WVU basketball needed a win in the worst way to bounce back after losing their Big 12 opener to Iowa State, extending their losing streak against Power 5 competition to five straight games. And while it wasn't always pretty, and it took some scratching and clawing, the Mountaineers managed to complete the task at hand and secure a 62-60 win over the Bearcats. Here are three takeaways from the win.
The Mountaineers (Finally) Close Out A Game Strong
Maybe I shouldn't say finally, because WVU has closed out games strongly – just mostly against outmatched opponents they knew they should beat. But time and time again in nonconference play against a similar level of competition, the Mountaineers struggled to close games strong – even when they held large leads well into the second half.
WVU had a lead most of the game then lost it in the second half. But they didn't panic, nor did they give up. They kept composed and put together enough strong possessions with enough scoring opportunities to stay competitive in the game, and came back from a late five-point deficit to retake the lead and put the final nails in Cincinnati's coffin. After what we've seen from WVU against other power conference opponents, that feels like it's own unique win.
Every Win Counts, And This Was A Win
Every game in Big 12 play becomes important when determining your postseason hopes, and that goes doubly so after a 1-4 record against Power 5 competition in nonconference play for WVU. Luckily, despite still playing in the toughest conference in the country, this schedule does afford the Mountaineers some good opportunities to pick up those wins, and a two-game series with Cincinnati this season is one of those.
While it really is stating the obvious, sometimes the obvious needs to be said – if the Mountaineers want back into the NCAA Tournament field since the 2022-2023 season, they have to start winning. This was a good first step in racking up those 'W's in winnable games.
Honor Huff Is A Bellwether Player
If you want to know how WVU is going to perform, a lot of that is likely going to depend in Big 12 play on how well Honor Huff is scoring the ball. Huff was 6-of-10 from three-point range and 7-of-14 from the field while leading West Virginia with 24 points. In the ugly loss against Iowa State, the Mountaineers saw Huff score just six points on 1-of-9 shooting. If WVU wants to win in the Big 12, they need Honor Huff to play the 'Javon Small' role for this team. And while he might not be the overall talent Small was, he could be a better shooter.