Little Apple House of Horrors, West Virginia Falls to Wildcats 84-68

Just when you thought the Mountaineers had figured out the formula to winning basketball, they forgot it again when they traveled to Manhattan, Kansas to take on the Kansas State Wildcats. The game started out innocently enough, as the Mountaineers fed Oscar Tshiebwe and Derek Culver and built a 11-8 lead with 13:05 to play. The Wildcats would ratchet up the pressure and go on a 11-2 run to build a 19-13 lead.

The Mountaineers and Wildcats would trade shots for a while and with 4:54 left in the first half, the Wildcats lead just 26-21. That would be as close as the Mountaineers would get with the Wildcats going on a 16-4 run to close the first half.

The second half looked like West Virginia was showing some life. Head coach Bob Huggins switched to a full-court pressure defense and cut the deficit from 53-29 to 60-54 with 7 mins left but that would be it for the Morgantown team. Kansas State closed the game with a 24-12 run and left the Mountaineers wondering where offense would come from.

STATS THAT MATTER

• Oscar and Derek combined for 16 points and 10 rebounds. Well below their season averages.
• Miles McBride led the team with 11 points.
• Gabe Osabuohien was the only other Mountaineers in double digit points, with 10.
• Each team finished with 24 fouls.