Morgantown Madness

March Madness is rapidly approaching and Buckeye basketball is heating up. Right? Maybe not. The menacing Mountaineers snapped Ohio State’s three game winning streak with a come-from-behind 71-65 victory at WVU Coliseum Saturday. The 21st ranked Buckeyes were swept off the court in Morgantown by the same Big East opponent that handed them their worst loss in Columbus’ Value City Arena a year ago. The Mountaineers, ranked 11th in the polls, erased a 12 point deficit at the half to outscore Ohio State 43-25 in the second half. The finesse and fluid Evan Turner scored 18 points for the Buckeyes, but was only 6 of 14 from the field. Sophomore scarlet and gray guard, William Buford’s 22 points gave the Bucks’ early momentum to stage a first half lead on the road. But West Virginia answered after heading into the locker room down 40-28. The Mountaineers posted the first ten points of the third quarter to take control and nearly wipe out the Ohio State lead. Da’Sean Butler commandeered the Mountaineers with 16 second half points. Butler finished with 21 points and 8 rebounds as Ohio State dropped the first nonconference contest on their demanding schedule.
West Virginia improved to 15-3 overall by overcoming first half difficulties. They out-rebounded Ohio State in the second half 20-12, while the offense stepped up and drove the lane for easy buckets. The Bucks were armored from the get-go, netting the game’s first eight points. Butler turned the ball over three times for WVU. OSU led by as many as 14 midway through the first half. Sophomore, Darryl Bryant, added 14 points and 4 assists for Bob Huggins’ Mountaineers. Bryant nailed a 3-pointer with just over ten minutes remaining to give West Virginia their first tie of the game. Butler’s hit from the arc two minutes later provided the first lead for the home team. The sophomore snagged another three with 6:28 remaining for a comfortable 62-58 Mountaineer edge. WVU’s defense turned Turner away from the rim in the second half to essentially take him out of OSU’s offensive game plan. The surefire shooter scored 13 points in the first before remaining quiet in the second. He did keep the Bucks in the game with five free throws in a two minute stretch. The home team defense made necessary second half adjustments to stall the best player on the hardwood.
Ohio State shot 68.8% from the charity stripe. They limited the Mountaineers to 38.5% from the field and forced eight first half turnovers. Ohio State’s defense matched up well in size to handle WVU’s height. The Bucks’ torrid first half shooting was overshadowed by second half offensive woes. West Virginia forced fouls and made things happen in the paint. OSU’s Jon Diebler had 11 points, and David Lighty clocked 40 minutes but secured only six points. Diebler dropped a pair of free throws with under two minutes on the clock, and Dallas Lauderdale pulled the Bucks back to within four with 56 seconds, but it wasn’t enough. Buford drained deep shots as the Bucks tried to claw back, but it seemed the Mountaineers had an answer for every one he drained. Lauderdale pulled down 8 rebounds and tallied 8 points. West Virginia’s senior starting forward, Wellington Smith, dribbled his way to 11 points, including three baskets from downtown. Huggins’ team took 23 three point attempts and succeeded on swooshing ten. That’s good for 43.5%. The Mountaineers resorted readily to long range shooting. Lofting threes kept West Virginia in the game. For the Mountaineers, it was their second Big 10 test. WVU was punished by Purdue early in the season. The ‘Neers, at 4-2, are fifth in the Big East.

Parting Points: Federer vs.Hewitt---GO LLEYTON!

The Nets are now 3-40.

At least the Devils weren’t blanked by the Islanders again. I can’t say the same thing for the Rangers, who were ringed up in a second straight shutout. The Blueshirts have been held scoreless in four of their last seven games. What gives?

Sunday ballad- “Rush Rush” by Paula Abdul