Let’s soak this in, OK?

Begin with the defense on the inbound. Josh Jackson is bouncy, and West Virginia has been vulnerable to inbound scores. Small-dose stuff, but teams will see that on film and look for it in a game. Nate Adrian closes that off before it can start here and then keeps Jackson, who was Kansas’ best player Tuesday, really far from the basket. He’s staying between Jackson and the ball when someone’s looking to pass and he’s staying between Jackson and the basket when he knows Jackson needs to get moving. Look how far Jackson is from the ball and the basket when Svi Mykhailiuk shoots.

That’s subtle but solid defense.

Now watch Adrian after WVU gets the rebound. Gimpy. He tweaked his right ankle not long before this and was pushing through the pangs. It doesn’t stop him from getting a rebound he has no business getting.

Adrian is quite good at being on or getting to the opposite side of the shot, though the Kansas defense leaves Jevon Carter wide open to exaggerate the skill here. Adrian nevertheless eases in does what he can to take two opponents out of the play, because most rebounds on shots like this one are going long. Jackson’s a better athlete, without question, but he’s in Adrian’s wheelhouse here. Adrian jumps three times, tips the ball to himself and dribbles twice before getting out of danger. It’s amazing, really.

But then, that pass. Are you serious?

Adrian’s shot fake is not on Sam Young’s level, but it’s pretty effective. The combination of the shot clock ticking away and Adrian threatening offense pulls Kansas just far enough away from the hoop to give Esa Ahmad room to cut and give Adrian a widow to see and pass through for two big points. This is not quite as amazing, but it’s certainly effective, and he finishes with that pass what he started with the rebound.

But we’re not done. Kansas goes to the free-throw lone, and Adrian, with one good ankle, doesn’t get the rebound on the miss, but he doesn’t try to, either. You know who else doesn’t get the rebound? Landen Lucas, who had 10 and who the Jayhawks needed rebounds out of at the free-throw line, because they’re pretty bad from the stripe.

Listen, if you don’t understand Adrian and what he means by now, I don’t know what to tell you. He’s not flashy or prolific, but neither are the Mountaineers. They win games by guarding, rebounding and making smart decisions, and oftentimes it’s not picturesque, but this whole sequence is why WVU is more interested in Adriantics than aesthetics.