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Poor Defense, Shooting Lead to Back-to-Back Losses for WVU

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WVU Basketball Javon Small
Kelsie LeRose / WVSN

WVU basketball did not shoot the ball well at all this week. 

In their two games against Arizona State and Kansas State, both losses, the Mountaineers (13-6, 4-4 Big 12) were a combined 8-50 on three-pointers. Even WVU’s best shooters struggled this week. Javon Small was 3-14, Amani Hansberry was 2-11 and Jonathan Powell was 3-11.

“We don’t have a true low-post presence and not a lot of one-on-one type of guys, so we need to rely on movement and cutting to get those opportunities,” WVU coach Darian DeVries said on Mountaineer Sports Network after Saturday’s game. “When we get those feet set in catch-and-shoot situations, we’ve got to knock some down. The big games we’ve won, we’ve been able to do that. The last couple of games we haven’t shot it as well.”

West Virginia’s halfcourt offense struggled mightily in both games, scoring well below its season average of 71.2, but head coach Darian DeVries is more concerned about the Mountaineers’ recent struggles on defense.

“Whether we’re making shots or not, I don’t really care,” DeVries said. “Our first-half defense, we have to be better. Just like the second-half defense against Arizona State.” 

The second half against Arizona State and the first half against Kansas State were two of WVU’s worst halves of defense this season. ASU scored 41 points on 61.5% shooting to pull away after halftime Tuesday and Kansas State scored 42 points on 53.3% shooting to begin the game Saturday.

West Virginia hasn’t been a great shooting team this season — the Mountaineers shoot 33% on the year — but they’ve played solid enough defense throughout the season to make up for it. That wasn’t the case this week, which led to the team’s first back-to-back losses of the season.

“We’re going to win when we play a full 40 minutes of West Virginia basketball and that’s being tough, physical and disciplined,” DeVries said.

In Big 12 play, when WVU out-shoots its opponent from three, the Mountaineers are 4-0. When the other team shoots better, WVU is 0-4.

West Virginia returns home to host No. 7 Houston for a rematch in the Coliseum Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

For a related story, WVU basketball fans a little grump after 2nd-straight loss.

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