Mountaineers Now Postgame Show: WVU 77, UCF 67
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:10 Hey, hey, hey, everybody.
00:11 It is a winter tonight, West Virginia 77 to 67.
00:15 Here on the Mountaineers now post game show presented by Country Roads,
00:19 AirDuck, Cleaning, Skyla Calland, that is Christopher Hall.
00:21 And as always, as we open up our show here, a rundown of the numbers.
00:25 Ray Kwan battle had himself a night 24 points, five rebounds.
00:30 Jesse Edwards with the double double 15 in 10 to go with two blocks.
00:34 Darius Johnson pretty much scored the majority of UCF's points tonight,
00:40 29 of the 67.
00:42 As a team, UCF took 38 attempts from beyond three point range.
00:47 That is a single season high for them.
00:50 And I really said going into this game that for West Virginia,
00:53 if they could cut down the points in transition or
00:58 fast break points, which they gave up 26 to UCF in the first game.
01:04 That if they cut that number in half, they had a chance in this game.
01:06 And then the other part of it was getting to the free throw line.
01:08 They didn't have Jesse Edwards in that first matchup.
01:11 I thought having Jesse in there would kind of create, not necessarily mismatch, but
01:15 giving them a better chance to compete inside and get into the final line.
01:19 They did that and only gave up 13 points in transition.
01:23 And they were 18 of 26 from the charity stripe.
01:26 So much different from what we've seen of late, but
01:30 this is also UCF team that's kind of reeling themselves here, Chris.
01:33 >> Yeah, it's not a very good UCF team and
01:36 they didn't play with the same energy defensively,
01:39 didn't put as much pressure on the ball.
01:41 Some of that may have been a threat because of Jesse Edwards being in
01:45 the lineup this time.
01:46 So they still gave up 13 offensive rebounds.
01:49 You don't like to see that.
01:50 They put up 70 shots because of it.
01:52 It's kind of odd that a team puts up 70 shots, 16 more than West Virginia and
01:58 they're still on the losing end and losing in about 10.
02:02 And they had not, so gave up 15 turnovers.
02:06 A little better, they've been doing 10 plus last three games in the first half.
02:11 And really put themselves in a hole.
02:13 I think they only had seven in the first half, eight in the second.
02:17 So they kind of split it up a little bit, but
02:18 that's still a concern with a UCF team that's not very good.
02:22 They've lost the same amount as West Virginia.
02:23 I think it was one out of last five that they've won since the last two met.
02:27 So there's a lot of negative still out there, but they were able to pull it off.
02:31 And I think the thing that kind of impresses me with this group,
02:35 this is a group that they all just came together this summer.
02:39 They're just now picking up, what was that, their ninth win?
02:42 Eighth, ninth win of the season.
02:44 And they're still competing.
02:46 So I give a lot of credit to those kids, because it's easy to just kind of-
02:50 >> Pack it in.
02:51 >> Fold it up, pack it in, fold it up.
02:53 Let's just get to the offseason.
02:56 But they're still competing and they're still on.
02:58 Hey, possibly they can make a run in the postseason.
03:01 They got a lot of work to do.
03:03 Have they won back to back games?
03:05 When's the last time they've won back to back games?
03:07 So if they've even won back to back games this year, I don't even know.
03:12 So they would have to string some wins together there in the postseason if they
03:15 think they're gonna do some damage.
03:16 But still a lot of work offensively.
03:19 They look better, but for this league, for you to compete and win,
03:22 the games are coming up.
03:24 They're gonna have to continue to improve and make drastic steps offensively and
03:28 defensively.
03:29 They're not gonna be able to set two threes in like that.
03:31 There's way too many teams throughout the Big 12 that can shoot far better than UCF.
03:37 So a lot of work.
03:40 They can definitely switch defenses and kind of get other teams out of their
03:43 rhythm, but everyone kind of has to be on the same page in communication.
03:47 We'll have to be key going down the stretch.
