Those are the words of John Flowers following Wednesday night’s 67-61 loss to Marquette, and no offense to Mr. Flowers, but what he says is certainly apropos.

In foul trouble from the very beginning, Flowers played just21 minutes. WVU has now lost 11 games this season and its best defensive player has played fewer than 30 minutes seven times.

But let’s be fair and also obvious. It wasn’t all John Flowers and that stat is meant only to point out the Mountaineers were Wednesday night who they were for the majority of this season.

They played great in the first half and were just as bad in the second half — really, 58.3 percent and 36 points in the first half and 22.2 percent and 25 points after halftime.

“It’s been a year-long problem,” Coach Bob Huggins said. “We just don’t make open shots. I don’t know what to tell you. I’ve said it and said it and said it we just don’t make open shots. We made some shots in the first half and then the second half we didn’t make shots. We don’t — we don’t have people who can drive it to the basket, that’s not the kind of guys we have, you know, so it’s — we have to depend on making some shots.

Marquette put up gaudy offensive numbers this season and led the Big East in scoring in all games and in conference games. Yet that was that team’s second win among 20 wins in which the team didn’t score 70 points.

Remember when WVU won 37 in a row when it allowed fewer than 70 points? Me neither.

Both teams play hard, but Marquette played harder and that’s one team opponent’s really can’t afford a lengthy lapse against. WVU had long gaps between baskets in succession and picked a bad day. When the Mountaineers took a break, Marquette did not.

Of course, that was something we and everyone else expected. Just remember that Jim Calhoun quote — “Marquette doesn’t take a play off. They’re a son-of-a-gun to play.” He still couldn’t be more correct. That was one of the six points we looked at before the game and, man, if some of those weren’t relevant.

– For the most part, WVU was good enough around the rim, but Marquette was slightly better. The loose balls and the 50/50 plays were about even. The hustle plays were evenly dispersed. The Golden Eagles just don’t quit, though. There were three-point plays and driving layups and also an  an 11-0 edge in fast-break points. They pushed and pushed and made it work many times.

– WVU again had issues with the Marquette traps and some were in critical spots — including on one of the two turnovers that preceded Darius Johnson-Odom’s back-to-back back-breaking 3s that turned a 55-55 game into a 61-55 game. WVU had 13 turnovers and that led to 16 points the other way and some of that had to do with the traps.

– The Mountaineers started fine and there would be no 17-0 lead or 24-point edge for Marquette in the first half this time. To be honest, WVU looked everything like a team that surged into the locker room and couldn’t wait to get it going in the second half.

The bye, and Marquette’s performance against Providence, were not factors.

“I don’t think it worked against us,” Huggins said. “We played well the first half. If it would have worked against us, we wouldn’t have played well the first half. Shoot 22% the second half you’re not going to win. You’re not going to win in this league doing that.”

– Marquette was just 5-for-11 from 3, but Johnson-Odom’s consecutive 3s “won the game,” according to Huggins. WVU did an otherwise fine job on the perimeter, but either picked a bad time to lose Johnson-Odom or, more likely, Johnson-Odom picked a fine time to rise and fire.

– Jimmy Butler didn’t approach a triple-double, as he did Tuesday, and had just nine points, two rebounds and two assists, but he seemed to be in the middle of everything.

“Jimmy may not have scored but he created offense,” Huggins said. “How many times does he drive it into the lane and pitch it to their bigs? That’s not containing them. That’s anything but.”

– Jae Crowder had only four points after burning WVU for a career-high 29 points — only one of two 20-point games this season — on Jan. 1. Still, Marquette’s bench beat WVU’s 32-16.

This time it was Junior Cadougan finding his career with 15 points — or about five times his season average. And Davante Gardner gave WVU issues. He was 4-for-4 and had two three-point plays on the way to 10 points.

And still, even with all their misdeeds, all the players who had bad an off night (Joe Mazzulla) or an off half (Kevin Jones), the shaky stretches and the scoring gaps, the Mountaineers were right there at the end.

When the ball fell into Truck Bryant’s hands down three after a Marquette turnover in the backcourt, there was a chance something crazy might happen. He went at the rim and, given the chaos and the opportunity, you might not forgive that, but maybe you can understand that as opposed to backing out and setting up a 3 for someone.

He was fouled, and though there was no call, that was a well-called game by a crew that had truly tough job in a very visible situation given the St. John’s v. Rutgers debacle hours earlier.

Now, all of that said — and it’s a mouthful — you really have to wonder if anything changes for WVU. The NCAA Tournament seed didn’t go up, but it didn’t fall much, if at all. The Mountaineers have seven or eight days before their next game and, if nothing else, Wednesday was a reminder of who they are and what they must and must not do.

This is it for today as I travel back to town. F Double will greet you the day after today.