Bob Huggins head coach of West Virginia.(credit:
Wikipedia.)
The Mountaineers might be the Big East's best hope.
The Missouri Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers will face each other in the second round of the NCAAB tournament on Sunday with the right to advance to the Sweet 16 at stake. Missouri used frantic play to pull away from the Clemson Tigers in the fourth quarter of their first round game for an 86-78 win, while WVU missed their first 11 shots but found their range and then blew out Morgan State 77-50 to advance.
The college basketball odds makers like the number two seed Mountaineers to get pass the number ten seed Tigers as WVU are -5½ point favorites.
NCAA Tournament Odds with BetUS:
Missouri Tigers +5½
West Virginia Mountaineers -5½
Game Time: 2:40 EST
TV: CBS
WVU’s slow start on Friday should be a cause for concern as they prepare for Missouri. Missouri plays a style that Coach Mike Anderson calls “40 Minutes of Hell” where his team runs and pressures, forcing mistakes and capitalizing on turnovers. It’s been a success, as it doesn’t allow opponents to establish a rhythm and take or make the shots they want. Their success was evident against Clemson outscoring them 20-5 on turnovers and 22-2 on fast break points.
WVU is a slow it down half court team that will grind it out and win ugly sort of team but it’s worked well this season as their 53rd ranked defense and their Big East Tournament title can attest. However, when half-court teams, especially college teams, are tempted with a fast running, high scoring style of game the temptation can be a little too much for them to resist, if the Mountaineers can’t resist the sexy full court style they will be in trouble against Missouri.
To show the contrast in styles we just need to look at their Over/Under records. The Tigers have gone over the total 6 straight times and the defensive Mountaineers have stayed under the total in five straight games.
The Missouri Tigers are 5-1 against the spread in their past 6 NCAA tournament games, even when they aren’t winning they are beating expectations and other than last season’s debacle WVU has been money in the tournament, going 9-2-1 ATS in their past 12 tournament games.
The difference in this game will be WVU players, Devin Ebanks and Da’Sean Butler, both are expected to make the jump to the NBA nest season, if the Tigers are successful in cranking up the tempo, Devin Ebanks will shine, he’s a future NBA player but has struggled in a half court offense. If the game is fast, Ebanks will shine and WVU will win, if the game is a slow down grind it out game, the rest of the Mountaineers will shine, WVU wins. The demise of the Big East has been greatly exaggerated.
Round of 32 pick: WVU Mountaineers -5½.
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