Hard to say whether WVU’s press was boom or bane Saturday night against Iowa State, to the point Juwan Staten himself wasn’t sure even in the presence of the Cyclones’ turnover numbers.

What’s clear, though, was WVU didn’t have That Run that had become synonymous with the first 15 games (there was even one in the LSU game). Oh, it was out there, and you could sense Iowa State was wary and the crowd was waiting, but that the Mountaineers were looking instead of reaching for it. There never was that push to get to the top of the hill, and, true, it’s hard to set up the press when you miss so many shots and free throws.

Without that action, there was no corresponding reaction.

What WVU’s press does is add width to the thin line that ought to rest between winning and losing performances for a team that plays offense (…offends?) like the Mountaineers do. And when the players aren’t supplying the ingredients that serve as the building blocks of the press, that line gets skinnier.

The weirdest part about this is that WVU’s shooting problems aren’t isolated to the perimeter, meaning the Mountaineers are maddeningly close to different performances.

Like chasing a rabbit in an open field, the bunnies were elusive. WVU missed seven layups and finished 11 of 24 in the paint. Iowa State was 17 of 25 from the same area.

Around the basket is where the Mountaineers should flourish, but the Cyclones owned that space. WVU needs to create havoc with its press, but it tied a season-low with nine steals Saturday. Iowa State outrebounded West Virginia, 40-38. The last time the Mountaineers were defeated on the boards was the last time the Mountaineers were defeated — by LSU on Dec. 4 at the Coliseum.

That score was nearly the same as Saturday’s, 73-72.

West Virginia is a couple easy baskets, a loose rebound, a timely steal away from a perfect record. It has lost two games by a combined three points.

“We just can’t squander opportunities, you know?” Huggins said.

I don’t want to add height to that hill that WVU never quite scaled Saturday, because you still have a team with two losses by a combined three points and a system that’s done well to cover up some problems that might have otherwise led to more losses. WVU isn’t getting crushed, not on the scoreboard, not on the backboards, not in any meaningful matters.

But about those squandered opportunities and the thin line: WVU is sort of tethered to that thin line and those opportunities are what lets the Mountaineers break free or make sure they never stray too far.

That team is not going to win a lot of games by making a lot of 3-pointers or by getting hot for a half or more from any distance and shooting out the lights. We’ve got half of a season with this roster and even longer with some of the key players to present and accept that. What’s most worrisome for the eventual fate of this team is that if offense begets defense, and offense can be erratic, then the defense doesn’t get to do what it’s designed to do. The Mountaineers don’t really have a backup plan, do they?

Bob Huggins preaches that his players must do what they do, and it stands to reason he practices that, as well. He’s not going to back out of the press unless he’s trying to slow down the game and get to the finish with more points, like he did against TCU. He’s not going to back out because the other team spooks him. He’s not going to drop into a matchup zone, like the Cyclones did with great success Saturday.

So let’s dismiss the original question about backup plans and instead answer this: Should they have one?