WVU Men’s Hoops History With Big XII Opponents
By Ken Durbin
Texas Tech (1-0 all-time)
March 07, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Ty Nurse (4) looks to pass during the second half of the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the first round of the 2012 Big 12 Tournament at the Sprint Center. Oklahoma State won 76 – 60. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
West Virginia’s perfect record against the Red Raiders was cemented in the 2005 NCAA Sweet 16.
John Beilein’s surprising Mountaineers sqaud made the NCAA tournament after reeling off a 24-11 regular season record. WVU, as a #7 seed, squeaked past Creighton in the first round of the tournament before pulling off a major upset over national power Wake Forest.
WVU collided with Bobby Knight’s Texas Tech squad in the Sweet 16 for the Mountaineers’ first appearance that far into the NCAA tournament since 1998. West Virginia was in for a closer than expected contest with the Red Raiders, as the game would stay close throughout. Kevin Pittsnogle, with 22 points, would lead the Mountaineers to a 65-60 victory and a berth in the Elite 8.
It was the Mountaineers first appearance in the Elite 8 since the 1959 tournament. That year, Jerry West led the Mountaineers to the championship game, losing narrowly to California.
Texas Tech will look to even up the series in Lubbock on February 2 before taking the series back to Morgantown two weeks later on the 16th.