03:48 >> Yeah, they actually opened up 10 of 13 from the field.
03:52 I mean, they were just hitting just about everything that they threw up.
03:55 Some of these shots were not easy ones either.
03:57 I mean, they were heavily contested.
03:58 Raekwon Battle, I know that mid-range jumper along the baseline.
04:01 That was a tough shot that he made at the beginning.
04:03 I thought the ball just moved for once.
04:06 Like, and there was obviously some spots where it got a little stagnant and
04:10 it stuck.
04:10 But it just felt like from the get-go, the emphasis was to just move the ball.
04:16 Constantly have all five pieces of the offense moving.
04:20 And it led to success.
04:22 I don't know if they were trying to play faster in the half court or not, but
04:25 it looked like it.
04:27 And then I think on the defensive end,
04:29 it looked like they were actually having the willingness to play defense.
04:32 And sit down, whether it was in that zone or the man-to-man.
04:36 And they played with a lot of intent, I thought, on that end.
04:39 Now, towards the end of the first half, UCF threw the zone look at them.
04:44 It kind of slowed things down a little bit.
04:45 They cut it down to, I believe, 737 to 30 at the half.
04:49 But for me- >> Technically, it was five.
04:51 We were having a little bit of debate on how you can go back,
04:55 plays later after an offensive goal ten and then review it.
04:59 That makes zero sense.
05:00 >> And take it off, yeah.
05:01 >> Yeah, they did it twice tonight.
05:03 So I've never seen that, and they did it twice within the first half.
05:07 >> [LAUGH] >> Just a typical night in college
05:10 basketball where you're just shaking your head at the rules.
05:15 Jesse Edwards gets hit in the face and it's not a flagrant foul.
05:18 And any hit to the face is supposed to be at least a flagrant one.
05:21 >> Yeah, and there was the one with, I don't know if it was him or
05:25 Ray Kwan, where they weren't even gonna review it.
05:27 And then all of a sudden they finally went over there and went.
05:30 >> It's so, there needs to be something with the visioning, but yeah.
05:34 There was two goal tendings that were reversed.
05:37 They called one on a cook that they said was goal tending, and
05:41 when they reviewed it at halftime, they took it away.
05:45 So they took two points off the board at halftime.
05:47 I'm never, and it was probably within a minute, over a minute left in the game.
05:51 >> Yeah, yeah.
05:53 >> It doesn't make sense why they would do that.
05:54 It's a dead ball.
05:55 When you blow the whistle, that's a dead ball.
05:57 You should review it right then, cuz the first one that they took away from
06:02 West Virginia, when they went and reviewed, West Virginia got the ball right back.
06:07 And if anything, the possession area was towards West Virginia.
06:11 So that would have negated probably the three that they just hit
06:14 as the shot clock expired.
06:15 And that's what they originally went to review to see if he got it off in time,
06:18 which it was clear that he got it off in playing time.
06:21 So I have no idea how that transpired, how that's even a rule is amazing to me.
06:25 So just another typical night in college basketball where you just
06:30 walk away from a game and what the hell just happened.
06:32 >> It's head scratching, it's always something.
06:36 But I mean, defensively, I think that's the thing that really stood out.
06:39 Because we've seen, I think it was a couple of games ago where they went into
06:42 three or four game stretch where they're actually playing fairly decent defensively.
06:46 And then things kind of got out of hand there for a game or two.
06:48 But this game in particular, the second half, they really locked things down.
06:54 I think they held, remember numbers go here,
06:56 UCF only shot 28% from the field in the second half, 18% from three.
07:02 So when they tried to get back into the game,
07:05 they tried to cut into that double digit deficit, they just couldn't.
07:08 West Virginia would either have an answer or they'd string together a few stops.
07:12 This one never really felt like it was in doubt.
07:14 I mean, they led wire to wire.
