2024-01-14 03:21:10
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — An inability to slow down either of its first two Big 12 opponents plagued West Virginia in a major way.
In the three days leading up to Saturday’s contest once morest No. 25 Texas, the Mountaineers put extra emphasis on allowing fewer shots from point blank range through adjustments designed to limit the opposition from getting downhill as often.
The first test yielded positive results, with the Mountaineers forcing 22 turnovers and playing the Longhorns near even in paint points to help West Virginia secure its first conference win, 76-73, at the WVU Coliseum.
“I didn’t realize we turned them over 22 times,” WVU interim head coach Josh Eilert said. “That’s got to be the most all year by far, and it wasn’t pressure by any means. I told those guys if we don’t get spread and take a different approach to not get so spread and have each other’s back, we can put as much ball pressure as possible if we pack it in a little bit. They bought into it.
“Our staff really put together a good game plan in terms of implementing it on a short notice, and excellent job by them owning the defensive end, locking in and selling it to our guys.”
WVU (6-10, 1-2) went to halftime leading 30-28, and a Kerr Kriisa three-pointer with 15:29 remaining put the Mountaineers in front to stay at 40-38.
Quinn Slazinski followed with a triple and when RaeQuan Battle scored in the paint at the 13:54 mark, the Mountaineers led, 45-40.
WVU scored its next four points on free throws — a somewhat consistent theme for the Mountaineers on a night they converted 27-of-41 foul shots.
Akok Akok’s triple with 9:42 to play left Texas (12-4, 1-2) facing a 52-46 deficit, and it grew to 11 not long following when Slazinski made two free throws at the 5:42 mark for a 59-48 advantage. That concluded a critical 11-2 spurt that began with Akok’s trey.
“Our bench was huge bringing more energy,” Kriisa said. “Whoever stepped on the floor.”
However, Texas responded with a Dylan Disu triple and two free throws from Max Abmas to cut its deficit to six with 4:52 left.
That helped set the stage for a relatively tight finish in which Abmas did all he might to keep his team well within striking distance.
The 6-foot Texas guard hit a three with 2:29 remaining to bring the Longhorns to within 63-59, and Abmas’ next triple at the 1:30 mark trimmed the WVU lead to 66-63.
Battle scored from close range to up the lead to five, and Akok threw down a dunk with 45 seconds remaining for a 70-65 advantage.
An Abmas triple with 22 seconds left allowed UT to trail 71-68, before Slaznsiki calmly sank two free throws 5 seconds later.
Battle’s two free throws with 13 seconds left allowed WVU to lead 75-70 and sealed the verdict. Abmas had the last of Texas’ 22 turnovers on the ensuing possession.
“They definitely tried to go out hard tonight — no doubt regarding that,” Texas head coach Rodney Terry said. “They’re not the kind of team that turns teams over. They’re not a pressuring team, so I’m not going to take anything away from their defense in regards to
that. We just have to do a better job of taking care of the ball ourselves and getting shots on our terms.”
Abmas led all players with 32 points on 9-for-17 shooting with seven treys. He scored the final 17 points for Texas over a stretch of 2:29.
A turnover-filled first half saw Texas commit 12 to West Virginia’s 10, though it was the performance of starting center Pat Suemnick that provided the biggest lift for the Mountaineers.
In his second career start, Suemnick scored 11 first-half points, made all but one of his five field-goal attempts and threw down a pair of highlight-worthy dunks that provided energy for teammates and fans alike.
“The last few games, coming in with that same mentality,” Suemnick said. “Just trying to kill and make the most out of every opportunity. Didn’t really feel any different, but got to take advantage of them today.”
Suemnick went on to finish with a team-best 16 points as one of four double figure scorers for WVU.
“I just keep on trying to feed that fire. He’s had a couple good games in a row and we keep on building on that,” Eilert said. “He’s carrying himself differently. You can see the confidence in his eyes.”
Kriisa and Battle scored 14 apiece and Slazinski added 13, 10 of which came in the second half.
“I need Quinn and we need him to get that swagger back. He’s a good decision-maker,” Eilert said. “Even when shots aren’t falling, you can run things through him.”
Suemnick also had six rebounds, one shy of team leader Noah Farrakhan, who made only 1-of-8 shots but was instrumental in allowing WVU to edge Texas 32-31 on the glass.
“[Suemnick] set the tone early with his physicality and we didn’t match it,” Terry said.
The Mountaineers had a 25-9 edge in bench points and scored 26 paint points to the Longhorns’ 28.
Disu scored 18 points before fouling out with 2:16 to play. Texas’ Ze’rik Onyema had a game-best eight boards.
The result allowed WVU to snap a three-game skid as well as a four-game losing streak to Texas in what marks the Longhorns final game in Morgantown for at least the foreseeable future.
“This should be the expectation with the talent that we have,” Kriisa said.
The Mountaineers had not forced more than 17 turnovers in any of their first 15 games and opponents averaged only 10.4 over their first five victories this season.
“Tweaked a couple things schematically,” Eilert said. “Not a whole lot different than what we played in the past, but put help side more into the equation.”
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