FT discrepancies notwithstanding....

[.Bodhi.]

any point during our double-digit were you confident? At any point since Jan 15th were you comfortable with any lead, large or small, during the second half?

You're lying to yourself if you say you were. I know a lot of you don't mind piling on the players, but it's time to address to the bigger issue - Huggins are completely failed this team with his unbelievably horrendous coaching the second of the season. We have essentially blown a double-digit lead in the 2nd half every other game for over a month. Anyone else would be (rightfully) called to task. But oh no, we dare not question the almighty huggy bear.

 

[Vernon]

But oh no, we dare not question the almighty huggy bear.

Why do people like you make silly comments like this one? The man gets absolutely abused around here, at the games and on social media. Sure he has a lot of support but it makes no sense to say what you did when thousands of fans have no problem putting the blame on him. He's very much to blame for these losses and few will deny that.

 

[.Bodhi.]

Why do people like you make silly comments like this one? The man gets absolutely abused around here, at the games and on social media. Sure he has a lot of support but it makes no sense to say what you did when thousands of fans have no problem putting the blame on him. He's very much to blame for these losses and few will deny that.

Because, despite some complaints on social media (I've never heard abuse at a game, but if he can talk to his players the way he does, I'm sure he can able some fan barbs), he has 100000% job security regardless of his product.

And I was excited when he was hired, though I've always hated how he berates and demeans his players.

But, I don't care who you are, and I'm not calling for him to be canned like the anti-Dana crowd, his feet need to be held a little closer to the fire after consistently poorly coached games.

 

[Vernon]

Because, despite some complaints on social media (I've never heard abuse at a game, but if he can talk to his players the way he does, I'm sure he can able some fan barbs), he has 100000% job security regardless of his product.

And I was excited when he was hired, though I've always hated how he berates and demeans his players.

But, I don't care who you are, and I'm not calling for him to be canned like the anti-Dana crowd, his feet need to be held a little closer to the fire after consistently poorly coached games.

But if you're not calling for his head what can be done really? I completely agree that he has total job security so I don't see a fix. The only thing you can do with Huggs is hope it gets to him on a personal level and he makes changes in his recruiting. You want to see improvement during games but I don't think you're going to see that. What he needs is more talent and that falls on him as well.

And for the record I have no problem with your complaints, I just think you need to recognize that he gets a lot of the blame. I can tell you the Blue Lot is full of people that go after him for every loss.

 

[.Bodhi.]

On a certain level, there isn't a need to "see improvement" during games. It isn't like we're getting run out of the gym or the competition isn't familiar with WVU. We're getting big leads on every opponent. That's not luck, this team has the talent. It's simply his refusal or inability to make in-game adjustments or even be able to settle his team down during an opponent's run.

 

[Vernon]

On a certain level, there isn't a need to "see improvement" during games. It isn't like we're getting run out of the gym or the competition isn't familiar with WVU. We're getting big leads on every opponent. That's not luck, this team has the talent. It's simply his refusal or inability to make in-game adjustments or even be able to settle his team down during an opponent's run.

That's part of it but you could also make the case that they're getting those leads from Bob's coaching and then when the other teams adjust the different in overall talent shows up as well. The facts (well more of my opinion) are WVU should have beat Kansas in both games but Kansas has more talent. Maybe Bob's coaching is the only reason they could have won both games or maybe his coaching is the reason they lost both. To me it's a mix of needed more talent and running the offense the same regardless of where your lead is.

 

[MoTownWV]

But if you're not calling for his head what can be done really? I completely agree that he has total job security so I don't see a fix. The only thing you can do with Huggs is hope it gets to him on a personal level and he makes changes in his recruiting. You want to see improvement during games but I don't think you're going to see that. What he needs is more talent and that falls on him as well.

And for the record I have no problem with your complaints, I just think you need to recognize that he gets a lot of the blame. I can tell you the Blue Lot is full of people that go after him for every loss.

Our rotations make zero sense at times and that is on Harrison.

And similarly the recruiting in part is an assistant issue.

