We've been there before: Memory critical to WVU's 17-point comeback win
Before hitting the court on Saturday, many thought West Virginia was set to coast to an easy victory.
Kansas State, who the Mountaineers faced for the first time this season, was hitting the court without head coach Bruce Weber, two assistant coaches and a portion of the active roster.
Yet, many viewers tuning in to the game's first half likely thought the Mountaineers were dead in the water. Despite having a proverbial hand tied behind their back, the Wildcats were a step ahead as soon as the opening tipoff went up in the air.
An early deficit quickly bloomed to double digits as Kansas State pounced on a lackluster defensive performance from WVU. The Wildcats quickly pushed ahead with a 12-0 run early on, a stretch that took only a minute and a half.
Four three-pointers in the last eight minutes of the first half continued to bury West Virginia, giving the Mountaineers few — if any — opportunities to waste.
"They came out with a lot of energy and we just have to match that energy," guard Taz Sherman said of Kansas State. "Once we all feel that energy we’re all on the same page defensively and that’s how we all turn it up."
West Virginia entered halftime down 13 points — the second-largest halftime deficit the Mountaineers have faced through the season's 14 games. The shorthanded Mountaineers faced a 19-point climb against Texas when WVU last hit the floor on Tuesday, but were unable to gain much ground.
With players such as Taz Sherman and Gabe Osabuohien — who missed the Texas game due to COVID-19 protocols — back in the lineup, there appeared to be a light at the end of the tunnel. The duo didn't just bring much-needed scoring and defense, but reinforce a veteran presence as well.
"My job and some other people’s jobs is to let people know it’s not impossible," Sherman said. "Since I’ve been here 19, 17, 15 and we’re down 13. We’ve played better teams and had to come back from bigger deficits. This is really nothing so, at halftime, let’s calm ourselves down. Get into our offense, play better defense. Locate shooters, get back in transition, run on transition too. Secure the rebound and secure the defensive possession and you have to constantly communicate that to the guys."
A different looking Mountaineer team emerged from the locker room in the second half and rapidly began turning the ship around. The team made seven of the half's first nine scores, slowly diminishing the Wildcats' lead over a seven-minute span.
"It can’t be all in one play," guard Sean McNeil said. "Gabe taking a charge and then we get two points. There’s not a 14-point play, so it’s about getting multiple stops in a row to give yourself a chance in the ball game."
West Virginia would wrestle the lead away for the final time with seven minutes remaining on the game clock. Making the most of their opportunities allowed the Mountaineers to stay on top.
It appeared to be a night and day difference between the team's play in each half. The Mountaineers shot 18 percentage points higher from the field, turned the ball over less and capitalized more on K-State's missteps.
"We’ve been there before," Osabuohien said. "Knowing we’re down we just have to look at each other and handle our business."
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