The Mountaineers made easy work of an overmatched Iowa and advanced to play Kentucky in tonight’s championship game. The approximate tip time is 10:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The Wildcats had an equal parts ugly and effective performance in beating Kansas State.

Kentucky (3-2) defeated Kansas State, 74-72, and shot 68.8 percent from the floor, but also committed 31 turnovers. Huntington’s Patrick Patterson had 14 points and 12 rebounds in the win.

“I don’t know how good we are,” Huggins said. “We may be a top 25 team, we may be a top 20 team. I don’t know. (Tonight) will be a pretty good indicator for us.”

Meanwhile, the most commonly asked question of the young season was addressed: Joe Mazzulla will be fine. In the first real test of the season, he had 13 points and six assists and was more assertive than he’d been all season because he was more comfortable than he’d been all season.   

Mazzulla wasn’t allowing himself to have fun as he attempted to replace Darris Nichols, who he respects deeply. He was taking the challenge too seriously.

“It takes up my whole life,” he said. “Coach tells me that. My girlfriend yells at me about that. She hates me for it. I take it way too seriously. I realized I have to play relaxed, so I was telling jokes and trying to have some fun for a change and I think that helped.”

Mazzulla had six assists and repeatedly tried to get his offense a score in transition. If it wasn’t there, the offense reset and WVU had its most productive day out of its sets. The paint was rarely too crowded and the spacing gave Mazzulla chances to drive and either shoot or pass.