That is the one spot where I fault Huggins. Vingle did that fluff piece on the assistants a week ago. That was exactly the type of piece that WVU always places with friendly writers when the fans are justifiably pissed about something but no one in AD has the means or will to fix it.

 

[WVUALLEN]

Kansas 26 WVU 1

From the foul line.
Ccan anyone keep a 12 point lead with that kind of disparity?

 

[spreadoption_rivals80969]

Maybe we should try closing out a game and an opponent by making shots and running good offense instead of choking away win after win and then bitching about the officiating. This is getting tiring and old.

 

[WVUALLEN]

Maybe we should try closing out a game and an opponent by making shots and running good offense instead of choking away win after win and then bitching about the officiating. This is getting tiring and old.

My post is not bitching about officiating. It's stating a fact about the discrepancy in the foul calls. I mean come on, 35 to 2?

Now for the closing of the game. Miles passing up on 2 open shots and he was the hottest shooter in the game. I don't understand that. Make the attempt and see what happens. If you miss there could of been offensive rb and a put back on both or make them and it's 6 points.

 

[spartansstink]

My post is not bitching about officiating. It's stating a fact about the discrepancy in the foul calls. I mean come on, 35 to 2?

Now for the closing of the game. Miles passing up on 2 open shots and he was the hottest shooter in the game. I don't understand that. Make the attempt and see what happens. If you miss there could of been offensive rb and a put back on both or make them and it's 6 points.

He HAD to take the shot - and make it. There was no chance of an offensive rebound. There was only going to be an over the back called to send KU to the free throw line with no time off the clock.

 

[Buster68_rivals]

Not making excuses but the good is we were in the game until the end on one of the hardest courts in the country for the visitors to win. Now the bad - it is obvious that our bigs are not as talented as theirs, our offense goes to sleep during critical stretches with poor passing and decision making, and now throw in the 35-2 free throw disparity and their is no way we can win this game. Coaching, lack of talent and zebras all contributed to this loss. For the most part, our double digit lead losses this season can be attributed to the first two.

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers_rivals]

Huggins gets credit for the 19 victories and the 8 losses.

EVERY team in the Big 12 has blown leads. Every top 5 team in the Big 12 has lost to a bottom 5 team in the Big 12.

The Big 12 is the most balanced conference in America.

Huggins is 7th all-time in victories in the history of college basketball. It seems silly to attack his credentials. Pray that his successor is anywhere near as good as Bob.

This has been a remarkable season for WVU and the Big 12. No ho-hum games. Comebacks. Implosions. Euphoria. Heart-breaker.

It sure helps you forget your work problems. I'm enjoying the hell out of it. I was paid too be a sportswriter for almost 2 decades. But I never get jaded about WVU basketball and football.

Enjoy the rides .. freefalls and peak performances!!!!

Because soon there will be nothing worth watching till WVU football starts.

 

[spartansstink]

Not making excuses but the good is we were in the game until the end on one of the hardest courts in the country for the visitors to win. Now the bad - it is obvious that our bigs are not as talented as theirs, our offense goes to sleep during critical stretches with poor passing and decision making, and now throw in the 35-2 free throw disparity and their is no way we can win this game. Coaching, lack of talent and zebras all contributed to this loss. For the most part, our double digit lead losses this season can be attributed to the first two.

I agree. The rest of the games yes, but last night it was the zebras.

 

[.Bodhi.]

CFE, no team as consistently blown leads like we have this year.

And be honest with yourself, if you're continuously anxious about losing double-digit, second-half leads, there is a pretty big problem at the top. I'm not saying Huggins needs fired, but he needs to shoulder the blame.

Furthermore, who cares about the B12? It's pretty balanced, whoopty do. I'd rather be 25-3 in a top-heavy league and be a Final Four favorite than shooting for a Sweet 16 run in a balanced league.

Do you have banners of every B12 in your home?

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers_rivals]

I agree. The rest of the games yes, but last night it was the zebras.

I usually consider refs a part of the game, like the backboard and the nets. But ANY team that shoots 32 fewer free throws will NOT win the game. The miracle is that WVU kept it that close.

