Another one-day turnaround awaits West Virginia Monday night.
After ending their three-game losing streak against Kansas State on Saturday, the No. 15-ranked Mountaineers (17-6, 6-4 Big 12) will travel to Norman, Okla, to battle the No. 12-ranked Sooners (16-6, 6-4) and freshman sensation Trae Young, who leads the country in points (30.3) and assists (9.5) per game.
Saturday?s win over Kansas State was the culmination of a frustrating stretch for West Virginia that saw the Mountaineers drop five out of its previous six games entering Saturday. But the team rallied together both offensively and defensively, overcoming a flu outbreak that affected five different players throughout
the week.
Those players include sophomores Lamont West, Chase Harler, James "Beetle" Bolden, Wesley Harris and senior Daxter Miles Jr.
"I really was concerned about not having enough energy to play, to press," said West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins. "Honestly, I had so many guys sick that we couldn?t really practice...It was a two-day prep, and we didn?t go live at any point in time for two days."
Although the team was able to bring energy during the team?s largest margin of victory in a conference game in years, Huggins is more concerned about whether or not his team will be able to repeat that against Oklahoma, especially with the quick turnaround and travel.
"I?m worried about having energy on Monday," Huggins said. "When you got guys that are laying there getting IVs, to try and get them back moving, it?s a concern."
One-day turnarounds with travel included haven?t been kind to West Virginia in the past two seasons.
The Mountaineers are 0-2 this season on Big Monday games following a Saturday game and are 1-4 on Monday?s following a one-day turnaround in the past two seasons combined. That one win came against Texas last season, but the Mountaineers had the benefit of hosting back-to-back games during that one-day turnaround and
didn?t travel.
Overall, West Virginia has five one-day turnarounds on its schedule, the most in the Big 12 Conference.
"Nobody flies as far and as long as we do," Huggins said following Wednesday night?s loss to Iowa State. "We?ve played really good people, and we have the most one-day turnarounds than anybody in the league. Now, you combine that with our travel schedule, that?s rough."
Although West Virginia didn?t endure a one-day turnaround prior to the Iowa State game on Wednesday night, the team?s sickness alone was enough to knock the Mountaineers off of their game.
A lack of energy from the team allowed the Cyclones to score 93 points on the Mountaineers while West Virginia also forced a season-low eight turnovers, so a one-day turnaround that includes both travel and the flu is a concern for Huggins.
"We had no energy whatsoever," Huggins said regarding the Iowa State game. "If we come out Monday with no energy, you?ll know it really affected us."
West Virginia defeated Oklahoma during the two teams? first meeting of the
season on Jan. 6 by a score of 89-76 in Morgantown. Similar to the Kansas State game, West Virginia turned up the intensity on defense against the Sooners, limiting Young to season-low five assists and forcing 17 Oklahoma turnovers.
In order to complete the regular season sweep of the Sooners and win back-to-back games for the first time since early January, the Mountaineers will have overcome their sicknesses once again and play their signature defense to a high level.
"We?ve been letting up lately," said West Virginia senior guard Jevon carter. "We?re Press Virginia. We gotta stay at it."
After ending their three-game losing streak against Kansas State on Saturday, the No. 15-ranked Mountaineers (17-6, 6-4 Big 12) will travel to Norman, Okla, to battle the No. 12-ranked Sooners (16-6, 6-4) and freshman sensation Trae Young, who leads the country in points (30.3) and assists (9.5) per game.
Saturday?s win over Kansas State was the culmination of a frustrating stretch for West Virginia that saw the Mountaineers drop five out of its previous six games entering Saturday. But the team rallied together both offensively and defensively, overcoming a flu outbreak that affected five different players throughout
the week.
Those players include sophomores Lamont West, Chase Harler, James "Beetle" Bolden, Wesley Harris and senior Daxter Miles Jr.
"I really was concerned about not having enough energy to play, to press," said West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins. "Honestly, I had so many guys sick that we couldn?t really practice...It was a two-day prep, and we didn?t go live at any point in time for two days."
Although the team was able to bring energy during the team?s largest margin of victory in a conference game in years, Huggins is more concerned about whether or not his team will be able to repeat that against Oklahoma, especially with the quick turnaround and travel.
"I?m worried about having energy on Monday," Huggins said. "When you got guys that are laying there getting IVs, to try and get them back moving, it?s a concern."
One-day turnarounds with travel included haven?t been kind to West Virginia in the past two seasons.
The Mountaineers are 0-2 this season on Big Monday games following a Saturday game and are 1-4 on Monday?s following a one-day turnaround in the past two seasons combined. That one win came against Texas last season, but the Mountaineers had the benefit of hosting back-to-back games during that one-day turnaround and
didn?t travel.
Overall, West Virginia has five one-day turnarounds on its schedule, the most in the Big 12 Conference.
"Nobody flies as far and as long as we do," Huggins said following Wednesday night?s loss to Iowa State. "We?ve played really good people, and we have the most one-day turnarounds than anybody in the league. Now, you combine that with our travel schedule, that?s rough."
Although West Virginia didn?t endure a one-day turnaround prior to the Iowa State game on Wednesday night, the team?s sickness alone was enough to knock the Mountaineers off of their game.
A lack of energy from the team allowed the Cyclones to score 93 points on the Mountaineers while West Virginia also forced a season-low eight turnovers, so a one-day turnaround that includes both travel and the flu is a concern for Huggins.
"We had no energy whatsoever," Huggins said regarding the Iowa State game. "If we come out Monday with no energy, you?ll know it really affected us."
West Virginia defeated Oklahoma during the two teams? first meeting of the
season on Jan. 6 by a score of 89-76 in Morgantown. Similar to the Kansas State game, West Virginia turned up the intensity on defense against the Sooners, limiting Young to season-low five assists and forcing 17 Oklahoma turnovers.
In order to complete the regular season sweep of the Sooners and win back-to-back games for the first time since early January, the Mountaineers will have overcome their sicknesses once again and play their signature defense to a high level.
"We?ve been letting up lately," said West Virginia senior guard Jevon carter. "We?re Press Virginia. We gotta stay at it."
