It was fun... and, now it's done!

[bbwvfan]

WVU went down in flames last night. 18 point swing in the last 11 minutes of the game.

Nova was definitely the better team. WVU had them on the ropes when Wright called TO after WVU jumped ahead to a 6 pt lead.

One dumb play after another erased that lead... and, then our kids faced a pucker factor... and shot brick... after brick... after brick...

Sadly, the officiating hurt us in the 2nd half. I guess the officiating crew talked at half about calling the game a little tighter. No doubt, both teams were talking smack... and, as the broadcast revealed... the shit got started in pre-game. So, I understand the crew wanting to take control... and, I know I am biased... but WVU had 6 fouls called on them to 0 for Nova early in the 2nd half.

Once Dax and JC were called for their 3rd fouls, you knew the damage was done...

 

[bbwvfan]

Our Elite HC... failed to get us to the Elite 8 once again...

Maybe next year...

 

[ralphiewvu]

I love Huggs. I think he is a great coach. But last night was a perfect example to adapt on defense once our offense did their usual stall job with 10 minutes left. That trap defense is tremendous, but if they are playing a guard oriented offense and they are shooting well you gotta switch it to man to man and at least defend. Too many times nova was left wide open. In a 1 and down tourney you can’t always just stick to your guns. Sometimes changing it up is good.

 

[bbwvfan]

I love Huggs. I think he is a great coach. But last night was a perfect example to adapt on defense once our offense did their usual stall job with 10 minutes left. That trap defense is tremendous, but if they are playing a guard oriented offense and they are shooting well you gotta switch it to man to man and at least defend. Too many times nova was left wide open. In a 1 and down tourney you can’t always just stick to your guns. Sometimes changing it up is good.

You have to ask yourself this question about our press this year... one really big question... why?

Why run it? When Huggins installed it 4 years ago, he had great quality depth. He had 10 kids logging a lot of minutes. He was rotating 5 guards.

Heading into this season, he lost Knapper to meniscus tear surgery. Beetle and Harler played limited minutes their FR seasons.

Culver didn’t qualify. Macon didn’t return. And Ahmad was suspended for half the season.

Culver, Macon, Knapper and Ahmad easily made up 4 of the top 8 players for this year’s team.

No depth this year. No quality of depth...

And, you’re left with losing 9 out of 11 games when you have a 2nd half lead...

 

[Mac_Bridger]

Sadly, the officiating hurt us in the 2nd half. I guess the officiating crew talked at half about calling the game a little tighter. No doubt, both teams were talking smack... and, as the broadcast revealed... the shit got started in pre-game. So, I understand the crew wanting to take control... and, I know I am biased... but WVU had 6 fouls called on them to 0 for Nova early in the 2nd half.

Once Dax and JC were called for their 3rd fouls, you knew the damage was done...

They had also called WVU for 13 fouls with 13 minutes to go in the 2nd, while Nova had been whistled twice. This seems to be a trend throughout the tournament. I've noticed in several games that the higher seed is getting an amazing advantage in fouls called. I think Kentucky//Kansas State was the worst, but K-State still won...

 

[Mac_Bridger]

Our performance against Nova was a perfect example of how this team played all year.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

Watching this tournament makes me crazy. The refs are dictating the outcomes. Nova is up by 13 at the half on TT and has 14 more free throws. Fouls dictated our game and the way we play defense. Man on man against Nova does not work too well. Just ask Texas Tech. Nova is stacked with NBA players and deserve to be there.

This team did just like I thought they would. Sweet 16 ending with a loss to the #1 seed. This team was missing major pieces and was never an elite team. This was a great year considering those missing pieces.

For those who think that Press Virginia should give up the press, look at the past 4years. We have not had a run this good in a long time if ever. It is fun to watch also.

I knew bbDad would be the first to post once we lost. Where are the Pitt trolls when we need them.

 

[mad2mc]

WVU went down in flames last night. 18 point swing in the last 11 minutes of the game.

Nova was definitely the better team. WVU had them on the ropes when Wright called TO after WVU jumped ahead to a 6 pt lead.

One dumb play after another erased that lead... and, then our kids faced a pucker factor... and shot brick... after brick... after brick...

Sadly, the officiating hurt us in the 2nd half. I guess the officiating crew talked at half about calling the game a little tighter. No doubt, both teams were talking smack... and, as the broadcast revealed... the shit got started in pre-game. So, I understand the crew wanting to take control... and, I know I am biased... but WVU had 6 fouls called on them to 0 for Nova early in the 2nd half.

Once Dax and JC were called for their 3rd fouls, you knew the damage was done...

