After a strong start to the season, the WVU men’s basketball team hit a rough patch, with the most notable setback being a 73-51 loss to Texas Tech last weekend. However, Tuesday’s commanding 73-55 win over TCU proved to be a crucial bounce-back performance, highlighting the Mountaineers’ resilience and reminding everyone of their true potential.
Leading up to tonight’s home game against TCU (which frustratingly still wasn’t sold out) there was a pessimistic feeling about a team that was all but a lock for the NCAA tournament a couple weeks ago.
After the challenges this program has faced in recent years, it’s easy to see the glass as half-empty. From the much-publicized resignation of legendary coach Bob Huggins to Tucker DeVries’ season-ending injury earlier this year, WVU basketball seemingly can’t catch a break.
In all honesty, anyone feeling discouraged by the recent struggles should gain some much-needed perspective. Being on the NCAA Tournament bubble in late February far exceeds preseason expectations and should be viewed as positive, not a source of frustration.
The Turning Point
Despite the rollercoaster nature of the season, the fanbase needs to remain optimistic, as the best is still to come. Darian DeVries appears to be an excellent hire as head coach, demonstrating his knack for rebuilding through the transfer portal. Javon Small, in his final year of eligibility, is the frontrunner for Big 12 Player of the Year, and with Tucker set to return next season, the future looks bright. The team has fully embraced DeVries’ balanced coaching philosophy and is staying focused on taking it one game at a time.
“I think our only communication with our team is we are playing for something right now,” said coach Devries in the Monday press conference. “I think most people would agree if the season ended today, we’re in the tournament. So, we just got to continue to do our part and know that these are meaningful games… and find ways to continue to try to put some wins up there.”
Bursting the Bubble
Heading into Tuesday night’s game, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi projects West Virginia as one of the last four byes in this year’s NCAA Tournament, according to his latest bracketology update. Lunardi has the Mountaineers pegged as a No. 10 seed, where they would face No. 7 seed Louisville in the round of 64 in the East Region. The win tonight and a few more conference victories will only strengthen this bid.
Just a year ago, West Virginia finished with a dismal 9-23 record (4-14 Big 12). Following the departure of Bob Huggins, the program was left in tatters, with several key players transferring out. While Josh Eilert did an admirable job as interim head coach, he was placed in an incredibly difficult situation and ultimately wasn’t retained. Given the circumstances, for the Mountaineers to be in a position to compete, let alone contend for an NCAA tournament berth, is nothing short of remarkable.
And let’s make a deal, Mountaineer Maniacs and all the Maniac-adjacent fans out there… let’s pack the Coliseum for the game against UCF on Saturday, March 8th, and give this team the home court advantage they deserve as they head toward tournament time!
Great Column Mitch!