WVA peaking at the right time, Cinderella 2017?

[Bajan Best]

WVA Looking a little like their old Big east foe UCONN with crisp ball movement, athletic plays and confident shooting.. With impressive wins over #19 Oklahoma #12 Texas and #2 Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament might just be the perfect fit for the Cinderella glass slipper this year, look out they will not be an easy out in the tournament...

On the flip side Baylor and Texas cannot be in a good frame of mind entering the tournament, looking ripe for an early upset mentally, should be interesting to see it all play out...

 

[Ozimoto]

I sure hope so. As a 1982 graduate of WVU, it is nice to see the Mountaineers doing well. Just don't put them in the Bridgeport bracket!

 

[drweo]

You're right, they wont be an easy out. In the Big 12 Tournament, they exuded confidence and backed it up. They were not intimidated by either Texas or Baylor, and played accordingly. Put them in another bracket!

 

[Orangutan]

Up to 18th in both Sagarin and Massey, which implies that they "deserve" a 5-seed, which they surely won't get based on their RPI (41) and resume:

Just 7-9 against top-100 teams and 4-9 before the Big12 tourney.

So Creme is probably right they will be a 7 and a 7 no one wants to play. At the same time, I look at the stats of the Baylor and Texas games (less than 40% FG and outrebounded in both games) and half expect them to lose by 20 to whoever they draw.

 

[Carnac]

I sure hope so. As a 1982 graduate of WVU, it is nice to see the Mountaineers doing well. Just don't put them in the Bridgeport bracket!

Ozimoto, I hear you. Join the club. NOBODY wants to be in UConn's region. I say that every year, because it's true. A team has a "puncher's chance" of coming out of any other region, except UConn's. You're familiar with the term "the kiss of death". Being assigned to the Bridgeport Region is the kiss of death. Because UConn ALWAYS comes out of their regional.

When teams watch the bracket selection show on TV Monday night, they'll be looking for two things. 1. Who they play. 2. What region are they assigned to. They're all hoping it's not Bridgeport. No coach/player will admit to hoping not to be assigned to Bridgeport. Every team in the tournament has aspirations of going all the way. UConn is that cow on the tracks if you're in their region. If you are assigned to their bracket, you want to be in the bottom half, since as a 1 seed, they are always in the top half.

 

[Carnac]

Up to 18th in both Sagarin and Massey, which implies that they "deserve" a 5-seed, which they surely won't get based on their RPI (41) and resume:

View attachment 20537

Just 7-9 against top-100 teams and 4-9 before the Big12 tourney.

So Creme is probably right they will be a 7 and a 7 no one wants to play. At the same time, I look at the stats of the Baylor and Texas games (less than 40% FG and outrebounded in both games) and half expect them to lose by 20 to whoever they draw.

Thanks for the report O. WV has become a giant killer/dragon slayer of late. They're going into the tournament with no fear. If you can knock off Oklahoma, Texas and Baylor, why would you fear any team? Baylor and Texas are not scrubs.

 

[DefenseBB]

I see an opportunity to be a contrarian here, so I am going to "short" WV as I think they have peaked with their performance. Their success can partially be attributed to familiarity with their opponents and good fortune of shots falling. That's not to say they haven't improved but nothing has materially change for me to think they will be an Elite 8 team with only a slight chance for Sweet 16, depending on the bracket. There's an 11 day layoff for them to cool off and another 3-5 days for an opponent to scheme for them.

They are a nice story but....

 

[southie]

Always tough to know how a team will respond after a run like what WVU went on in the Big 12 tourney. It doesn't help that they will have to wait about 2 weeks to play their next game. Some teams lose their momentum and recently-acquired chemistry.

Back in 2004, Oklahoma went on a similar run as the #6 seed in the Big 12 tourney; they actually won 4 games to claim the title as there were actually 12 teams in the league. They climbed up to a #6 seed in the NCAA tourney, but were beaten soundly by #3 Stanford in the second round.

WVU has very little depth. Staying out of foul trouble is really important for them.

 

[JordyG]

Thanks for the report O. WV has become a giant killer/dragon slayer of late. They're going into the tournament with no fear. If you can knock off Oklahoma, Texas and Baylor, why would you fear any team? Baylor and Texas are not scrubs.

You change your avatar! Noooooooo! Clearly you've been threatened. Translocate their names to me and I'll see to it. I have friends.