2nd half collapse were becoming a trend with this team. They matched blow for blow in the first half but once Villanova called an early timeout in the second half after WVU went up 6, the beginning of the end was just starting. Villanova shot lights out the second half from all over the court. I believe the shot at 50% from 3 point land. Very impressive. I have a Kansas winning it all and WVU fell short of my expectations. Just like my brackets, a bust.

 

[mad2mc]

Our Elite HC... failed to get us to the Elite 8 once again...

Maybe next year...

Maybe. Isn’t that the motto of WVU sports?

 

[mad2mc]

I love Huggs. I think he is a great coach. But last night was a perfect example to adapt on defense once our offense did their usual stall job with 10 minutes left. That trap defense is tremendous, but if they are playing a guard oriented offense and they are shooting well you gotta switch it to man to man and at least defend. Too many times nova was left wide open. In a 1 and down tourney you can’t always just stick to your guns. Sometimes changing it up is good.

Sticking to your guns was an early complaint some had about Dana. Hard to believe a future HOF coach would be accused of doing the same. Leaving open the off side 3 was a trademark of this team all season.

 

[mad2mc]

You have to ask yourself this question about our press this year... one really big question... why?

Why run it? When Huggins installed it 4 years ago, he had great quality depth. He had 10 kids logging a lot of minutes. He was rotating 5 guards.

Heading into this season, he lost Knapper to meniscus tear surgery. Beetle and Harler played limited minutes their FR seasons.

Culver didn’t qualify. Macon didn’t return. And Ahmad was suspended for half the season.

Culver, Macon, Knapper and Ahmad easily made up 4 of the top 8 players for this year’s team.

No depth this year. No quality of depth...

And, you’re left with losing 9 out of 11 games when you have a 2nd half lead...

C’mon bb. Weren’t these called excuses when you posted things like this about the football program?
Would have been interesting to have seen the full compliment of players at the beginning of the season, outside of Macon since he was gone.

 

[mad2mc]

Watching this tournament makes me crazy. The refs are dictating the outcomes. Nova is up by 13 at the half on TT and has 14 more free throws. Fouls dictated our game and the way we play defense. Man on man against Nova does not work too well. Just ask Texas Tech. Nova is stacked with NBA players and deserve to be there.

This team did just like I thought they would. Sweet 16 ending with a loss to the #1 seed. This team was missing major pieces and was never an elite team. This was a great year considering those missing pieces.

For those who think that Press Virginia should give up the press, look at the past 4years. We have not had a run this good in a long time if ever. It is fun to watch also.

I knew bbDad would be the first to post once we lost. Where are the Pitt trolls when we need them.

What are you talking about? Poppy’s back.



Just kidding Poppy.

 

[SteelersPride]

wvu played a damn good tourney

 

[Anotherwvufan]

The Nova game really came down to our best player against their best player. Brunson v. JC and Brunson took it on both ends of the court. JC was unable to get open for 3s and was not able to drive on Brunson. Brunson was hitting from 3 and was able to drive into the paint against JC. As players came in to help JC, Brunson kicked it our to the corner and then a quick pass to the middle for an open 3. They did the same thing against TT. Any time you let the other team go 50% on 3s, you can expect to lose.

I find it interesting on how some of you think that if we went man to man, we would do better on Defense. A look at the stats show that WVU had 16 turnovers and had 14 more basket attempts. Most of our turnovers come on the press. whenever Nova beat the press, they usually scored. We had similar stats throughout the season.

What killed us many times was foul trouble and the inability to shoot successfully at the end of games. The press was more effective in the first half of games. When Dax, JC and Sags got into foul trouble, we lost intensity and teams caught up on us. I don't know why we were unable to milk the clock and score at the end of games. We left many wins on the table. a bit more depth would have done wonders for this team.

This team will look very different next year, but I cannot doubt the success of Huggs and Press Virginia. As always, we will not have the athletes to compete with Kansas. another Sweet 16 would be great.

 

[bbwvfan]

A basic understanding of the game allows us to know WVU’s press was pretty ineffective for most of this season... and especially against Nova. Most of Nova’s TO’s were due to pressure in the half court... not full court. For every extra possession gained by a TO came a wide open look for 3 or an easy layup when Sags wasn’t in the game where he could protect the rim. WVU gets a bunch of extra shots due to being one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country.

As a result of the enormous time it requires to teach the kids how to press at the highest level, basic fundamentals of help defense were lost. We saw WVU fall victim to the same fundamental mistake against Nova they had made all season. In help defense, you never come off your man on ball side... NEVER!! It was a mistake made repeatedly by this year’s team... was made repeatedly against Nova.

We knew how thin our depth was this year. You cannot press with lack of depth. We all knew how important it was to keep Sags on the floor... how important it was to keep JC and Dax on the floor.

