WVU basketball just 'needs a win'
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Taking a page out of head coach Bob Huggins playbook, assistant Erik Martin isn’t using a rear-view mirror when it comes to the current outlook of the West Virginia basketball team.
Yes, the Mountaineers are 0-5 in the Big 12 Conference for the first time since joining the league and as a program for the first time since the 2001-02 season but there is nothing that can be done about that. It’s over and in the books and what matters moving forward is how the rest of the schedule unfolds.
“You can’t get them back. You look forward to the obstacles in front of you. I don’t like five game losing streaks,” he said. “It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react to it.”
West Virginia is coming off a 31-point loss on the road at TCU but is set to return home to play host to Kansas. It’s an opportunity to help jumpstart a season that hasn’t really ever gotten off the ground. Martin expects the Mountaineers to respond after the recent difficult stretch with a strong practice Thursday.
“We ought to have a real good practice to win a game. Looking at all the teams in the Big 12, we’re not far off from being able to win a game and put a winning streak together. But it all starts with one win,” he said.
Kansas has been the roadblock not only for West Virginia but the rest of the conference since the Mountaineers have joined the league winning the regular season title each time. That won’t change the approach for the coaches or players despite the fact that the Jayhawks are up next. Ultimately though, it boils down to finding a way to win a basketball game despite the opponent.
The Jayhawks have gone more to a four-guard lineup due to injuries to their big men and Martin believes that the Mountaineers could be able to take advantage on the inside with their size.
On the positive side of things, West Virginia will point guard Jermaine Haley who has emerged in the back court but had to leave the game against TCU did not break his hand according to Martin. He is fully expected to play against the Jayhawks Saturday.
“He’s fine. He took x-rays after the game down in Fort Worth and his hand wasn’t broken,” he said.
Freshman Derek Culver has emerged as one of the standout players on the roster, especially on the offensive end but ran into some struggles against the Horned Frogs scoring only eight points and snapping his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring games. Some of that can be attributed to how teams have been able to adjust to Culver and he is now a prominent part of the scouting report.
“Before they were sure what his moves were or which way he liked going now they’ve got a small sample size where he’s in the scouting report,” Martin said.
To help address that the challenge for Culver is going to be to continue to adjust and clean up some aspects of his game although a complete overhaul isn’t possible mid-season. That will require some work in the film room but Martin expects him to accomplish that.
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. Saturday.
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