What makes it suspicious is that Higgins has a long history of sticking it to Huggins. I don't know why Bob sticks in Higgins' crawl. Maybe the Big 12 should check the games Higgins works against Huggins and see if there is a great disparity in the fouls he calls compared to the games he works with other teams.

I agree with Bob. Something is wrong here. 35-3 foul shooting difference is the refs determining the winner. I know it's a tough game in today's basketball to ref, but this was a game where WVU wasn't committing a lot of fouls in the backcourt, so that makes it even more curious that the free throw shooting was so lopsided.

 

[HurdyGurdyEer]

But if you're not calling for his head what can be done really? I completely agree that he has total job security so I don't see a fix. The only thing you can do with Huggs is hope it gets to him on a personal level and he makes changes in his recruiting. You want to see improvement during games but I don't think you're going to see that. What he needs is more talent and that falls on him as well.

And for the record I have no problem with your complaints, I just think you need to recognize that he gets a lot of the blame. I can tell you the Blue Lot is full of people that go after him for every loss.

What can be done? How about some sports writers start asking questions like, "Huggs, what do you say to fans who think the game was lost because we slowed things down at the mid-point of the second half?" Or "What do you say to observers who say they regularly see a team at the end of the half or the end of a game that seems to lack a semblance of a purpose on offense?"

He has pressers .... ask him some pertinent questions that reflect the mood and observations of a growing number of fans. That's what you do.

 

[Vernon]

What can be done? How about some sports writers start asking questions like, "Huggs, what do you say to fans who think the game was lost because we slowed things down at the mid-point of the second half?" Or "What do you say to observers who say they regularly see a team at the end of the half or the end of a game that seems to lack a semblance of a purpose on offense?"

He has pressers .... ask him some pertinent questions that reflect the mood and observations of a growing number of fans. That's what you do.

And that will fix the problems?

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers_rivals]

If those in authority in the Big 12 are asking questions, the #1 question should be: How if it possible for ANY team in the history of basketball to commit only two fouls in a game? How is it possible for one team to shoot 33 more free throws than the other team when the teams are of equal quality.

That would be worthy of a grand jury investigation. For one, check Higgins' bank account and see if it got a bump after the game. This very, very suspicious.

And I'm a guy who has defended the refs again and again because it's a tough game to call in today's basketball. But the statistics demand an investigation.

It's not a puzzlement. It's an outrage!

A great injustice was done to 18 to 22 year old kids on that night.

 

[spreadoption_rivals80969]

For what it's worth, I did some numbers crunching on Higgins and Keith Kimble, the latter is the official who made the awful call against WVU when Azubuike flopped like a fish. Yes, I had way too much time on my hands.

Going back to the beginning of the 2015-16 season:

Higgins has officiated 14 WVU games (4 at home, 3 Big 12 tournament games, 1 neutral site vs. Marshall and 6 road games). WVU's record in those games is 8-6. That includes 2-4 in road games. WVU has shot 269 free throws in the 14 Higgins-officiated games while the opponent has attempted 347. In the 10 non-neutral-site games officiated by Higgins, the home team is 7-3 and has attempted more free throws than the visiting team 7 times.

As for Kimble, he has officiated 9 WVU games since the start of the 2015-16 season, including three this year. WVU is 0-3 with Kimble officitating this season and 5-4 in the three-year period. In those 9 games, WVU has shot more free throws than the opponent only one time, though he worked a game against Baylor last year when both teams attempted 23 free throws. In those 9 games, WVU has attempted 159 free throws and the opponent has gone to the line 226 times. In the three Kimble-officiated games this year, WVU has shot only 25 free throws with a high of 14 (at Iowa State).

 

[Chazz Michael Michaels]

Two biggest constants in these losses the past weeks:
1. We take out Konate with 8 minutes left due to foul trouble and leave him out too long (this is when the other team makes its run. We were dominated on the boards and couldn’t score. I don’t understand taking him out to save the fouls in case he might foul out later. Bottom line- it’s not working. Gotta leave him in. If he’s tired give him a brief break but get him back in quick. With tv timeouts and stops it’s doable. He was out a long stretch while ku’s center abused us and we lost the lead)
2. We stop running the offense down the stretch. (We turn into- holding the ball til 5 secs on clock with high ball screen for JC. Meanwhile, everyone is standing around waiting for JC to score. It doesn’t work well enough. Why aren’t we running the offense? Why aren’t we getting it into sags and work inside out.).