07:17 But even it felt like when they took that, I think it was 11 to 4 lead early in
07:21 the game, it just felt like they had a good handle on this.
07:25 >> Yeah, I kind of go back to UCF,
07:27 just not playing with the same energy from that first time around.
07:31 The scout has been out.
07:33 If you pressure Kurt Caruso on the ball, they struggle.
07:39 They don't get the help.
07:41 And Kurt tries to do too much, he gets frustrated.
07:44 He gets a foul called on him, he gets in his own head.
07:46 So no idea why they had quote unquote full court pressure,
07:50 because they didn't really pressure, so he just let him pass the ball in and
07:55 move it up.
07:55 So I don't really know if it was just, they just came out lethargic,
07:59 traveled, just getting kind of wore down in the conference.
08:02 But I would, again, I credit West Virginia, but at the same time,
08:06 I don't think West Virginia really excelled at anything.
08:09 As UCF, they're not a very good team and they're kind of down right now themselves.
08:14 >> Yeah, it just didn't look like the normal disaster,
08:17 [LAUGH] which is an improvement.
08:19 >> Yeah, it would be nice if it wasn't a normal disaster coming up, but.
08:26 >> Yeah. >> I'm not very optimistic with this
08:28 group, but I know they're gonna remain competitive.
08:31 They still wanna try to do something, but it's just hard to remain optimistic.
08:36 When they have played good teams of recent, it's been really ugly and
08:39 they're about to just go into another two game gauntlet here.
08:43 With Iowa State and Kansas State and that's on the road as well,
08:46 and they've not fared well on the road.
08:48 >> Yeah.
08:49 >> Yes, speaking of- >> Enjoy the win tonight and
08:52 [LAUGH] kind of forgetfully something cool happens here over the weekend.
08:59 >> And as you said, speaking of disasters,
09:01 they're up to deal with a natural disaster with Iowa State, the Cyclones on Saturday.
09:06 They're heating up, as you said, they did lose their last game, but
09:10 they are nine and four in a second place.
09:14 Actually, no, they're not in the second place tie, they sit all alone in second
09:16 place, one game behind Houston in the Big 12 State.
09:18 >> They also just played Houston at Houston, so they played them tough.
09:23 That was a good game, I actually watched that game.
09:25 >> Yeah, and look at them, I mean, they've shot up all the way to number six in
09:28 the country, so this is, and we all know Hilton's a tough place to play.
09:33 This team is not- >> They're big.
09:34 >> On the road this year.
09:35 >> Exactly what West Virginia doesn't want, they're big and physical, both teams.
09:39 >> So this one might get ugly.
09:41 >> It's gonna be hostile in the Hilton,
09:45 so we'll have to remain cool, calm, and collective.
09:48 And kind of withstand that surge and stay within a couple possessions the best they
09:54 can and hopefully make a run in the second half, that's all you can really ask for.
09:57 >> Yeah, so I mean, as of right now, as we record this,
10:02 West Virginia is now tied with UCF, I believe that would be 13th place, four and
10:07 nine, the standings I've got pulled up here are all wacky, but
10:10 I think that they'd be tied for 13th.
10:12 So if they do win, they got a chance to move up,
10:15 depending on some of the other results around the league.
10:18 So once again, West Virginia winners 77 to 67 over the UCF Knights,
10:23 they split the season series in the Knights inaugural year in the Big 12.
10:28 And they'll be taking on the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, out in names,
10:32 that one's on ESPN2, a nationally televised game, folks.
10:35 We actually have one of those, again.
10:37 So that one will be tipping off on ESPN2 at 2 PM.
10:41 We'll have the post game coverage here for you on Mountaineers Now.
10:45 And make sure you hit that subscribe button on YouTube.
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10:51 For Christopher Hall, I'm Scott Calin.
10:52 You've been watching the Mountaineers Now post game show presented by
10:55 Country Roads Air Dug Cleaning.
10:57 Take me home to comfort.
10:58 [MUSIC]