'Press Virginia' comes West as Mountaineers face Racers
SAN DIEGO (AP) No. 5 seed West Virginia (24-10) vs. No. 12 seed Murray State (26-5)
First round, East Region; San Diego; 4 p.m. ET, Friday
BOTTOM LINE: ''Press Virginia'' is bringing its show out West. The Mountaineers are back in the NCAAs for the ninth time in the past 11 seasons and looking for a second straight trip to the Sweet 16. Last year, the Mountaineers lost to eventual national runner-up Gonzaga in the regional semifinals. Murray State is looking to continue the tradition of a No. 12 seed sending a No. 5 seed packing early.
DEFENSE FIRST: As is always the case with a Bob Huggins team, it all starts at the defensive end for the Mountaineers. Even if they aren't the best scoring defense in the country, the goal for the Mountaineers is to create chaos. West Virginia's press defense was No. 2 in the country, forcing turnovers on 23 percent of opponents' possessions. Jevon Carter was the Big 12 defensive player of the year for the second straight season. Huggins lamented that the Mountaineers don't have the same speed on defense as in previous seasons and that could be why they've allowed at least 70 points in each of their 10 losses this season.
LUCKY 13: Murray State has won 13 straight dating to a Jan. 18 loss at Belmont, the second-longest winning streak in the country. The Racers avenged that last loss with a convincing 17-point win over Belmont in the conference tournament title game. The Racers won eight of those 13 by at least 10 points.
DID YOU KNOW: Murray State has won at least one game in each of its previous two NCAA Tournament appearances. As a No. 11 seed, the Racers beat sixth-seeded Colorado State in 2012. In 2010, 14th-seeded Murray State knocked off No. 3 seed Vanderbilt in the first round.
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