(Update: 3-pointers, foul, free throws send WVU surging into postseason: http://bit.ly/fMp4Uc)

West Virginia plays host to No. 11 Louisville in a little while and attempts to secure a first-round bye in next week’s Big East Tournament and finish perhaps as high as No. 6 with a win. Even with a loss, the Mountaineers can get the bye, but wins are, of course, big because they improve not only Big East seeding, but NCAA seeding.

Part of the seeding is based on who you played and who you beat and WVU has a chance to finish above all the challengers. Play begins today with Georgetown ranked No. 1 in strength of schedule with a rating of 0.6216. The Mountaineers are No. 2 with a rating of 0.6149.

The Hoyas play at Cincinnati today. WVU has the Cardinals. Louisville is ranked. The Hoyas and Bearcats are both NCAA Tournament teams and WVU beat both of them. There’s a strong possibility WVU finishes No. 1 — and as Bob Hertzel perhaps astutely pointed out, the case might be enhanced by a loss to Louisville. A second loss to Louisville.

This is where things get silly, but maybe sensible. The SOS isn’t tied to your wins and losses, but to what your opponents do. So if Louisville sweeps WVU and gets to 24 wins, doesn’t that make WVU’s schedule more difficult than getting a win against a team it couldn’t beat before?

And the outcome in Cincinnati matters as well, but which one matters more?

I’ll hang up and listen.

11:34 am: Michael asked on the blog:

Mike-

Can you or someone on this blog enlighten a round ball ignoramus like me on differences/ nuances of the point drop vs. 1-3-1 zone? Hopefully before the BE tournament, please.

I’d be glad to. The 1-3-1 is what it is. One long guy top, a little guy who can get from corner to corner on the bottom, a big guy in the middle and two wings out on the wing. It keeps opponents from getting inside, but it leaves openings on the perimeter and is very susceptible to offensive rebounds. That said, the angles defenders attack shooters throws them off.

The point drop is more of a 1-2-2 that can become a 2-2-1 than it is a 1-3-1. The point — literally, the player at the point of the zone — will drop to the bottom and combat a big. It, too, stops penetration, but it’s better on the perimeter and against rebounds than a 1-3-1.

Justin Jackson say to differentiate between a point drop and a 1-3-1, follow Joe Mazzulla. If he drops and is fronting the big, it’s the point drop. If he drops and runs the basline to cover the corners, it’s a 1-3-1.

11:44: Officials today: Ed Corbett, Sean Corbin and Jeff Clark. Nothing wrong with that.

11:49: Emotional Senior Day ceremony here. I don’t think any of the players or Bob Huggins was able to hold it together. Probably on par with the 2006 Senior Day. And Lord help your ear drums if Jonnie West gets a 3 in the final seconds of a victory.

11:50: Most interesting stat, to me, from the senior bios: Cam will play his 114th career game today.

11:53: John Flowers invites his teammates to perform the choke slam in his pre-game huffle. Touching moment there.

11:55: So WVU does this video package before the national anthem and shows highlights through the eras. Really good stuff. Da’Sean Butler is obviously featured and they show a few of his buzzer-beaters, including the one against Cincinnati in the Big East quarterfinals last season. Also shown is the celebration … which is awesome because you can quite clearly see what he said as he was mobbed by his teammates. Thought they might blur that.

11:57: Remember that old Senior Day debate about starting seniors? Does anyone do that these days?

11:59: Kyle Kuric is starting for Louisville. He didn’t start and played 17 uneventful minutes in the game in January … but he’s been good since then. He shoots 43.8 percent from 3. He can dunk. He was Homecoming King. Is the the guy you want to be or want to hate? I can’t tell. I am jealous, though.

12:03: Truck makes his first shot. Just saying …

12:06: Sheesh, 17:30 and WVU’s students start the Sypher chant.

12:07: Mazzulla drives at Terrence Jennings and gets the big man’s second foul. Jennings goes to the bench with 16:52 remaining. Two free throws give WVU 6-4 lead.

12:10: Kilicli relieves Cam and WVU feeds him the ball. Flowers’ pass is forced and Kilicli can’t catch it. It’s WVU’s fourth turnover and Gorgui Dieng beats Kilicli down the floor. Kilicli fouls rather than allow an easy dunk/layup. Not an unusual start on a Senior Day.

12:13: I liked that foul! Dieng goes 0-for-2.

12:16: Barely six minutes in and Kevin Jones is on the way to a 40-rebound game.

12:18: WVU is on pace for a 40-turnover game, as well. Casey blew up the inbound play there. They need to work on those,  yes? Of these seven turnovers, I’d say Louisville has had to work for one. Most have been just given to the Cardinals.

12:28: Back-to-back possessions with second-chance points for WVU. Cam rebounds a Casey Mitchell airball and is fouled before two free throws. Flowers grabs and scores off a KJ missed 3. WVU is 0-for-7 from 3-point range and Jonnie West is in the building. Louisville lead down to 17-14 and WVU is up 19-8 in rebounds.

12:30: Make that 0-for-8, but KJ gets the rebound and Mr. West draws Peyton Siva’s second foul at 8:17. West makes two free throws for two more second-chance points. That’s 10 for the game

12:33: WVU hasnt turned it over the past three possessions. WVU has scored on its past three possessions.

