Did not see that coming. I mean, Mike Carey thought his team was capable of something like this, and Mike Carey is perhaps as good a coach as there is among coaches no one really talks about as being good coaches, but seriously? Big win on the road at Notre Dame … where the men are 1-11 with 10 straight losses.

The Mountaineers were very good last year and went 4-5 against ranked teams, but had just one win, in the NCAA Tournament, after Jan. 15. This team is 3-2 against ranked teams and has two wins in eight days.

WVU was 0-26 against top-five teams before Carey, and then he lost eight in a row to start his career with the Mountaineers, but he’s won three now and all in his last 11 opportunities. That makes you forget that WVU had a 50-game losing streak to ranked teams before Carey and WVU ended that against Virginia Tech in 2004.

Also, I need to take a second to commend this video. Someone from the rather small WVU contingent that travels to road games decided to grab a flip cam and capture Brooke Hampton making her game-winning free throws. This is a big, big moment in a big, big game and you can tell because someone got it on video.

It’s silent in the gym. You can hear the hushed tones of WVU’s radio play-by-play guy. The crowd is in disbelief. And look at the players. Hampton is a pretty cool kid — good free-throw shooter, doesn’t turn it over, doesn’t foul — but she looked a little shaky on that first foul shot.

It’s a huge spot and the reaction is priceless. Quick stomp, like she’s mad at herself, almost like she missed it, followed by arms over the head and a step away from the basket to remind herself she’s a cool kid who is a good free-throw shooter, doesn’t turn it over, doesn’t foul. Then Ayana Dunning and Asya Bussie — who’s become a force — step in to remind Hampton of the aforementioned. They’re the only veterans on the team and they do a very veteran thing. The second one is all net. Cue the celebration.

Big home game Wednesday against Rutgers and, don’t look now, but WVU is quite likely a NCAA Tournament team, provided the Mountaineers don’t fall apart, and that becomes Carey’s biggest challenge beginning today.