I just cant make myself believe in West Virginia's basketball team. Sure, West Va is 29-6 and that even includes 8-4 on the road, and yes Deshaun Butler with 17 points a game is a great player. Still, I think the Huskies match up well and will probably win this game tommorow, but just to play it safe I am taking the 4 here.
I just think Washington has so many positives that they should be the favorite here, not withstanding their #11 seed. The only thing that you can say negative about the Huskies is that they do give up a lot of points. But most of that is by virtue of playing in the Pac 10 with a lot of run and gun type teams.
West Virginia wins their games by playing solid defense, not so much by scoring a lot of points. The Mountaineers score 72 points per game while giving up 63 points per game. They have also held their last 5 opponents in the 50's. What you need to beat the Mountaineers is a good 3 point shooting team, which can shoot over that defense. That is exactly what the Huskies have and thats why I think the Huskies will win.
The Huskies shot 34% from behind the 3 point arc this year. The team also brings 3 very dangerous shooters from 3 points. Isiah Thomas hit 33% this year, Quincy Poindexter shot 36.7% and Elston Turner hit for almost 39%. Scott Suggs hit 37%. Its not so much in the percentages as in the fact that Poindexter and Thomas are going to shoot from behind the arc. Its not like these guys are 3 for 10 on the year, they are hitting in the mid 30's while taking lots of shots from back there.
So I think the typical defense that West Virginia employs with great success against some Big East schools simply will not work as the Huskies can shoot from way back, and also the Huskies will force an up tempo style here.
The Huskies have faced many teams like this during the year. Oregon State, USC and most recently New Mexico were all teams who routiney held opponents to low scoring outputs and in each case, the Huskies were able to hit from outside and force open the defense.
The Huskies offense has scored 79+ In each of its last 4 games, all 4 games being against strong competition. They averaged 80 PPG this year scoring 90+ 9 times, and was held to less than 59 points only 1 times all year long.
I think the Huskies are also a much more well balanced team here. Thomas, Poindexter, Byan-Amaning, and Overton are all serious threats that the Mountaineers will have to account for. Sure I am not saying that DaSean Butler is all the Mountaineers have, Darryl Jones and Kevin Ebanks will contribute but this is a team that is dependent on Butler.
I think The Huskies match up well and are at least as good a team as West Virginia. In fact, I think Washington is a better team and certainly have more stamina and will be able to run and gun if they can force the tempo. West Va is more likely to want to slow it down.
I liove the Huskies plus the 4 here and I definitly love the over 141 as well.
Good Luck
I just think Washington has so many positives that they should be the favorite here, not withstanding their #11 seed. The only thing that you can say negative about the Huskies is that they do give up a lot of points. But most of that is by virtue of playing in the Pac 10 with a lot of run and gun type teams.
West Virginia wins their games by playing solid defense, not so much by scoring a lot of points. The Mountaineers score 72 points per game while giving up 63 points per game. They have also held their last 5 opponents in the 50's. What you need to beat the Mountaineers is a good 3 point shooting team, which can shoot over that defense. That is exactly what the Huskies have and thats why I think the Huskies will win.
The Huskies shot 34% from behind the 3 point arc this year. The team also brings 3 very dangerous shooters from 3 points. Isiah Thomas hit 33% this year, Quincy Poindexter shot 36.7% and Elston Turner hit for almost 39%. Scott Suggs hit 37%. Its not so much in the percentages as in the fact that Poindexter and Thomas are going to shoot from behind the arc. Its not like these guys are 3 for 10 on the year, they are hitting in the mid 30's while taking lots of shots from back there.
So I think the typical defense that West Virginia employs with great success against some Big East schools simply will not work as the Huskies can shoot from way back, and also the Huskies will force an up tempo style here.
The Huskies have faced many teams like this during the year. Oregon State, USC and most recently New Mexico were all teams who routiney held opponents to low scoring outputs and in each case, the Huskies were able to hit from outside and force open the defense.
The Huskies offense has scored 79+ In each of its last 4 games, all 4 games being against strong competition. They averaged 80 PPG this year scoring 90+ 9 times, and was held to less than 59 points only 1 times all year long.
I think the Huskies are also a much more well balanced team here. Thomas, Poindexter, Byan-Amaning, and Overton are all serious threats that the Mountaineers will have to account for. Sure I am not saying that DaSean Butler is all the Mountaineers have, Darryl Jones and Kevin Ebanks will contribute but this is a team that is dependent on Butler.
I think The Huskies match up well and are at least as good a team as West Virginia. In fact, I think Washington is a better team and certainly have more stamina and will be able to run and gun if they can force the tempo. West Va is more likely to want to slow it down.
I liove the Huskies plus the 4 here and I definitly love the over 141 as well.
Good Luck
