Providence Preview: Thank God For Time Off!

Vacations are a good thing. But I suspect that knowing we’re going to get a week off could lead to a lackadaisical attitude at work the week before we leave. That certainly is my tendency.

WVU’s basketball season schedule was set well in advance of our three-game skid, but I can’t help but wonder if knowledge of this time off had any effect. We can only speculate if this explains the losing streak that preceded it, but if a team ever needed to take a break it was Huggs & Co. Thank God (and our AD’s office) for good timing.

Further evidence that the Almighty may actually be looking out for this year’s team, WVU faces Providence (current conference bottom dweller) in their return game Sunday afternoon in Rhode Island. The Friars beat Rutgers this past Wednesday night to snap their own four-game losing streak. They had been victorious in just one of their previous nine games. That could signal a sign of resurgence. Or not.

WVU is 5-5 in the Big East with eight conference games left. Coach Huggins says we need nine conference wins to guarantee an NCAA bid, and at least ten to garner a good seed in the Big Dance. Here are the remaining games:

@ Providence

NOTRE DAME

#25 LOUISVILLE

@ Pitt

@ Notre Dame

#15 MARQUETTE

DEPAUL

@ South Florida

As you can see, this Providence game is a must if we expect to win four more games. Let’s hope that our guys aren’t in a hurry to relax in front of the Super Bowl and they take care of business this Sunday. Tip off is at Noon and the game is available on Big East Network affiliates, ESPN 3 and ESPN Game Plan.