WVU Begins Big East Title Defense

On Wednesday night WVU will begin its quest to repeat as Big East tournament champs.  WVU was able to earn a first round bye and will play the winner of Marquette and Providence.  The Mountaineers come into the tourney on a 3 game win streak including two straight wins over ranked opponents.  At seems like Coach Huggins has his team hitting there peak at the right time.  In some of WVU's most recent wins,Joe Mazzulla has produced has he scored 18 points in the UConn win and 16 points in the Notre Dame win.  Because of this production, from Mazzula, Huggins has decided that Mazzula should be running the offense from point guard spot instead of junior Truck Bryant.  This is a bonus for the Mountaineers as they now have two guards that are fully capable of running the offense this March.   The Mountaineers biggest problem has been these random scoring droughts they go through.  The periods where there is a lack of scoring has cost WVU wins at Louisville and at Shittsburgh, I mean Pittsburgh.  If WVU can avoid these scoring droughts and Casey Mitchell doesn't hit a cold streak this week WVU can make a deep run.

Prediction:  WVU's side of the bracket is very favorable for a deep run and I say a semi final loss to Notre Dame is were WVU's run end this year in the tourney.  If WVU wins against Providence/Marquette the blue and gold will play Louisville on Thursday and with a win against the Cardinals, WVU will play Notre Dame in the semi finals.  If it weren't for the lack of scoring in the 2nd half in Louisville, WVU would've swept the Cardinals. WVU should be able to able to beat L'ville but as usual it won't be easy. 

WVU just doesn't have the leadership they had last year to win the tournament.  Its been a question all year who take the last shot? and this year this isn't one answer, its just who is ever hot that night and that will cost them against the top 15 teams this tournament season. But one player can get hot, example Casey Mitchell who knows maybe the Mountaineers will be able to repeat as tourney champs, but this is the Big East and there is just to much depth this year for the 'eers to win.