What begins tonight with participants not familiar with the undercard ends Saturday with a team cutting down a net at the Sprint Center knowing there is more basketball to be played in next week’s NCAA Tournament.

Such a thing ought to be somewhere near the backs of the minds of WVU players, but then again, this is a team that’s suddenly taken to thinking about the other half of things.

“Our focus is to play the first half like we’re playing the second half and play like we’re down 20 points from the start,” freshman Eron Harris said.

Harris, who has never played in a college postseason game, is being sincere. After 31 regular-season games, the Mountaineers seem at peculiar peace with an identity created by a series of frustrating first halves and surging second halves.

“We’ve got to come out hungry, maybe go into the locker room before the game and act like we’re down 20 points so we come out with the right mindset to play hungrier,” Harris said. “I think everyone has seen that at our best we can beat some of the best teams in the nation. It’s up to us.”