West Virginia moves on to Sweet Sixteen
In the battle of West Virginia, Bob Huggins and the Mountaineers got the last laugh.
The University of West Virginia overwhelmed Marshall with their ball pressure and athleticism all night long en route to a 94-71 victory. Perhaps most evident of this was a 19-0 run that turned a five point deficit into a 14 point lead in the middle of the first half.
Following a layup by Darius George with 10:52 remaining to give Marshall a five point lead, the Mountaineers outscored Marshall 19-0 in the next five minutes and change. The Thundering Herd did not get back on the board until a couple of C.J. Burks free throws with 04:39 left.
The dominant stretch gave West Virginia a lead they would not relinquish. They were able to extend the lead to 17 going into the break, with senior guard Jevon Carter leading the way. Following an impressive first-round performance in which he scored 21 points and had eight assists and six steals, Carter led WVU with 11 first-half points.
West Virginia also dominated the glass. Led by Sagaba Konate and Lamont West, WVU outrebounded Marshall 30-13 in the opening 20. That, along with ball pressure that forced 11 Herd turnovers, was a large reason as to why WVU was able to extend the lead. Perhaps a bit rattled by the press and annoyed by the refs, the Marshall bench was assessed a warning at one point in the half.
On the defensive strategy entering the game, guard Jevon Carter stated: "That's our defensive strategy. Make one guy try to beat us. I just try to play within the game and let my defense turn into offense."
The star of the Herd, Jon Elmore, could only manage three points on 1/5 shooting in the first half. He also turned the ball over five times.
The second half was more of the same. Led by some hot three point shooting, West Virginia extended the lead to 26 within the first nine minutes of the second half. The Mountaineers opened the second half shooting 6/8 from deep, with Jevon Carter knocking down three of them. The run sent many fans who were searching for an upset to the exits.
The lead reached as many as 30, with the final score being 94-71.
Carter, an NBA hopeful, ended the night with 28 points, four rebounds, and five assists. He impacted the game on both sides of the floor. Talking about Carter's performance postgame, Coach Huggins had this to say: "that's why he was the defensive player of the year last year, and why he might win it this year. You have to appreciate how hard he works to appreciate Jevon Carter."
Lamont West recorded a double-double with 18 points and ten rebounds. Esa Ahmad filled up the stat sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. West Virginia shot a blistering 64% from the field in the second half. They also out-rebounded Marshall 46-29.
"That's what we thought our advantage was coming in," Huggins said about the rebounding.
Coming off an impressive opening round game against Wichita State, Jon Elmore struggled mightily. Elmore scored 15 points on 4/12 shooting. The West Virginia defense pestered him throughout, forcing eight turnovers.
Ajdin Penava ended his season on an impressive note. The Marshall sophomore out of Bosnia scored scored 18 points and added six rebounds and six assists. The season was an impressive one for Penava, who said after the game that one of the goals of his upcoming offseason was to get in the weight room and improve his strength.
"Great year, great year," said Marshall coach Dan D'Antoni as he exited the media room. For Marshall, it was. First NCAA Tournament appearance in 31 years. First NCAA Tournament win in program history.
As for West Virginia, they move on in what has been a crazy tournament thus far. The Sweet Sixteen and a date wth top-seeded Villanova on March 23 awaits.
