Wvu Basketball needs to find offense before Tuesday showdown at Oklahoma State
wvu basketball arrives in Stillwater with its offense sputtering and little margin for error: the Mountaineers (16-11, 7-7) will face Oklahoma State in a 7 p. m. ET tip at Gallasgher-Iba Arena that will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Wvu Basketball faces a scoring test at Gallasgher-Iba Arena
West Virginia’s recent slide included a 61-56 home loss to Utah and a 60-54 defeat at TCU, when the Horned Frogs ripped off the final 4-plus minutes, 12-2. The Mountaineers have been held under 60 points six times in their last eight games and are averaging a shade under 59 points over that stretch after scoring 67 in each of their first six Big 12 contests.
Over two games last week WVU made 42-of-101 shots, hit only 10-of-44 three-pointers and turned the ball over 24 times, 16 of which came at TCU. First-year head coach Ross Hodge said, “I told our team the beauty of being in the Big 12 is you’re going to get quality opportunities. We had one [Saturday] and didn’t take advantage of it. ”
Cowboys’ scoring opens a different challenge
Oklahoma State (16-11, 4-10) poses a markedly different test: the Cowboys are the Big 12’s third-highest scoring team at 83. 4 points while surrendering the most at 82. 6. Excluding non-conference play, OSU averages 76. 4 points and gives up 84. 2; within Big 12 games WVU is at 62. 4 points scored and 66. 6 allowed.
OSU has lost five straight since a seven-point home victory over BYU and has allowed at least 81 points in each of those five games. Saturday’s 83-69 loss at Colorado came after the Buffaloes shot 48 percent, made 11-of-27 threes and produced 20 of the game’s 28 assists; the Cowboys were 38 percent, 5-of-23 from deep and turned it over 15 times.
Mountaineers women rout Cowgirls, providing contrasting result
The women’s Mountaineers delivered a decisive result on Saturday, beating Oklahoma State 72-40 in Morgantown. Gia Cooke scored 21 points, Kierra Wheeler had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Jordan Harrison added 12 as West Virginia shot 29-of-57 (51%) as a team while Oklahoma State shot 23%.
West Virginia’s women improved to 22-6 overall and 12-4 in the Big 12 with the win; Oklahoma State’s women fell to 21-8 and 10-6 in conference play. The Mountaineers opened the game on an 8-0 run, closed the first half on a 12-0 run to lead 49-23 and extended a run to 24-2 with the first six points of the third quarter.
Up next, the women’s Mountaineers visit UCF on Wednesday. Oklahoma State’s women visit Iowa State on Wednesday.
For the men, Tuesday’s 7 p. m. ET game at Gallasgher-Iba Arena is the immediate chance for West Virginia to halt its skid and address the offensive issues Hodge flagged; the contest will be shown nationally on CBS Sports Network.