 

[JordyG]

As for WVa, let's just pump the brakes a bit. This is the same team that at one point lost 7 out of 10. They lost twice to Iowa State, once by 25. Yes, they played three good games in a row, but as we've seen with those Rocky Top lovers you can beat some really good teams and still be a poor team. In fact in 13 games UT faced 3 top 6 teams and beat them all, yet lost to Georgia, Auburn, and Alabama twice. Let's just wait until the Lady's Cotillion pipes in some music and everything starts to swing.

 

[Carnac]

You change your avatar! Noooooooo! Clearly you've been threatened. Translocate their names to me and I'll see to it. I have friends.

Just taking a break from the facade, to reveal the man behind the cape and turban. Carnac will return soon.

 

[Carnac]

As for WVa, let's just pump the brakes a bit. This is the same team that at one point lost 7 out of 10. They lost twice to Iowa State, once by 25. Yes, they played three good games in a row, but as we've seen with those Rocky Top lovers you can beat some really good teams and still be a poor team. In fact in 13 games UT faced 3 top 6 teams and beat them all, yet lost to Georgia, Auburn, and Alabama twice. Let's just wait until the Lady's Cotillion pipes in some music and everything starts to swing.

Jordy, I hedged my comment by using the phrase (in a effort to not paint myself into a corner) "of late". I agree with your take. All I'm saying is if WV is hot right now, and they appear to be. They should be taken seriously, regardless of their recent past shortcomings. You're right, they may revert back to the team that lost to Georgia and Alabama. The magic they captured over the past weekend maybe lost in the coming weeks, but they did just knock of two top ranked teams. Time will tell.

 

[Carnac]

Always tough to know how a team will respond after a run like what WVU went on in the Big 12 tourney. It doesn't help that they will have to wait about 2 weeks to play their next game. Some teams lose their momentum and recently-acquired chemistry.

Back in 2004, Oklahoma went on a similar run as the #6 seed in the Big 12 tourney; they actually won 4 games to claim the title as there were actually 12 teams in the league. They climbed up to a #6 seed in the NCAA tourney, but were beaten soundly by #3 Stanford in the second round.

WVU has very little depth. Staying out of foul trouble is really important for them.

Agreed.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . Just don't put them in the Bridgeport bracket!

That's where Charlie Creme has placed them. If his Bridgeport bracket is correct and WVa stays
hot and knocks off Stanford and Duke, then UConn would be facing them in the regional final.

I think DefenseBB's scenario is more likely though.

 

[Ozimoto]

If Charlie's bracket for Bridgeport matches the seeding committee, in the unlikely event the Mountaineers get past Stanford and Duke to get to a game with UConn I will be suffering from extreme fan schizophrenia!

 

[Carnac]

I see an opportunity to be a contrarian here, so I am going to "short" WV as I think they have peaked with their performance. Their success can partially be attributed to familiarity with their opponents and good fortune of shots falling. That's not to say they haven't improved but nothing has materially change for me to think they will be an Elite 8 team with only a slight chance for Sweet 16, depending on the bracket. There's an 11 day layoff for them to cool off and another 3-5 days for an opponent to scheme for them.

They are a nice story but....

Chances are they will cool off over the next two weeks as you suggest. However, knowing their recent history, and their level of success, I would not enter a match up with them having a false sense of bravado. That's all I'm saying. You are what your record says you are. Especially your most recent record. Just remember that a dark horse (Syracuse last year) that has been in a state of slumber all season, can awaken and disrupt its entire portion of the bracket in 2-3 games, regardless of its over all season record. Washington was unranked going into the NCAA tournament last year. They make it all the way to the final four. Never say never.
I agree with ed4ourgirls that your scenario is more likely.

 

[magic]

WV barely made it to the finish line. A lot of teams looked tired and unmotivated last weekend. Of course everyone will " get up sky high " for uconn. Problem is they have to beat someone else to get to uconn. I thought the huskies looked invigorated . Geno is a master at having his team in the perfect frame of mind when this time of year rolls around. Can't wait to see how many so called experts want pick some team other than huskies to win NC !

 

[rt bb fan]

Remember when WVA used to play Uconn, always played them tough and gave them trouble. Was not an easy win fo the huskies

 

[huskeynut]

WV is a maybe at best.

Short bench - were have we heard that before! Two weeks off and the adrenaline has subsided.

Placed in the Bridgeport region - if Creme is right.

I don't see WV as the Cinderella.