Preview: West Virginia Hoops

Vitals

Tip: 12:00 PM
Location: Stillwater, OK
TV: ESPNU
Online Stream: here
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Online radio: here
Announcers: Brad Sham and Bob Valvano
Line: Cowboys -9.5

Records

Cowboys – 12-5 (2-3)
Mountaineers – 9-9 (2-3)

Best win

Cowboys – NC State (KenPom: #40)
Mountaineers – Texas (KenPom: #84)

Worst loss

Cowboys – Virginia Tech (KenPom: #163)
Mountaineers – Duquesne (KenPom: #225)

KenPom rank

Cowboys – #20
Mountaineers – #110

Data nerds

[table id=86 /]

Adj. efficiency – Points per 100 possessions (adjusted for quality of opponent and site of game).
Adj. tempo – Possessions per game (adjusted for schedule and pace of other team).
Effective FG % – Takes into account extra value of 3s.

Three things to watch

1. Better O – These are two awful offensive teams. West Virginia has the 317th best effective FG percentage in the nation. They shoot 28.8% from three and just under 44% on twos. They’re just abysmal. OSU won’t let a team like that beat them at home but I want to see it be because OSU figures some stuff out on offense, not just because they play tight D.

2. Jekyll and Nash – He’s already telling us why he won’t be productive tomorrow and honestly — can I be honest for just a second — I’m getting pretty tired of the excuses and griping from everyone associated with this team. Sports are pretty simple, there are only two choices: “I got it done” or “I didn’t get it done.” That’s it. Get it done.

3. Keep yanking – OSU has been horrendous from three. This is sort of unbelievable but nobody on the team besides Forte shoots over 32%. And Forte isn’t that much better at 37%. So do we keep pulling the trigger like the undisciplined squad our fan base thinks we are or do we work Nash on the inside, start cutting people, and get #10 a bunch of open looks?

Prediction

KyPort: Cowboys 72-61
KenPom: Cowboys 68-55