WVU's Kylee Blacksten passes on an inbounds play.
MORGANTOWN — It's been an ideal experience for the upstart West Virginia women basketball staff, taking them from nowhere to the High 25 within the nation so far.
As in so many sports activities tales, from the Hoosiers to The Pure, they captured the creativeness of followers and introduced desires of greatness with a 21-Three begin below a brand new and unknown coach, Mark Kellogg, who blended quite a lot of scraps and transfers, he launched a brand new, thrilling press protection and we've seen him develop right into a Large 12 Convention contender.
However now, identical to within the motion pictures, they've stepped right into a climactic second, one that can announce their arrival on the nationwide stage and scream to the world that they are surely, because the No. 24 Mountaineers play their most necessary sport but. their season at 1 p.m. Saturday within the Coliseum in opposition to the no. 23 Oklahoma.
It's a matchup between the No. 12 Sooners and the No. 2 Mountaineers in a sport that's shaping as much as be an necessary matchup between groups that play fast-paced basketball.
The Mountaineers use a stress protection that forces opponents to make errors by having to play too quick, and the Sooners are a staff that likes to play the sport quick on offense.
How does Kellogg describe Oklahoma's offense, which has received eight straight after a shaky begin to the season that left them with six early losses?
“They sort of put you in a blender, and if you happen to're not cautious, you begin watching as a result of they undergo so effectively.” he stated.
Consider your self for a second as a frozen margarita spinning head over heels in a blender, and you will get a psychological image of what Oklahoma is making an attempt to do with its offense.
“It's a motion-based offense, which is what they historically run. [Coach Jennie Baranczyk] she was nice at Drake, they have been one of the environment friendly offenses within the nation and he or she introduced that to Oklahoma,” Kellogg stated. “They're laborious to protect as a result of they're so versatile. They’ll play inside or they will play exterior. They reduce and their readings are so good.
“They reduce one another off. They know the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates and do an unimaginable job of taking part in to them. They play with such freedom on offense they usually know what pictures they're purported to make, in order that they make good pictures.” He continued.
“They play quick. They're the fastest-paced staff in our league, in order that they'll be going up and down the sector. I wouldn't say they shoot quick, but when the nice pictures come quick they haven’t any drawback taking them. They’ve decisive passes, nice ball motion.”
It will likely be a hand for WVU, however once more, the Mountaineers have reached the purpose the place they may show precisely what they’re.
Two video games in the past, they misplaced to no. 18 Baylor, 65-58, a staff the Sooners beat of their final sport, 84-73. WVU's loss was on the highway and Oklahoma's win was at residence. After this residence sport, they hit the highway to face No. 7 Kansas State after which return to the Coliseum to face Baylor once more.
“It's the glove,” Kellogg stated. “Possibly it's been a glove all yr, however now it's a bit bit more durable. Kansas State simply acquired their huge child again, so we're going to go on the highway and get it, and subsequent Saturday we have now the rematch with Baylor. We'll study a bit extra about our staff, however we wouldn't need it another method. We labored laborious to place ourselves in place for giant video games.
“These are the video games we wish to play they usually get you prepared for the Large 12 event.” Kellogg added. “Baylor felt that method. We talked a bit bit about it, , “Guys, that is what a event sport appears like.” We have been excited, possibly too excited, the way in which we shot the ball. Possibly we have to chill out a bit. However each time we undergo it, we study one thing about our staff and we're going to be a bit bit higher for it.”
West Virginia has confirmed it might care for itself all season, led by All-Large 12 performer JJ Quinerly, who’s a pressure each offensively and defensively.
WVU can't make the error of considering the Sooners dwell and die by their offense.
“They're additionally good defensively as a result of they change so effectively and create some issues,” Kellogg stated. You should be known as. It's the identical factor I stated at Baylor. When you make errors, these groups are ok to make you pay. They’ve good gamers in each place and a number of firepower.”
The sport is a part of an enormous basketball slate at WVU, with the lads entertaining No. 12 Baylor at 6 p.m.