WVU 1 win from record
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia coach Bob Huggins has seen his team overcome double-digit deficits, struggle against overmatched opponents and pull out victories after relinquishing big leads.
They've been carried by Da'Sean Butler at times, but also have won with their top-scorer struggling to find his touch.
The wins have come in many varieties for the Mountaineers, and one more on Thursday night against Washington (26-9) in the East Regional semifinals in Syracuse, N.Y., would give West Virginia (29-6) a school record 30th — something not even the successful teams of predecessor coach John Beilein or school hero Jerry West could accomplish.
It also would give Huggins his fourth berth in the round of eight in 28 seasons of coaching.
Yet Huggins isn't ready to toast any accomplishments just yet — especially ones he believes should be credited to his players.
"They broke the huddle and they did it," Huggins said Monday. "I didn't do it. I had nothing to do with it. They broke the huddle after every practice saying 'national champs.' When it's done, maybe we can sit back and reflect."
He's already doing that to an extent. Huggins recalled asking Marquette's Al McGuire once about when he knew his teams were really good.
"He said, when we could walk into any venue without fear," Huggins said. "And I've never forgotten that and that's what I've tried to instill in the guys I had at Cincinnati, the guys I had at Kansas State and certainly the guys I have here."
The success of West Virginia, which is riding an eight-game winning streak, certainly has revolved around Butler, the school's third all-time leading scorer. But lately West Virginia is drawing more accolades for its defense.
The Big East tournament champion has held its last five opponents to under 60 points and an average of 34 percent shooting.
Over the last month, "we've gotten better and better defensively," Huggins said. "I think maybe guys understand their roles a little bit better now."
The on-court cohesion may be a byproduct of a team chemistry that Huggins said has always been strong.
If nothing else, this group is loose and perhaps has taken on some of Butler's personality.
The night before the Mountaineers disposed of Missouri 68-59 behind Butler's 28 points in Sunday's second round at Buffalo, N.Y., Butler, Joe Mazzulla and Jonnie West goofed off in three videos posted on teammate John Flowers' Twitter page.
Shot in a hotel room, they included a spoof of the Saturday Night Live "Roxbury Guys" dance skit, and lip syncing to Brian McKnight's "Back at One."
"That's the atmosphere you try to create," Huggins said. " You only get to spend four years in college, or if you're lucky, maybe five. And it's the best time of your life and you ought to enjoy it. We certainly want them to do that. And they know the difference between having fun and when it's time to go to work."
That's one of the similarities between this team and the 1991-92 Cincinnati squad that produced Huggins' only Final Four appearance. Otherwise, the Mountaineers are far different from his most successful Bearcats teams, he said.
"We don't play anything like those teams played," he said. "Those teams were so much more up tempo and we pressed all over the floor."
