Here are the sights and, more egregiously, the sounds from where I sat for Saturday’s game — and what a game that was. Those people in blue at the near basket are Mountaineers. In the distance, you’ll see the other basket, which explains why initially I didn’t have a very strong opinion of the Keita/Kilicli play late.

Lots of craning of the neck, which wasn’t any fun with the back as it was. Band directly behind me and patrons in front of me — and they were good people. They apologized for standing, which I thought was both bizarre and polite. Then the ushers came over and made them sit down. I’d be ticked off if I paid good cash to sit there and I was told I had to sit on my hands.

Fortunately for WVU, there was no prohibition for its bench to get on its feet and scream and yell. The Mountaineers exploited that on the decisive play. Really, watch the reaction … and they’re right there for it. Again, I didn’t have a great view, but in the moment, I could see the bench and I saw the reaction and I thought they were celebrating.

So much to go over …

– I think one call officials often instinctively make and frequently screw up is goaltending and/or basket interference. I’m certain they would have called that two and 20 minutes earlier, which bothers me because I hate it when officials try to stay out of the way at the end of the game. Those guys usually get in the way.

– Watch it again. Gene Steratore is six feet, tops, from the play and he never once acts like he’s even contemplating the goaltend. You can’t quite see Karl Hess, but the one thing he did right on this play was get in position. Maybe — maybe — Steratore had that darned backboard in the way and he couldn’t see. Maybe he was just at the wrong angle and I’m wrong for saying he was too close to miss it. Hess had no obstruction. Very curious.

– Highly unlikely that you’ll get an apology or even acknowledgment from the Big East. It’s a judgment call, purely subjective, call and not a misinterpretation of the rules. It’s not like Keita was the sixth Syracuse player on the floor. It was a bang-bang play and the crew got it wrong and that’s all. I’m not even sure WVU will take any formative action because, really, what good does that do?

– That was the 21st game for Hess in the first 28 days of the month. That’s a big number. Steratore has only called 17 games … but he did two NFL games, too. That said, they’re not minions for the Big East. Officials are independent contractors. The Big East can “suspend” them, but they’re just going to work games in another conference during that suspension.

– Conspiracy theorists: You realize Syracuse is leaving the Big East, too, right? And the Orange tried and failed years ago. If the league was really out to get someone …

– I’ve had unsolicited texts from three former players today. They were somewhere between disappointed and outraged and one said he probably wouldn’t have handled it as well as WVU did — and the players really did handle it well.

– I don’t think we can make enough out of how hard it was for Huggins and WVU to organize that timeout immediately after the missed call. Remember, the same team Wednesday called a timeout, went over the 1-3-1 and had three guys playing man when play resumed. And when play resumed Saturday, it didn’t work so well. I’m actually surprised Deniz didn’t go to the basket, but I also wonder if he was a little spooked by what had just happened and by his inability to finish near the basket.

– Deniz had some really good looks Saturday and couldn’t put them down. A few people have emailed and texted and tweeted and said he needs to dunk that shot Keita goaltended. Maybe, but he did everything he was supposed to do. For starters, I suspect he wasn’t sure if there were 6 seconds or 0.6 seconds left. Time flies in that situation and his stick-back was quick when time is of the essence. Second, if he dunks, maybe he gets fouled and has to go to the line, where he’s not automatic. I don’t think shot selection was the issue there.

– A lot of people thought Huggins was going to explode in the press conference. We’re clear on this next thing, right? He’s not that guy. He’s been hosed a few times this year and in other years and he just won’t go there. Might he behind closed doors? I imagine … but that’s just my imagination. It doesn’t help him to sound off, especially on a day like Saturday, when it was so obvious his team was wronged.

– Let’s stay here: That didn’t cost WVU the game. Kilicli’s score would have tied the game and Syracuse would have had eight seconds and three timeouts to get something. And Syracuse probably gets something there. Even with the miss, WVU got the ball and just didn’t make the best of the situation. In overtime, who knows, but WVU was trying to win in regulation.

– I’m this close to borrowing from the Book of Costanza, heading to Charleston and doing something drastic. Something like drive around the Daily Mail parking garage towing one of our first-place awards or eating wings from Quaker Steak while wearing one of JackBo’s sweaters and wiping my hands on the argyle just so I can get fired and buy and openly wear a Gary Browne jersey. He’s fun to watch and I think he’s really good in ways I really appreciate. He was at it again Saturday. You know, WVU doesn’t get that final shot unless he chased after the ball when Keita goaltended and secured the rebound. How many times have you seen teams just stand there in a situation like that and let the final few seconds tick away? I can’t explain, or excuse, the way he played Wednesday.

– He only made three shots, but each was against the shot clock. He also made four free throws because twice he drew fouls against the shot clock. That’s 11 points on possessions that were going nowhere. Also, he just hates losing. A lot of guys are like that, but usually later when the begin to understand you shouldn’t have to lose to learn something from a game. Browne is already there. He was kind of insulted by questions suggesting a moral victory.

– Truck Bryant … I don’t know. No points in the final 8-plus minutes, no baskets in the final 13-plus, but 12 points in the first 6-plus of the second half and none in the entire first half. I’m officially perplexed.

– Here’s the WVU website report. Here’s the Syracuse website report. I love that stuff.

– Interesting part of the WVU report, which has quotes from the postgame Huggins does on the radio that we at the gym don’t get to hear, was that Huggins kind of offered up a magic number that he always avoids offering up.

– WVU has never lost three in a row under Huggins, which is actually impressive when you consider they’ve had a few two-game losing streaks and they play difficult non-conference and conference schedules every year. I know a lot of people think the loss and the way it happened will motivate and inspire WVU, but that was a hard, hard week for the Mountaineers and I guarantee you Pitt knows that and doesn’t care about that and is obsessed only with its desperation mode. This is going to be WVU’s toughest test this season and I think you’re going to see two teams fighting over every inch of space on that court.