 

[spartansstink]

I would like to add one more... the high ball screen especially with Routt or Bender in the game. When this happens, the opposing big man simply sinks back and effectively cuts Carter off. Carter's only move is a pull up or a floater which he had been effective with the past couple of games. When Routt or Bender get the ball 17 feet from the basket the opposing team knows they aren't a threat to shoot it - they never have. They never dribble to the rim or make a pass into the post, they simply stand there, spin, and wait for Carter to run in 3 circles to get back to them for a handoff (it has to be a handoff, they can't pass it to him as we see 2 or three times a game). At least with Konate, the big has to somewhat come out because he can and will shoot it (and make it often enough to be a threat) plus he can put it on the floor somewhat decently. For my opinion, which isn't worth much, run that with Esa more, who can pass, drive, shoot, or kick out for an open 3. Leave Routt and Bender on the blocks to do the one thing they can do - box out and get a rebound.

 

[spartansstink]

Two biggest constants in these losses the past weeks:
1. We take out Konate with 8 minutes left due to foul trouble and leave him out too long (this is when the other team makes its run. We were dominated on the boards and couldn’t score. I don’t understand taking him out to save the fouls in case he might foul out later. Bottom line- it’s not working. Gotta leave him in. If he’s tired give him a brief break but get him back in quick. With tv timeouts and stops it’s doable. He was out a long stretch while ku’s center abused us and we lost the lead)
2. We stop running the offense down the stretch. (We turn into- holding the ball til 5 secs on clock with high ball screen for JC. Meanwhile, everyone is standing around waiting for JC to score. It doesn’t work well enough. Why aren’t we running the offense? Why aren’t we getting it into sags and work inside out.).

For number 1 I've said this for weeks. He needs to play 30-35 minutes a game, or until he gets his 4th foul. Then save him. If he's not in shape to do it - welp you've got an entire summer to fix that problem or someone gets canned.

For number 2, if this was the first or second time it happened, you kinda say, "oh well" and live with it. But this is a pattern. We aren't built for this type of offense. It's like asking an aggressive defense to play prevent for a half - it takes away from who they are and what got them there. Play to win, not to lose. There's a difference.

Finally, we have to be the worse passing team this year of any WVU team in history. Especially from the wing. Whoever is on the wing stands there and won't pass to the cutter, won't dribble or jab-step to get himself open for the pass, or doesn't wait for the cutter to clear before passing it back around to the top. Konate has to be frustrated. Works to get himself open and they won't throw him the ball.

 

[Chazz Michael Michaels]

Excellent points. Agreed.

I would like to add one more... the high ball screen especially with Routt or Bender in the game. When this happens, the opposing big man simply sinks back and effectively cuts Carter off. Carter's only move is a pull up or a floater which he had been effective with the past couple of games. When Routt or Bender get the ball 17 feet from the basket the opposing team knows they aren't a threat to shoot it - they never have. They never dribble to the rim or make a pass into the post, they simply stand there, spin, and wait for Carter to run in 3 circles to get back to them for a handoff (it has to be a handoff, they can't pass it to him as we see 2 or three times a game). At least with Konate, the big has to somewhat come out because he can and will shoot it (and make it often enough to be a threat) plus he can put it on the floor somewhat decently. For my opinion, which isn't worth much, run that with Esa more, who can pass, drive, shoot, or kick out for an open 3. Leave Routt and Bender on the blocks to do the one thing they can do - box out and get a rebound.

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers_rivals]

WVU ranked #21 in both polls despite Kansas loss. I think pollsters took into account the unaccountable 33-shot free throw disparity.

Win out, take the Big 12 tournament (if Higgins isn't the ref) and March Madness and we'll have our fairy tale finish.

I hope I hope I hope.