Ruoff scored 25 points going 4 for 7 from three point range as he and the Mounties made me look like a genius. WV should be able to stay out of the 8 or 9 seed with that win and, thus, avoid a #1 seeded team in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Bryant has continued to play pretty well of late and is shooting with confidence behind the three point line. Butler also had a nice game and while Ebanks struggled with his shooting a little bit (3-11), he had 18 rebounds and 5 assists in an excellent floor game. Jones had been playing really well of late, but he laid a big egg in his first Big East Tournament experience. It was not just the fact that he was a miserable 1-10, it was that he looked so bad doing it. His one make was an uncontested layup and many of his misses were right around the basket. By the second half I was cringing every time he went up for a shot. Let's hope he will be back to his old self again after getting his tournament feet wet.
Up next for WV is Pittsburgh. The opening line has Pitt favored by just 3. UConn is favored by the same amount over Syracuse. This speaks to the depth of the conference. I was on target with my ND prediction, but let's hope I'm off the mark this time. I'd give the 3 points and take Pitt. Blair is a beast for which WV has no answer. Young is smooth and can take over the game. The Panthers play very good defense which spells trouble for Ruoff. Pittsburgh also has a very successful history in the Big East tournament. I look for a spirited effort from the Mountaineers and a good game by Ebanks. Still, I think Pitt will be in control most of the way and win by somewhere around 10 points.
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