JC got into early foul trouble. So did Dax. Beetle was playing with a hurt wrist. Harler wasn’t playing.

But, you stay in the press...

JC can’t guard like he can because of foul trouble. Dax sits on the bench for most of the 2nd half. Fouls out early after returning.

HOF coach...

 

[Mac_Bridger]

When Dax, JC and Sags got into foul trouble, we lost intensity and teams caught up on us.

This.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

A basic understanding of the game allows us to know WVU’s press was pretty ineffective for most of this season... and especially against Nova. Most of Nova’s TO’s were due to pressure in the half court... not full court. For every extra possession gained by a TO came a wide open look for 3 or an easy layup when Sags wasn’t in the game where he could protect the rim. WVU gets a bunch of extra shots due to being one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country.

As a result of the enormous time it requires to teach the kids how to press at the highest level, basic fundamentals of help defense were lost. We saw WVU fall victim to the same fundamental mistake against Nova they had made all season. In help defense, you never come off your man on ball side... NEVER!! It was a mistake made repeatedly by this year’s team... was made repeatedly against Nova.

We knew how thin our depth was this year. You cannot press with lack of depth. We all knew how important it was to keep Sags on the floor... how important it was to keep JC and Dax on the floor.

JC got into early foul trouble. So did Dax. Beetle was playing with a hurt wrist. Harler wasn’t playing.

But, you stay in the press...

JC can’t guard like he can because of foul trouble. Dax sits on the bench for most of the 2nd half. Fouls out early after returning.

HOF coach...

BBdad BS

Do you really think this team would have won more games without the press?

They did not need to beat the press to get a wide open look at 3, they did it in their half court offense.

Nova out rebounded us on the Defensive boards 29-23. We had more offensive boards.

Brunson broke down our offense. If our D did not help, he would have maid layups every time. Once help came, it was kicked out the the corner, then back to the point for an open 3. Nova has done this to everybody in the Tourney.

When in the Big East, we were able to recruit NY very well. Since we left, we have not had the quality recruits like Ebanks, James and Truck. 2013 and 2014 we did not make the tourney. 2015 Press Virginia was created and since then, we have been to 4 straight tournament appearances, been a mainstay in the top 25, beaten multiple #1 ranked teams and made the sweet 16 3 of 4 years. BBdad, you want to abandon this and go back to what everybody else does? we could finish 4-7 in the conference every year like the football team.

Get with the program, this aint the 3-3-5. WVU is feared in college basketball because of the press. You want to abandon the one thing that has worked for us.

 

[bbwvfan]

Would we have won more games without the press? I’m not sure. I don’t think it really helped us win games we wouldn’t have won.

We lost a few games when our HOF coach put us in a 1-3-1 zone the kids didn’t know how to work. We lost a few games because our HOF coach wanted to teach his players he decides who plays and who doesn’t by benching some of our best players after he got pissed.

In conference play, we averaged 0.2 more steals a game than KSU. 1 more a game than TT. Sticking with conference stats, we created 1.5 - 3 more TO’s than our conference rivals.

Our offensive boards is what allows us to get more shots up than our opponents. You get this don’t you? Our defensive rebounding #’s are impacted by our opponents’ FG% and their offensive rebounding efficiency.

Brunson tore up our defensive player of the year. In help defense, you never come off of ball side. NEVER. Help comes off of weak side. Basic fundamentals...

All season long, former players talked about this recurring issue.

Abandon the press this year is what I said. We did not have the quality of depth to run it.

 

[Slaton10]

I told BBW after the game , what i saw was a glaring lack of any kind of depth at the guard position....you cam get away with Harler and Beetle in the regular season but when you play a game like that your warts show up big time...The referees should be shot...took the game out of the players hands....watching some other games they couldn't even call call right on an out of bounds baseline ....one kid was in by 3 feet...NCAA should be ashamed..

 

[Anotherwvufan]

Have to agree with Slaton on the depth issue. We also had that issue with the PF/C position. When teams beat the press, sags made great blocks. Without him in there bender and routt could not prevent the easy dunk.

Regardless of depth, this team was built for the press. We may have had two of the best press guards ever. I do not think we had the athletes to compete with Kansas, tech and Baylor without the press.

Officiating has changed the game. I can deal with botched out of bounds calls easier than bad fouls. Too many games are decided at the free throw line. Too many players miss large amounts of games with foul trouble. Officials dictate how the game is played and are very inconsistent game to game and sometimes in the game itself. Case in point Villanova. Calls were much tighter early in the second half than the first and it cost heavily. Texas Tech was victimized against Nova also. Nova had a 13 point lead at half after having 14 more free throws.