Post by elp525 on Feb 26, 2011 12:41:37 GMT -5
February 25, 2011
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - If West Virginia has any chance of finishing strong over the final three games of the regular season, the Mountaineers are going to have to, well, finish strong.
That's not been the case of late, and it is perhaps the chief reason WVU is 2-4 in its last six games and just 5-6 in the last 11.
In six of the Mountaineers' last seven games and eight of the past 10, they have been outscored in the second half. Four times in that span, West Virginia has given up a halftime lead and lost.
By way of contrast, in WVU's first 17 games the Mountaineers were outscored in the second half just six times. In 12 games in which West Virginia led at the half, its record was 11-1.
"We've done this how many games this season, have a good first half and don't play the second?'' asked senior forward Cam Thoroughman. "We have to take care of that, but we're running out of time.''
It happened again Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The Mountaineers led No. 4 Pitt 31-30 at the break, despite shooting 39 percent, committing just two turnovers and allowing the Panthers to shoot 50 percent. Yet instead of picking up their game in the second half, the Mountaineers shot only 26 percent and turned the ball over seven times. They were outscored 41-27 and lost, 71-58.
"The second half we kind of fell apart,'' said forward Kevin Jones, who went scoreless over the last 23 minutes. "They opened the lead to 10 or 12 points and we just couldn't do anything to come back.''
That's not been unusual. West Virginia also led Syracuse by four points at the Carrier Dome at halftime, Pitt by two at home and Louisville by a whopping 11. The Mountaineers lost all of those games. Earlier this season, they either led or were within striking distance at the break against Marquette, St. John's, Miami and Minnesota and were outscored in the second half and lost each time.
There have been exceptions to the rule, however. West Virginia trailed Notre Dame by a point at the half a week ago at the Coliseum and won going away with a 15-point second-half advantage. The Mountaineers led by six at Cincinnati and won by 11. Against Purdue and Georgetown, WVU had small halftime leads and expanded them slightly to win.
But the bottom line, perhaps, is this: In 14 games in which WVU was outscored in the second half this season, the Mountaineers are just 5-9. In three of those five wins, they had significant leads against Big East bottom feeders DePaul, Seton Hall and South Florida and there was very little pressure to perform in the second half.
Meanwhile, in 13 games in which WVU outscored its opponent or tied them in the second half, its record is 12-1.
"We're always jacked up in the first half and the second half we're not that way,'' said guard Casey Mitchell, who scored 17 of his game-high 22 points against Pitt in the final 12 minutes, but after the outcome had all but been decided. "We start committing dumb fouls and it starts to get away from us.''
Thursday's loss to Pitt was yet another blow to West Virginia's standing in the Big East, which continues to be precarious in regard to a conference tournament bye with just three games remaining. The Mountaineers (17-10, 8-7 Big East) are in a tie for 9th place with Marquette and Connecticut, a game behind Cincinnati and Villanova (both 9-6).
WVU has three games remaining, though, beginning at Rutgers Sunday and then home games with UConn and Louisville next Wednesday and Saturday, respectively. Over that stretch, West Virginia has plenty of opportunity to work back into the top half of the league, where the top four teams earn two-round byes in the league tournament and the next four have a one-round pass. Remaining in the bottom half, however, would mean playing on Tuesday, March 8, at Madison Square Garden and facing five games in five days to win the event.
"We're still in pretty good position,'' Jones said. "But we don't have much time left.''
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - If West Virginia has any chance of finishing strong over the final three games of the regular season, the Mountaineers are going to have to, well, finish strong.
That's not been the case of late, and it is perhaps the chief reason WVU is 2-4 in its last six games and just 5-6 in the last 11.
In six of the Mountaineers' last seven games and eight of the past 10, they have been outscored in the second half. Four times in that span, West Virginia has given up a halftime lead and lost.
By way of contrast, in WVU's first 17 games the Mountaineers were outscored in the second half just six times. In 12 games in which West Virginia led at the half, its record was 11-1.
"We've done this how many games this season, have a good first half and don't play the second?'' asked senior forward Cam Thoroughman. "We have to take care of that, but we're running out of time.''
It happened again Thursday night in Pittsburgh. The Mountaineers led No. 4 Pitt 31-30 at the break, despite shooting 39 percent, committing just two turnovers and allowing the Panthers to shoot 50 percent. Yet instead of picking up their game in the second half, the Mountaineers shot only 26 percent and turned the ball over seven times. They were outscored 41-27 and lost, 71-58.
"The second half we kind of fell apart,'' said forward Kevin Jones, who went scoreless over the last 23 minutes. "They opened the lead to 10 or 12 points and we just couldn't do anything to come back.''
That's not been unusual. West Virginia also led Syracuse by four points at the Carrier Dome at halftime, Pitt by two at home and Louisville by a whopping 11. The Mountaineers lost all of those games. Earlier this season, they either led or were within striking distance at the break against Marquette, St. John's, Miami and Minnesota and were outscored in the second half and lost each time.
There have been exceptions to the rule, however. West Virginia trailed Notre Dame by a point at the half a week ago at the Coliseum and won going away with a 15-point second-half advantage. The Mountaineers led by six at Cincinnati and won by 11. Against Purdue and Georgetown, WVU had small halftime leads and expanded them slightly to win.
But the bottom line, perhaps, is this: In 14 games in which WVU was outscored in the second half this season, the Mountaineers are just 5-9. In three of those five wins, they had significant leads against Big East bottom feeders DePaul, Seton Hall and South Florida and there was very little pressure to perform in the second half.
Meanwhile, in 13 games in which WVU outscored its opponent or tied them in the second half, its record is 12-1.
"We're always jacked up in the first half and the second half we're not that way,'' said guard Casey Mitchell, who scored 17 of his game-high 22 points against Pitt in the final 12 minutes, but after the outcome had all but been decided. "We start committing dumb fouls and it starts to get away from us.''
Thursday's loss to Pitt was yet another blow to West Virginia's standing in the Big East, which continues to be precarious in regard to a conference tournament bye with just three games remaining. The Mountaineers (17-10, 8-7 Big East) are in a tie for 9th place with Marquette and Connecticut, a game behind Cincinnati and Villanova (both 9-6).
WVU has three games remaining, though, beginning at Rutgers Sunday and then home games with UConn and Louisville next Wednesday and Saturday, respectively. Over that stretch, West Virginia has plenty of opportunity to work back into the top half of the league, where the top four teams earn two-round byes in the league tournament and the next four have a one-round pass. Remaining in the bottom half, however, would mean playing on Tuesday, March 8, at Madison Square Garden and facing five games in five days to win the event.
"We're still in pretty good position,'' Jones said. "But we don't have much time left.''
