It initially seemed like just another disappointing chapter in a story that had become all too well-known for this West Virginia basketball team of late.
After leading by a baker’s dozen at halftime over struggling Iowa State, that advantage was gone in the first 2:27 of the second game with the Cyclones cutting the deficit to only 4. The script seemed previously written as the Mountaineers appeared to be wilting under the pressure.
West Virginia had not won a road game since Jan. 6, a light year in the world of college basketball, and a few minutes later Iowa State had seized the lead. We’ve seen this story, we know how it ends, right?
Not this time.
The Mountaineers fought back and were able to outlast the second half charge to give the program a win that not only snapped a streak of six losses in seven games but some real momentum down the stretch. This was a team looking for a win, any way it could get it to shift the narrative.
It isn’t just that Bob Huggins club found a way to win this game, it was how it unfolded.
“We did grow up a little. If this was two or three weeks ago, we probably would have not come back when we got behind. We battled back and it was a team effort,” Huggins said.
Fueled by a strong first half where the Mountaineers scored 44 points, this team was not only making shots at 56-percent but was sharing the basketball with 10 assists on 20 made shots. Obviously, things boiled down to how this team made a stand in the second half when things got tough but sometimes you just must see the ball go through the basket and that certainly was the case.
“Deuce (McBride) made some big shots for us. Taz (Sherman) made some big shots for us in the first half. When those guys make some shots then it opens things up for us inside,” Huggins said.
The head coach shortened the rotation some and four different players finished in double figures with five others getting into the scoring column. It’s very easy to forget just how young this team is at times and some of the mistakes that come with that, but perhaps this was the first step in maturing?
For a team that has often dug itself in holes that it couldn’t get out of this was a significant shift. The Mountaineers didn’t just win this basketball game, they took it.
“We were a little tougher today. We were a little tougher today than we have been,” Huggins said. “Hopefully this really helps us grow up some.”
West Virginia could still realistically finish in several different spots in the Big 12 Tournament, but the goal is to avoid playing on the first night and finishing inside the top six. Baylor is up next, a challenge that while in Morgantown, will prove significantly more difficult.
But it will be an interesting litmus test to see just where this team is at with tournament play on the horizon. West Virginia now has 20 wins and is a virtual lock for the NCAA, but the work isn’t done.
Was this the first major step in rewriting that story we had all become way too accustomed to watching play out on the hardwood in February?
“We just got to keep our head in it and keep working. Keep getting better. We’re looking forward to playing Baylor,” Huggins said.
All wins are good, but some have a little extra meaning. That’s true here.
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