to the Mountaineers even without the flu to deal with it. The Mountaineers have lost the last three Saturday to Monday home-road turnarounds, including the last one on the schedule coincidentally the last 30-point win, a triumph over Texas followed by a loss to TCU.
West Virginia was completely sapped of energy in the Mountaineers loss to Iowa State, a game which the program gave up the most points in a regulation game than it had in almost 15-years.
Heading to a hostile environment at Oklahoma, it was of course a topic of conversation.
“I’m worried about having energy on Monday,” Huggins said. “When you got guys that are laying there getting IVs, to try and get them back moving, it’s a concern.”
Because of the quick turnaround, the Mountaineers spent Sunday watching film and trying to learn from the first match up against the Sooners as well as other teams that gave them problems in different areas through the first 22-games of the season in order to save their legs.
That could be the case regardless but with the flu involved it is even more important.
“If they come out with no energy you’ll know it affected us,” he said.
Huggins did try to play with the lineup some in the lopsided win over Kansas State in order to buy players minutes off the floor.
Senior guard Jevon Carter saw 33 minutes, the lowest total in eight games, while redshirt sophomore James Bolden, who was still battling symptoms, played only six minutes in the second half. Others had their time on the floor split between several players as well.
“I tried,” Huggins added.
The biggest difference for West Virginia against the Wildcats besides the obvious uptick in the energy levels on both ends of the floor was how the Mountaineers were aggressive attacking the rim. While offense has been difficult to come by of late, adjustments proved beneficial.
Assistant Larry Harrison was charged with changing some things on that end even considering the health of the team kept players from practicing and instead it as all down on film. To that point, the Mountaineers didn’t go live at any point for two days but the exercise did help.
“We weren’t playing downhill we were playing lateral,” Huggins said.
It hasn’t been any secret that West Virginia hasn’t shot the ball well but the program hit 55-percent of their shot attempts something the Mountaineers had only done once this season against Morgan State.
“It gives us a chance to win,” Huggins said.
The Mountaineers are going to need to score to keep pace with Oklahoma and freshman sensation Trae Young. In the first meeting, West Virginia effectively limited the effect that Young had on the game by gang-guarding him and attempting to make things difficult every time he touched the ball.
Fresh legs will be needed to duplicate that feat.
“Follow the scouting report,” redshirt sophomore Lamont West said.
That and hope the turnaround coupled with fatigue doesn't cause a road block.
