Desperation a factor on both sides as mountaineers are set to clash with bearcats

Cincinnati – West Virginia set out to earn a great bid in the NCAA tournament by winning 13 of its first 17 games, including four wins over ranked enemies, three of which were in the top 10 at that time.

In order for that is still the case in the near future, mountaineers have to put an end to a losing row that has stretched three games in the last two weeks.

The first option comes at. 14 Sunday in a matchup with Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena, which will be worn by ESPN+.

“It’s a long season and it’s a grinding. We still have 11 games left, so there are plenty of opportunities to go with games, ”said first-year WVU head coach Darian Devries. “They have put themselves in a good position to survive a stretch like this where you go through a three-game losing row, but at some point you have to put the brakes on and we have to get back on the other side of that column. Every night there is an option in the future where it is a Quad 1, Quad 2-Type Gam, And we have to win our share of them. “

Under Glide, which began with a home loss to Arizona State, continued with a setback in Kansas State and most recently included another home loss to No. 6 Houston, WVU has fought defensively and suffered through three of its five lowest scored games this season.

Mountaineers (13-7, 4-5) have dropped to 15. In the scoring among the Big 12 conference teams of 70.1 points on average-one place behind bearcats and their average of 71. In Big 12 Play, WVU remains 15. With a Average of 61 points, while UC falls to last in the league with a brand of 60.7.

West Virginia -Guard Javon Small remains the big 12’s leading goal scorer with an average of 19.1 points, although he has been kept in control twice under Glide, a total of 22 points in the losses to Sun Devils and Cougars. Small is consistent to draw the majority of attention from conflicting defense, which often includes sending double teams in an attempt to get another mountaineer to beat them.

“We did a lot of things tonight with Javon from the ball to try to get it back to him and get him on the go a little more,” Devries said of his season-low eight-point effort against Houston, who moved on only seven field goals attempts . “Houston is a good defense and they are capable of showing another guy out or changing it to prevent him from getting off pure. But we got these switches because he would get off clean or get an open three, and it gave us some benefits on the interior. Something to build on for us as we continue to try to find different ways to use all the guys that are out there. “

After drawing Cougars 39-19 at the break, West Virginia scored the first 11 points in the second half and was within five with more than 6 minutes left before he came short down the stretch.

Devries still liked much of what his team showed over the past 20 minutes in a matchup against one of the country’s top teams, which included disturbing defense, which helped to transform transition and led to 12-for-21 shooting.

“I asked them to leave this building tonight only focused on what it looked like, and it felt like in the second half,” Devries said. “Make it their mindset again and approach when we go into practice and get ready for Cincinnati. That team in the 15-minute stretch we take everywhere because they want to compete and stand up and go and do some things that can be pretty special. “

For as much as mountaineers need a win, Cincinnati (12-8, 2-7) could be even more desperate after following up two large 12 wins with three equal losses, including setbacks at Byu and Utah during it Last week.

Bearcats began their second season in Big 12 with a No. 20 National Ranking, but has been fighting mighty since the end of their non-conference plan with 10 wins in 11 games.

Four players Average Double Figure score for UC, although Bearcats don’t have a player among the 25 best scoring leaders in the BIG 12.

Simas Lukosius leads the troop with an average of 12.2 points. He does a great deal of his damage from the perimeter, and 47 of his 85 field goals are three-pointers.

Guard Jizzle James and Swingman Dan Skills Jr. Follow at. 10.8 points, while Texas Transfer Dillon Mitchell average 10.6 points and gives defensive versatility with its abundance of athletics.

With the exception of Lukosius, UC has struggled to shoot from long reach, and its 31.7 percent shoot at triple is ahead only TCU in Big 12. Excluded Lukosius shoots Bearcat’s 29.6 percent on triangles.

UC has won 12 of 23 all time meetings against mountaineers, including six of eight in Cincinnati and four or five in the fifth third arena.