The Diehard Breakdown: WVU 102 Iowa State 77

[WvuDieHard]

Welcome to Morgantown my fellow Cyclones of the Big 12 . You just ran into a buzz saw by a WV club coming off of a tough road loss at Kansas. Tonight, these Mountaineers came out firing, came out focused, and came out with a purpose. They achieved their goal convincingly by scoring 102 points in what was the most dominating performance in Big 12 this year . Anytime you dismantle the 11 ranked club in the country, you have to start feeling good about where the program is headed. I actually got a call today from ex-Mountaineer player and he said that if Holton would have become eligible, he would have led this team in rebounding and averaged 15 per game. So my fellow fans, you better get ready for some exciting things coming from this club in the next year. If this group continues to improve and I believe they will, there is a good chance they could make the NCAA’s this year although there is still some tough work ahead.
Key Stats: WV had some really balanced scoring in this game placing 4 players in double figures and getting 26 points off the bench. Dibo led the squad tonight with 20 points on 7-10 shooting and 4-8 behind the arc, clearly his best performance as a Mountaineer. Staten followed with 19, Harris and Henderson score 16 a piece. WV makes 19-21 FT’s tonight and had a season high 18 assists (Staten 9). WV loses the battle of the glass by a margin of 44-35. WV shoots 53% from the field and nails 13 3 pointers.
Diehard’s Did You Know Segment: always my favorite part of the blog….Do you know when the last time a WV team scored over 100 points? Try 2006 against Marquette. Can you remember who was on that team and how many 3’s were made that day? I seem to remember a guy named Gansey…….and about 19 3’s made on that day. BB ---you correct me if I am wrong.
In conclusion, man I hate losing so I know I will sleep like a baby tonight and snore with a smile. One hell of a performance tonight fans and certainly reason to be upbeat about the state of the program. This was by far the best performance this team has had this year but I knew they had it in them. This should shoot the confidence level sky high and make them give this level of effort every night....or at least let’s hope. Have a great day Mountaineer fans wherever your country road has taken you in this great nation!

 

[bbwvfan]

Like everyone, I loved watching our boys go off on the Cyclones for 102. But, it was the defense against one of the most productive offensive teams in the country that totally blew me away.

The loss to KU was tough. The kids hung until the 5 minute mark. Maybe the fact they not only beat KSU and OU at home, but played KU tough on the road has built their confidence.

We are used to seeing Huggs' teams improve down the stretch... last year being the exception. So, this is great to see. Huggy playing Beilein ball! 13 3's!

I don't blame Harris for the hard foul. I truly don't think he tried to punch the ISU player.... even though I know the replay looked that way. I applauded Harris for sending a message!

I like winning....

Hate seeing the poor crowd size...

 

[bbwvfan]

The last time WVU scored over a 100 points was this season against Georgia Southern. I think the Marquette game might be the last conference game WVU went over 100.

 

[WvuDieHard]

The last time WVU scored over a 100 points was this season against Georgia Southern. I think the Marquette game might be the last conference game WVU went over 100.

Yes, I should have clarified that a little better. "The last conference game WV went over a 100".
BB --I too thought the defense played well but ISU missed a lot of open 3's. When a team shoots a lot of 3's, it has a tendency to make the opposing team fire up 3's. ISU didn't hit them and they are a good shooting team. Rest assured this ISU team will be ready to ambush WVU in Ames--they will come ready to lay the wood.

 

[DCWV4life]

It rained threes last night, it does not matter who you are playing you light up the threes like that more than likely you are going to win. Defense played solid, but Iowa st was off. I would like to see us not give up so many offensive rebounds, but our luck last night they had trouble putting in 2ft shots.

Team was playing with a lot if confidence, almost afraid they are peaking to early.

 

[Jeighmonee]

I like winning....

Hate seeing the poor crowd size...

Just like football, the crowd size will increase as the performance on the field or court improves. Casual fans don't want to see their teams lay eggs. If the team can keep putting together performances like last night, we'll be back to having nice crowds again. But I agree, it's kind of embarrassing to see.

 

[bbwvfan]

Just like football, the crowd size will increase as the performance on the field or court improves. Casual fans don't want to see their teams lay eggs. If the team can keep putting together performances like last night, we'll be back to having nice crowds again. But I agree, it's kind of embarrassing to see.

I totally agree. WVU has shown recently that they don't have hard core fans... most are bandwagon fans.

When the fanbase shouts they are the best fans in the country... it truly makes me laugh.

 

[Jeighmonee]

I totally agree. WVU has shown recently that they don't have hard core fans... most are bandwagon fans.

When the fanbase shouts they are the best fans in the country... it truly makes me laugh.

I think WVU still has "hard core" fans. I'd be willing to bet that most, if not all WVU fans that post on here are "hard core" WVU supporters. And most of the fans who were at the game last night are probably true fans. The problem lies with those fair weather fans who bail when things get rough. They're the ones who make the crowds look so sparse.

 

[bbwvfan]

Just my opinion, when you have 33K show up for Senior Day... your fanbase sucks! There is your hard core base.

When you have a $10 ticket price for the #11 team in the country, and you get 8K to show up, this is not representative of the hard core base. WVU had a $10 ticket price for both OU and UT, and they could not even get 10K for those games.

Huggy has been begging for fans to show up the last two weeks. Tony Caridi was begging yesterday.

I am beyond disappointed...

 

[Jeighmonee]

Just my opinion, when you have 33K show up for Senior Day... your fanbase sucks! There is your hard core base.

