What started off feeling different feels the same again.

Sunday WVU was surprised by its seeding, but this time in a good way and seemed rewarded by its SOS — not No. 1! — and RPI. And the Mountaineers got to go to Tampa, which was what all of them wanted, but few of them figured they would get.

So as far as that part of the process goes, this was kind of new new to WVU.

Then things went back to normal.

The Mountaineers were really bad on defense at the start yesterday and couldn’t do what they wanted, and were later able, to do on offense. And, almost on cue, WVU found itself, rallied and had the lead in the first minute of the second half. Had you mapped out a way that WVU team was going to beat that Clemson team, and all it’s baggage, I don’t think what happened veered too far off course.

That’s really nothing new. Ditto another tournament win and an upcoming game against Kentucky. Things felt very familiar after Thursday’s win when WVU again kind of made a joke of the silly idea this is a solemn time where things must me taken so seriously you can’t fully enjoy them.

The team that laughed and wise-cracked from the podium and for all the tape recorders all of last March got off to a roaring start Thursday.

Mazzulla was happy to let people know Pepper doesn’t even do those sorts of things in practice.

“Actually, the total opposite,” Mazzulla said. “When things are going bad and we need a basket, we usually just attack Dalton.”

Pepper wasn’t about to let that slide.

“Well, on our team,” he said, “we usually just attack Joe.”

Back in the locker room, Mazzulla was told Truck Bryant joined the 1,000-point club. About one tenth of a second passed and then this …

“Congrats, Truck,” Mazzulla said. “A thousand points on a thousand shots.”