(Monday morning update: Odd, but for a change this morning I couldn’t connect to the hotel WiFi and was then stonewalled at the airport. I intended to share a post about how confidence based in a rare physical upper hand inspired yesterday’s WVU win. I also wanted to discuss the 1-3-1 zone and how it didn’t work, yet worked masterfully. Oh well. Perhaps you can find those stories and discuss them on your own. I mostly wanted to let you know I’m not the one slipping up here.)

As you can see, a beautiful day in central New Jersey. Perhaps that explains the sparse student turnout early on a Sunday. Or perhaps Mike Carey is still loitering.

Live post on two. Ready … hut … hut.

11:10: After busting out the suit in Thursday’s loss at Pitt, Bob Huggins is bucking tradition today and wearing the suit again.

12:02: Jonathan Mitchell’s nickname? J-Mitch.

12:04: Tipoff sponsored by Hess. Yess!

12:05: K-Jon and J-Mitch were teammates at Mt. Vernon. J-Mitch took him to school back then, too.

12:09: Jones to the bench early. Kilicli makes a free throw to get WVU on the board, 6-1. Truck hits a 3 to get to 6-4. Second shot for him. Circle it!

12:20: Truck circled it. An airball one one possession and a helpless drive on the very next. WVU starts 2-for-10, Rutgers 5-for-10 and it’s 13-8, Knights. as we hit the under-12 television timeout.

12:23: Flowers makes his first 3 since the Syracuse game. He only had five points in the two games since then.

12:26: Might not be Casey’s game, which, as we’ve explored, might be in the better interests of his teammates. WVU has four baskets in 13 attempts and is not only somehow has 13 points, but trails bu just two. Truck, Pepper, Jonnie, Cam and KJ in together now. That’s a new one.

12:29: Rutgers junking it up with a zone here … and why wouldn’t you if you’re playing WVU? Where’s Dee Proby when you need him?

12:39: Truck makes his third 3 (11 points, three rebounds, three assists) to give WVU its first lead, 20-19. Rutgers seems content to attempt every variety of jumper by every available player.

12:51: There’s a fellow behind me who throughout the first half yelled, “You gotta make those” whenever Rutgers would miss an open shot. The halftome contest had a guy who previously won a seven-day cruise attempting a half-court shot for a room upgrade. He missed. Then came the reminder: “You gotta make those.”

1:06: Bob Huggins reappears with the pullover for the second half.

1:13: WVU had four turnovers in the first half. WVU has three turnovers in 4:39 of the second half. If it’s not one thing …

1:20: Just as Truck was about to unload that 24-footer, I was about to say “The Mountaineers are getting good shots when they get to take a shot.” Rutgers isn’t going away here. Crowd starting to wake up just a little.

1:26: Good timeout. No one’s sustained momentum in this game. There have been spurts, but Rutgers led by six early and WVU just build — and lost — a four-point lead. Those are the biggest cushions either way. Might as well slam on the breaks if you’re WVU. Can’t afford to screw around here.

1:31: Three inbound baskets for WVU for eight points.

1:34: Conversely, Rutgers waited a little too long for that timeout. Almost like Rice was waiting for a reason … and he got it. Quick 11-0 run for WVU capped by Cam passing up an open 2-footer for Casey’s 20-footer to wrap up an 89 second possession.

1:36: Poor Cam. Doesn’t look like he’ll get an assist in the box score on the assist on Mitchell’s 3.

1:41: Something tells me free throws will be a factor here. No reason why, just a hunch. Mazzulla goes 1-for-2 with 5:05 to go as we’re shooting on every foul the rest of the way.

1:45: Fun with runs:  WVU 8-2 run gives it a 39-35 lead. Rutgers regains lead with 7-0 run. WVU uses 11-0 run to go up 50-42. Rutgers going to the line after the timeout looking to add to a 6-1 run with 3:51 left and trailing 51-48.

1:48: Two free throws makes it an 8-1 run. Rutgers has 10 points off WVU turnovers this half after getting none in the first.

1:50: Heady play my KJ. Shot clock was nearly finished and he hurried and bobbled the entry pass, but still flipped it up and in at the buzzer.

1:52: Rutgers has its last six points at the free-throw line, where Mazzulla heads now for a 1-and-1.

1:52: Joe goes 2-for-2 to make it 55-52 with 2:29 remaining. Here’s the 1-3-1 with Pepper up top.

1:53: Rutgers didn’t have much trouble with the 1-3-1. Two very good palatable looks at the 3 by two good shooters. Neither falls. In between, Mazzulla drives and dishes to Flowers for a jumper.

1:54: Thoroughman misses the 1-and-1, but Flowers gets his sixth offensive rebound. Mazzulla is fouled and goes 1-for-2. Its’ 58-52 with 1:12 to go.

1:55: Cam does what he does. Takes a charge, creates a turnover. Rutgers can’t shoot or score down the stretch here.

2:00: Truck shooting free throws to ice this. WVU is 5-for-6 at the line down the stretch and Truck adds a 2-for-2 to that tally to make it 62-52, largest lead of the game.

2:02: Two more free throw for Truck and two for KJ and it’s 10-for-12 in the clutch. WVU gets the road win and the ninth Big East win with 10 as a goal. Final score: 65-54.