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WVU v. Texas: A future so bright?

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You are looking live at the Coliseum floor, site of tonight’s Big 12 Big Monday showcase. The stage loves No. 12 West Virginia, even if the feeling isn’t always embraced. The student section can wear their sunglasses at night, if they so choose. They’re also set up with participation cues as well commemorative T-shirts. (Aside: You caught the meaning of the T-shirt, yes?)

Not a lot to add to this here post that we didn’t already cover today, but I think there’s a broad view of the Mountaineers to consider if not take. A win tonight, when they’re a 15 1/2-point favorite, would make them 7-2 in their last nine games. One loss was, true, at home to Oklahoma State … but the Cowboys are 8-1 in their last nine games. The other loss was at Kansas, and the way they gave that one away feels almost as uncommon as a Jayhawks home loss. Getting seven of nine in this league is good. It wasn’t long ago when I was writing about and we were considering WVU building toward a peak. It was right before the home game against Kansas State, in fact. WVU won that one and should have won at Kansas.

Baby, bath water, ya know?

So, consider that attempt at momentum, albeit with a massive misstep at Allen Fieldhouse, and perhaps take solace in a team that maybe rubbed its eyes in key spots Saturday. The Iowa State-Oklahoma State-Oklahoma-Kansas State-Kansas grind was brutal, and Bob Huggins was legitimately worried Friday about what would happen Saturday after his team had two days off. I mean, legitimately worried.

“When we won the Big East Tournament, we took two days off, and when we came back I didn’t think we were ever the same,” he said … of the Final Four team! “We were so used to playing the game and kind of having a lighter practice and practicing and playing another game. We were in such a routine that I think just the break in the routine hurt us a little bit. I didn’t think we had the same kind of pop we did before.”

So maybe Saturday made sense? I don’t know. Twenty-seven games of this makes Mike … something … something?

Big news early, though. Esa Ahmad is in a navy blue sweatsuit. He’s has a back problem and will not play. I would guess Dax Miles starts. He has the starting experience, which Huggins values, and Texas starts three guards. But the Longhorns can also play big with their reserves. Ahmad hasn’t been particularly good lately, but he plays because he’s a talent and because he’s long. More importantly, WVU’s bench wasn’t really long in the second half Saturday, and now you’re really down two subs because of Tarik Phillip and Miles now starting. Funny how that’s worked out, if only for a night.