I believe I’ve written two blogs and three newspaper features on WVU’s women’s basketball team this season — and the Mountaineers are 0-4 in subsequent games. They’ve lost five games all year, including last night at Pitt. Eh. I guess it happens if you write enough. I remember writing a column years back that highlighted about a dozen things I’d completely jinxed with my words. I called a high school baseball coach to do a season preview a few days later and he (jokingly?) declined — he was busy and a colleague ended up doing the story. Said team would go to the state tournament.

Anyhow, included in that column was Jerry Wainright, who was then coaching up John Beilein’s loaded leftovers at the University of Richmond. The Spiders were 12-6 and had won four straight heading into a big game against Xavier. They went 4-7 the rest of the season.

Well, Wainwright, really one of the best defensive coaches in the country, now coaches DePaul, which is tonight’s opponent for West Virginia in what is essentially a must-win for any postseason chances. I don’t think the Blue Demons are as bad as their 10-16 record — they’ve won five Big East games — but I don’t think they need me jinxing them, either.

The Blue Demons have lost their last two games by a combined seven points, squandering a lead at Connecticut and missing shots at the end against Seton Hall.

“The good thing is we’ve gone right to the wire,” Wainwright said. “The bad thing is we’ve gone right to the wire. How do we react? It’s almost like somebody showing you a piece of candy through the glass window.”

To avoid sucking on lemons in mid-March, DePaul needs to sweeten its shooting, especially against West Virginia.

Villanova is the only Big East team to exceed 70 points against the Mountaineers, who hold opponents to 61.3 points per game, third best in the conference.

“That puts a lot of pressure on our offense,” Wainwright said. “West Virginia has the best midrange game in our league.”