All year long, Mike Carey’s team had a dark little secret that WVU did well to keep small and in the dark: The Mountaineers played close games that were oftentimes decided in the final moments.

But as veteran and experienced and together as they were, they didn’t flinch and they seemed and played comfortable in the tight and tense moments. And they won, which certainly helps.

This was a source of pride throughout the season that saw them share the Big 12 title, reach the highest ranking and secure the best NCAA Tournament seed in school history and set a program record with 30 wins, up to and including the eve of the end.

I think the biggest thing is keeping your players focused, keeping them calm and don’t get excited.  We already talked about this: It’s going to be a 40‑minute game, and we need to be in the game going into the last four minutes, and we’ve been very successful if we’ve been in the game going into the last four minutes because these players have done a great job of executing under four minutes. So that’s where we want to be tomorrow night. Just be close, be right there and have an opportunity to win the game the last four minutes.

Be careful what you wish for, right Mike Carey? Dark, little secrets are always there and even if you can deftly avoid them, they can still come to define you.

The Mountaineers were themselves for 36 minutes last night. Seasoned and calm and capable. They weathered a slow start where they went 3-for-20 and took control by making 4 of 5 shots. They survived Asya Bussie’s first-half four trouble and had the game tied at the half. They roared back from LSU’s 7-0 run to start the second half and followed Bussie to a lead and then a period where they controlled the game.

It was a 63-56 lead with 5:05 to go and WVU was headed to its first Sweet Sixteen in 22 years because there was just no way that team was going to, I don’t now, abandon Bussie, fall apart on the boards and give up a 20-4 run. Not all at once.

But, improbably, almost impossibly, that all happened with untimely turnovers mixed in to sour the whole recipe for disaster in a 76-67 loss.

“Nothing against LSU because they deserve a lot of credit,” WVU coach Mike Carey said. “But I feel we gave one away.”

All in all, a fantastic season for Carey’s crew, but it came with a conclusion they struggled to explain and understand.