Ross Hodge Blames ‘Defensive Intensity’ for WVU’s Loss to Oklahoma State

Anyone who’s paid attention to WVU basketball head coach Ross Hodge or his Mountaineers this season, knows defense is a major part of his coaching identity. Thus, it should be no surprise WVU’s defensive performance wasn’t up to his standard after a 91-84 overtime loss to Oklahoma State, particularly in the first half.

“I felt like in the first half we just didn’t have the level of defensive intensity necessary,” Hodge said in the postgame press conference. “They’re a really good offensive team. I felt like we kind of let them get comfortable and get a rhythm going and just didn’t defend at the level necessary for our standard to win.”

Hodge added he felt the team guarded the ball better in the second half, partially because senior guard Jasper Floyd was more available after picking up two early fouls in the first half.

“Jasper, for us, is so important at the point of attack and his ability to guard the ball and navigate ball screens and keep the ball in front of him. And I thought that was a big difference in the second half and the first half was his point of attack defense,” Hodge said.

Oklahoma State shot 10-for-23 from three-point range (43.5%) while going 4-for-9 in the first half. Hodge said the team’s lack of defensive intensity made it easier for Oklahoma State to find a rhythm.

“If you don’t come into a game in like a mindset, which we typically have had that we’re really gonna make people miss and you allow a team to find a rhythm offensively, then you almost kind of get what you deserve with some of that stuff because you haven’t made it hard on him,” Hodge said.

WVU will take the court again at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday when the team hosts No. 19 BYU.

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