Big Monday: A battle of bewildered expressions
February 14, 2011 by Mike Casazza
Two of the best in the business tonight. Jim Boeheim brings 849 wins in 35 seasons at Syracuse with him to combat Bob Huggins and his 686 victories across 29 seasons at multiple schools.
What we’re walking about and looking for tonight are the sideline expressions on Big Monday. They may not be in a class of their own, but you don’t need much time to take attandence.
Boheim has mastered the arms-out, eyes-bulging look that screams, even in silence, “You’ve got to be effing kidding me.” He aims it at players and officials alike, but it’s a classic and easily the most recognizable in his reaction repertoire.
Huggins, to me, changes his approach as often as he changes his sideline attire. The guy who at WVU has gone from suits to WVU pullovers to Nike pullovers and has only disappointed by escheWing the turtleneck and sweater vest has revolved similarly with his sideline shows.
He used to work and work and work to get a carry or an over the back or a hack — as pictured. That’s since faded. He’s been bombastic. He’s been calm. He still barks and marches and takes out frustrations on a label-less water bottle.
This season he seems more subdued and generally just laughs when someone does something he doesn’t like. Might be a bad call or a bad pass, but he frequently cocks his head, smirks and says something a little sarcastic.
And when it’s a really bad call, he throws two hands toward the decision, as if to say, “Forget it. And forget you.”
Should be good theater. I wonder if we can keep a tally of Bewildered Expressions tonight. Need your help with that one.
The live blog begins right now as WVU tries to improve on a 2-4 Big Monday mark under Huggins.
6:48: Your officials tonight: Jim Burr, James Breeding and Tony Greene. I’ll leave you with your thoughts. Remember, it’s Valentine’s Day. Be nice.
7:07: Not excited about the view tonight.
7:09: I head it’s a good start for WVU. Up 7-3 and Syracuse is the one with turnover and shooting trouble (two turnovers and 1-for-4 shooting … that after opening with a 3).
7:15: Triple play for Casey. Ill-advised early shot (WVU is getting good looks when patient), gets beat in transition on a long rebound, which leads to a basket that forces Huggins to call a timeout and remove Mitchell from the game. Might be a quadruple play, actually. Lively 16 seconds for him, though.
7:19: Interesting dichotomy here. Syracuse is trying to shoot early and has done so to make five straight shots, most in WVU’s defensive transition. WVU, meanwhile, is trying to be patient and move the ball against the defense. Those middle jumpers by KJ and Deniz are significant parts of the attack.
7:22: Huggins has a turtleneack on, yes?
7:23: Cam goes to the bench with two fouls at the 10:06 mark. Deniz enters, as does Dalton Pepper for John Flowers. Defensive slip there.
7:27: Pepper scores, though. He and Casey make 3s on back-to-back possessions and forge a 20-20 tie even as the Orange made seven straight shots. The streak ends, though Syracuse maintains possession on a rebound out of bounds that takes us to the under-eight timeout.
7:29: Syracuse has eight baskets. Two are 3s. One is a jumper in transition. the other five are what I’d call layups. Syracuse is having an otherwise hard time when WVU get settled and can guard.
7:34: Help me out at home here. I see Sean McDonough courtside. I don’t see Jay Bilas or Bill Raftery. Are they not doing the game?
7:39: I’m told the three gentlemen are sitting in different spots in the arena. Interesting. I’m assuming they’ve pointed this out at home. Does it add or remove anything from the broadcast?
7:45: Awful inbound pass is stolen and Syracuse misses a sloppily arranged 3 at the buzzer. It’s 30-26 and I’d say WVU is pleaed with all but a a very few shots it got in that half. The turnovers have been giveaways, too.
7:50: The Mountaineers have 10 baskets and nine assists. Damn that smooth pump fake, step-in jumper by Mitchell. Counting the entirety of the DePaul game, WVU has assists on 32 of the last 38 baskets.
7:57: I’d like to congratulate two people for a moment. First, Josh24601. He has as many points in the paint as WVU does so far. And he’s assisting with the commentary. Secondly, to Jeff in Akron. He has as many fast breaks points as do his Mountaineers. WVU trails in those two categories, 14-0 and 13-0 and is being outrebounded 18-11 … and leads 30-26.
8 pm: One simple adjustment for Syracuse? Show up against WVU’s shooters. It’s one thing to run out. It’s another to contest the shot.
8:13: Pretty weak start to the half by WVU. Not grabbing rebounds or putting in easy baskets and twice fouling on three-point plays. That’s how you give away a good half of basketball.
8:14: If we were keeping that plus/minus at the start of halves this season — and I kick myself for not doing it — the Mountaineers would be minus-seven today.
8:19: WVU is invested in batting rebounds rather than grabbing them. They’re going to need to fix that … and Deniz does just that, but, man, you need to finish that. I know he was fouled, which complicates the shot, but it’s from inches away. And, alas, free throws are not a gimme with him.
8:22: Fouling a shooter on a 3 against the shot clock. Odd and bad errors by WVU.
8:24: … defensive transition. Not good tonight. Never seen Huggins call a timeout faster. Good thing Mitchell showed up to the arena. He’s got the look.
8:25: … third three-point play of the half. Bad attempt at a charge. Either do it or don’t. It’s 49-42, KJ has been benched and the baby-maker will not fall.
8:30: Not a performance becoming of the Mountaineers. Out of a television timeout, WVU has to burn another timeout and has one left. Just odd behavior tonight.
8:33: Senseless foul from Kilicli. The play was over and WVU is in the bonus the rest of the way.
8:36: That’s a pretty poor stretch of basketball by WVU … and it’s only 51-47 and I can’t be convinced Syracuse can sit down and score possession after possession. Could be so much worse for the Mountaineers.
8:40: Syracuse had a 15-5 run and several jolt-the-crowd moments and the Mountaineers had a stretch where they missed 10 of 13 shots … and this is a two-point game. Same old for the lads.
8:44: Huggins is furious. Cam’s about as heady a player as the team has and he committed identical turnovers on back-to-back possessions. On the other end, KJ flopped on the post and allowed an easy score and no one stopped Triche on a drive. Cue “Jump Around.” And maybe the bus driver.
8:50: Really haven’t seen this variety and mass of errors from WVU in a while. Bad shots, bad turnovers, bad defense and bad direction. Bad loss.