MORGANTOWN – Regardless of struggling by means of the primary half of their closing Large 12 recreation in Norman, Okla., the scrappy West Virginia Mountaineers have been in a good place as they headed to the locker room at halftime. Wednesday night.
They held the Sooners inside Three-point capturing vary for many of the half and went into halftime trailing simply 29-25. If they may discover a spark to ignite them from what was largely a lackluster and uninspired efficiency within the first 20 minutes, perhaps they may pull it off.
However it was Oklahoma that got here out for the second half prefer it had been refreshed on extra-strength Gatorade, and inside two minutes the lead had grown to 9 factors and the Sooners regarded like they could run away with it.
That is when Noah Farrakhan took it upon himself to gentle the fireplace. Underneath the offensive basket, he stole the ball from Oklahoma and went up for a layup. It was the sort of play that may begin to change a recreation, however on the finish of it, he limped a step or two after which went down the sector.
His proper knee was injured and within the minds of the Mountaineers, the ideas modified from a “come again” TO “Come again Noah Farrakhan.”
He went to the bench and the lead grew to 11, then 13, then 14.
By then, Farrakhan’s knee had responded and he was put again collectively, once more with just one thought on his thoughts and that was to gentle the torch of a late comeback.
Down 14, he lifted once more, this time to the heights solely large males often do, slammed the ball dwelling with a kind of dunks that truly brings the opposition off the bench to see it. Within the course of, he was fouled.
Was it the comeback?
He definitely thought so, for he was too exuberant in celebrating the second. As an alternative of talking, he let his mouth do it and was hit with a technical foul.
That gave Oklahoma the 2 factors from the dunk again and it set off in a mini-spurt and it was over.
Farrakhan, nevertheless, had one thing to show. He completed the sport by scoring six of WVU’s closing 9 factors.
If there was a participant of the sport on the dropping aspect, it was him, together with the ever-improving and spectacular Pat Suemnick.
The field rating would present that Farrakhan led WVU with 14 factors in 17 minutes, hitting 6 of 11 photographs with a rebound, an help, a block and a steal, and that Suemnick would contribute 9 factors whereas making the one two photographs on who took them. whereas main WVU with 7 of their 19 rebounds and grabbing the workforce’s solely Three offensive rebounds in 40 minutes of play.
That is just about it for WVU, with Suemnick and Farrakhan changing into probably the most dependable of gamers as RaeQuan Battle, Kerr Kriisa and Quinn Slazinski have up-and-down video games.
They’re those who benefit from the chance in entrance of them, and with Suemnick opening the season with little or no taking part in time till Jesse Edwards went down with a damaged wrist and Farrakhan was redshirted as a result of he was a double switch with out a waiver. you’ll be able to name it a shock.
It was one thing coach Josh Eilert addressed in his press convention heading into the Oklahoma recreation when requested about how the 2 gamers’ confidence must develop every time.
“Noah all the time had nice religion” Eilert stated. “That is most likely the largest hurdle for Pat. With restricted taking part in time, generally you’ll be able to’t roll, get into that groove. We compelled our hand to provide Pat as a lot taking part in time as potential. It was as much as him to do no matter he did together with her.”
And what he is completed over the past 5 video games has proven his versatility and skill to get issues completed even on off-shoot nights. Over the previous 5 video games, Farrakhan is capturing simply 36.2 p.c and 18.9 from Three, however has Three.four rebounds per recreation from his guard spot and 11.6 factors per recreation. Three of these 5 video games he performed in double figures.
“Noah did not have his finest capturing recreation (1-of-Eight towards Texas), however he contributes in quite a lot of methods.” Eilert stated. “He led us in rebounding with seven final evening. I advised the entire workforce that scoring isn’t the one means to assist the workforce. You possibly can assist in so some ways and have an effect on the sport, whether or not you make photographs or not.”
As for Suemnick, he has taken over the workforce with a hard-nosed method to the sport as he tries to fill Edwards, a task that also would not swimsuit him and he is attacked straight.
By means of these 5 video games, he made 75% of his photographs, averaged 10.four factors per recreation and averaged 5.four rebounds per recreation, whereas giving up 17 offensive rebounds, Three.four per recreation to a workforce that merely is not outfitted to seize offensive rebounds.
“He is proven quite a lot of confidence within the final two or three video games and he is actually constructed on that. It began with the Ohio State recreation and it simply saved snowballing for him.” Eilert stated. “We’re entering into the correct route with Noah and Pat.”