When you have a $10 ticket price for the #11 team in the country, and you get 8K to show up, this is not representative of the hard core base. WVU had a $10 ticket price for both OU and UT, and they could not even get 10K for those games.

Huggy has been begging for fans to show up the last two weeks. Tony Caridi was begging yesterday.

I am beyond disappointed...

I was responding to you saying "WVU has shown recently that they don't have hard core fans...". I thought we were talking about actual individual fans, not the fan base as a whole. As a whole, I agree that WVU's fan base has become pretty sorry. But I think if the teams see success, the fans will return (classic bandwagon behavior).

 

[DCWV4life]

I live 5 hours away I can only do so much! lol I have a hard enough time making the home football games.

I was surprised about the numbers at the game last night, playing a top 15 team and with still a lot left on the line.

A friend of mine brought up a good point, the WVU fanbase that has tickets seem to be the older group. They do not do weekday games. Just his opinion, but I think he may be on to something. Honestly from some of the cameras shots besides the student section our fanbase looks like a fieldtrip from the old folks home.

Still does not expain the 10 dollar tockets going unclaimed, I wish I lived closer.

 

[WVUDAD]

Guys, one of the problems with attendance is that WVU does not play the teams anymore that the average WVU fan wants to see. You can run down the old BE all you want but WVU played teams that people WANTED to see WVU play. ALSO, fans want to come see a good team on the floor or the field, one that gets better as the season goes on. After the football team laid an egg at KU, who can blame the fans for not coming to see the IAST debacle???? After last years basketball season, who can blame fans for not coming to see the team play a highly ranked team now?? IF you want to get on fans, start with the current students, THEY are a lot of the empty seats.

 

[DBAR4WVU]

This was a mighty impressive win against a very good basketball team. WVU not only had their best offensive effort of the season (considering the competition), but they also (IMO) had their best DEFENSIVE effort of the last 2 seasons. Of the 6 remaining games, 4 are against Top 25 teams. This is a W/L stat that weighs heavily in the NCAA invite process. For a bubble team like WV, winning as many of the games against the Top 25 will take us a long way in getting noticed.

 

[WvuDieHard]

Guys, one of the problems with attendance is that WVU does not play the teams anymore that the average WVU fan wants to see. You can run down the old BE all you want but WVU played teams that people WANTED to see WVU play. ALSO, fans want to come see a good team on the floor or the field, one that gets better as the season goes on. After the football team laid an egg at KU, who can blame the fans for not coming to see the IAST debacle???? After last years basketball season, who can blame fans for not coming to see the team play a highly ranked team now?? IF you want to get on fans, start with the current students, THEY are a lot of the empty seats.

You can run down the old BE all you want but WVU played teams that people WANTED to see WVU play.--let me get this straight--you are saying no one wants to see Kansas, Texas, Okla or Okla St??? Yet they have a hankering for Providence, St. Johns, Depaul or Marquette?? That just doesn't make any sense to me because even Baylor/TCU/TT are more exciting than the old Big East bottom feeders IMO.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

Call me a bandwagon fan, at least where bball comes in. I think the new rules really take the excitement away from many games. That being said, I don't pay much attention during the season and just rely on Die Hard for the breakdowns.

Don't let Dad irk you, he is living in the past.

 

[Mac_Bridger]

I don't buy the line that fans wanted to see the old BE schools. We still had paltry crowds during bad years. The only exception to that would be Pitt. I can remember getting free tickets to Syracuse in 94 because no one wanted to go. (13-0 win in bitter cold!) So don't tell me that attendance would be better with BE schools. It wouldn't. Winning is what draws the fans.

 

[DCWV4life]

How could anyone say that the basketball team has not shown improvement over the course of this year?

 

[WVUDAD]

You can run down the old BE all you want but WVU played teams that people WANTED to see WVU play.--let me get this straight--you are saying no one wants to see Kansas, Texas, Okla or Okla St??? Yet they have a hankering for Providence, St. Johns, Depaul or Marquette?? That just doesn't make any sense to me because even Baylor/TCU/TT are more exciting than the old Big East bottom feeders IMO.

WOW, you cite the top teams in the B12 and the bottom of the BE. People wanted to see sPitt, 'Cuse, ND, and in the last several years, Cinci and UL. AND being half a continent away does not make for a lot of visiting fans making the trip, which also accounts for low attendance. At the end of the day, put a good team on the court or field and people will fill the seats.

 

[bbwvfan]

When WVU was in the BE, did a lot of visiting teams' fans fill the Coliseum? What teams' fans travel well?

Seton Hall? Providence? DePaul? SU? Nova? Marquette?

What a bunch of BS…

 

[DBAR4WVU]

When it came to BE schools, be it in FB or BB - the only schools I really got jacked up about were Syracuse and Pitt. You could throw in VT in FB, not so much in BB. That is not to say that there weren't good games in FB against Louisville, who I enjoyed playing and wanted to see a real rivalry develop. Also UConn, Cincy and even Rutgers in FB were battles for the BE title after the exit of BC, VT and Miami.

While in BB I wanted WVU to do well against the BE BB-only elite teams, I never considered them "rivals" and didn't get pumped up about playing them. I agree that playing a Big12 slate, in FB as well as BB, is a huge step up in competition. I don't see the BE as a top BB conference any longer with the depature of UConn, Louisville, SU and Pitt (and WV ).

My only B12 complaint/reservation is the traveling. It is very hard on WVU to have so much travel to every away game. The rest of the conference only has this issue when coming to Morgantown and maybe Iowa St. But I feel we can make the B12 work - we have to.