12:34: The Coliseum scoreboard reminds you to wish Tara Curtis a happy birthday.

12:36: WVU is 2-for-13 on first shots and hasn’t made a first shot since the 17:55 mark. But WVU is killing it on the offensive glass and has made it an 18-18 game.

12:37: For the first time I can ever remember, Jonnie West is in foul trouble. He picks up his second at the 6:53 mark.

12:38: Anybody have an explanation for the T?

12:40: Mazzulla makes one free throw after he was fouled 90 feet from the baskets and ends a run of of 12 straight points coming after offensive rebounds.

12:42: KJ jumper ends a stretch of 10 straight missed first shots and gives WVU the lead. I kid you not, as I noted that, I saw an enormous Charlie Sheen head floating in the student section. #winning.

12:42: KJ three-point play gives WVU 24-21 lead. Deniz is in and can he survive the final 5:10 without getting his third foul?

12:45: The answer is yes because he’s getting yanked in favor of Cam. Also, KJ has his third straight double-double already (11/11). That’s eighth this season and four are in the past five games.

12:50: Flowers is your defensive player of the year in the Big East. Has to be. But will he get Kuric after the first half he’s had?

12:54: No one covered Cam and credit Mazzulla for finding that. That made WVU 6-for-21 on first shots in the half. It’s 32-30 at the half and WVU has 16 second-chance points and a 28-12 edge in rebounding. That was fun. Second half ought to be no different.

1:12: Had you asked me in the hallway “How does the second half start?” I’d say, “Truck hits a 3 and KJ scores off a missed jumper.” Had it backward. Louisville, which got a 3 from Preston Knowles, calls a timeout down 37-33 … and we Dougie/yawn.

1:15: Whoa, Louisville ducked a few haymakers on that three-shot possession by WVU.

1:17: Siva picks up a cheapo and goes to the bench with his fourth foul qith 17:07 to go. Brandon Triche watches intently.

1:20: KJ has 19 points and 13 rebounds. WVU hasn’t seen a 20/20 day in a long time.

1:25: Huggins really managing the bench and minutes here and trying to get his guys a break early here. Louisville missing points and size sith Siva and Dieng on the bench with four fouls.

1:27: WVU gives Kuric Flowers.

1:30: Louisville already has seven fouls, thanks in large part to Stephen Van Treese, who has three fouls in six minutes this half. He didn’t play in the first half. WVU is shooting free throws the final 11:50.

1:31: KJ’s career high is 23 points. He has 21.

1:33: Mazzulla begins the free-throw parade with an ominous 0-for-2. WVU leads 46-42.

1:36: Truck turnover in transition leaves Cam out to dry. He fouls Jennings on an easy dunk for an and-one, his fourth foul and a seat on the bench with 10:18 to go. WVU ahead 48-47.

1:40: The Cardinals throw one right to Flowers for a run-out and-one, but Siva returns with 9:29 to go and WVU up 51-47. I bet you Mazzulla goes after him soon.

1:41: Nothing involving Deniz has worked out for WVU today. That’s a four-point play as Kuric ties the game.

1:45: Brock Burwell retains the role of Mountaineer mascot.

1:48: Bad foul by Mazzulla. It’s the definition of the second defender rule — it’s prohibited — and he goes to the bench with his fourth foul with 6:52 to go and trailing 58-56.

1:50: Casey Mitchell scores his first points on free throws with 6:00 to go and ties the score.

1:53: The student section is starting the wave. That is all.

1:54: … it worked.

1:57: Truck turnover leads to a layup. Pepper misses a 3 and Siva races to the other end and hits Knowles open in the corner for a 3. Big swing. WVU takes a timeout down 63-58 with 4:31 to go.

1:59: Mitchell scores over Knowles and Jennings on the right baseline — tough shot, actually — but Cam fouls out on the other end to send Knowles to the line with 3:41 remaining.

2:06: WVU needed an out-of-bounds play there and Flowers got open in the post, earned a trip to the line and made two. It’s 65-62 with 2:11 to go.

2:07: Knowles challenged Flowers and won with some nice 1 v. 1 offense in the paint and a tricky arching shot, but WVU challenged Louisville on the boards and KJ scored on a goaltend. That’s 25/16 for him.

2:09: A year ago, ballots for Big East awards were due the final Friday of the regular season. I’m assuming the same is true this year, too, which means John Flowers’ excellent game today wasn’t on the mind of, say, Rick Pitino when he voted. That was a game saving play on the defensive end.

2:10: Bob Huggins, call your best play right here. Postseason reps right now for WVU.

2:11: Good look, bad luck for KJ 

2:13: Casey Mitchell reminds everyone it’s WVU v. Louisville and the two just can’t get away from each other.

2:14: Warrants mentioning Siva has played the final 9+ minute with four fouls and only once came close to committing a foul. Mazzulla fouls out fouling Siva with 16.4 seconds to do. Siva shoots 68.6 at the line this season.

2:16: Postseason. Reps.

2:17: Fantastic shot by Mitchell and good transition defense by WVU and, as much as you might hate to see a game end that way, a good foul call by the officials. Truck makes the two and WVU wins it, 72-70. It’s March!