Mountaineers Pick Up Where They Left Off
by Zach Smart
West Virginia entered last year’s NCAA tourney with a group of three-point marksmen and one of the nation’s elite shot-blockers down low. By the time they were finished, the Mountain State’s hoopsters had made a more sizable impression than most. They also put themselves on the map for the ensuing season.
After pulling off a stunning 111-105 double overtime upset over Chris Paul and Wake Forest (a team which sat at the top of the national polls all season), the Mountaineers weren’t done yet. WVU rode a 22-point performance and a pair of game-sealing free throws by Kevin Pittsnogle to knock off Texas Tech, 65-60. This advanced them to the Elite Eight for the first time since an ancient epoch when they were led by a guy named Jerry West.
Originally the eighth seeded team in the Big East tournament, WVU was making quite an improbable run at the final four, proving to the world that they’re no joke in the process.
A sluggish second half breakdown would do the Mountaineers in, as they fell at the hands of Louisville in overtime and were denied access to the final four. Leading 40-27 at halftime, the Mountaineers let the lead slip away in the second half and folded in the overtime session. It was a disappointing end to an otherwise majestic run.
There are few beats missing from last year’s squad – especially after Pittsnogle opted to return after toying with NBA draft temptations.
Competing in a new and always tough Big East conference, John Beilein’s squad is off to a 6-3 start overall. Two of their three losses have come against top ten programs, then-No. 7 Kentucky and then-No.2 Texas. The Mountaineers nearly had the Longhorns in the bag back on Nov. 21 in the Guardians Classic. But Texas erased a 10-point lead early in the second half, took a one-point lead with two minutes left, and then prevailed behind a game-winning putback and blocked shot by LeMarcus Aldridge.
Running parallel with the West Virginia’s success thus far has been the play of high-octane swingman Mike Gansey. The high-flying senior has emerged as the team’s top scorer, averaging just under 20 points per contest. Gansey also leads WVU with 6.3 rebounds per game and is shooting an eye-popping 61 percent from the floor, 49 percent from three-point range.
Ever since his coming out party during last year’s tournament, Gansey has been one of the country’s most exciting players to watch. He jumps out to the receiving end of every fast break with a fury, racing down court like a Sobe Adrenaline Rush enthusiast. He’s a game-changer that jumps out of the arena, chases down every loose ball, and contests every shot. Previously a streaky shooter, Gansey has been far from it this season.
For Gansey, it’s been all about working hard and taking his game to the next level. On the journey to becoming a leader, Gansey has overcome adversity.
The runner up to Lebron James for Ohio’s Mr. Basketball award two years in a row, Gansey was greatly under-recruited his senior year. A slender 6-foot-4 forward, some scouts speculated that Gansey would be a tweener at the major Division I level.
Gansey selected St. Bonaventure in Olean, N.Y., but he departed after two seasons once a recruiting scandal plagued the program. Sitting out the 2003-2004 season because of NCAA transfer rules, Gansey evolved into a gymrat and workout fiend. It’s all paid its dividends.
Pittsnogle has taken advantage of the extra year to build on his pro stock, averaging 18.1 points and six boards per game. The 6-foot-11, 255-lb. senior can do it to you all over the floor, and is one of the sharpest outside shooting big men in the country. Pittsnogle’s consistency down the road will likely determine how far the Mountaineers go this season.
The Mountaineers are once again one of college basketball’s toughest teams behind the arc. With a number of different three-point threats on the roster, they can bury you with a barrage of trifectas at any point. Leading the outside attack is Pat Beilein, one of the best three-point shooters in school history. The coach’s son, Beilein provides a solid spark off the bench and the typical wisdom and court-sense that a coach’s son has to offer. He doesn’t flake under pressure, as we all witnessed during last year’s tournament.
