The RPI has WVU at No. 1. Let’s try not to make too much about the loss at Purdue. That’s a really good, really rested team on its home floor with a sold out audience. It would have been a terrific victory and it was a lopsided loss, but there are at least reasons to understand how and why it happened.

Huggins admitted today his team probably played too many games in too short a time and his players didn’t have the legs and the energy as did Purdue’s. WVU didn’t rebound or guard or run very well as a result. It happens. Heck, maybe it was overdue.

Huggins said his team’s habit of giving the ball to the other team had always been an issue this season, but never mattered as much as it did Friday. Maybe WVU is fortunate to be 11-1, right?

See, so much of what’s “wrong” is connected to the guards — and the lack thereof. Their absence and their struggle is something that can be plugged into a lot of problems. Mazzulla, despite his effort, just isn’t Mazzulla, but Truck says he’s about 90 percent. Mitchell, very quietly, has made 6 of his past 12 3-pointers and it seems if he gets his confidence going, he’s a much different, much more effective player. So perhaps there’s light out there somewhere.

For now, the frontcourt will have to carry the team, and to build and play like this on the fly is difficult. It can be ugly, too. Fact is, you need guards to handle pressure and hold leads and get the ball to the players who can score when you need to score. When you lack in that area, it’s awful hard to be or look good. There are complaints, but, realistically, the Mountaineers are limited in what they can do except hang on until they figure out what and who is right.