Column: Loose atmosphere a benefit to WVU

The entire starting lineup for the two-seed West Virginia men’s basketball team sat down in front of microphones looking out on a slew of media from across the country.

 

The lights shined down from above and at them from cameras.

 

While the situation normally is awkward, the Mountaineers did their best to take all the tension out of the room.

 

Butler had a smile from ear to ear. So did Bryant. Smith and Jones started laughing as soon as they sat down.

 

The first question of the press conference circled around the Big East Conference.

 

“Devin and actually anybody else that wants to address it, the Big East came in with eight teams. You guys are down to four. A lot of people back in Big 12 country think they’ve got the best league. Can you make a case for your league being the best in the country?”

 

It was a question the players probably didn’t think they would have to answer again considering each of them had to answer it at least twice in the locker room after the Mountaineers’ 77-50 defeat of Morgan State Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. I’m sure that started the giggles.

 

The quick-speaking, mumbling, short-answered Ebanks didn’t give the quote the reporter wanted. “I think we’re still the best league in the country,” Ebanks said. So, that reporter went to WVU’s senior leader.

 

“How about you Da’Sean? What’s your take?” the reporter asked.

 

“How many of the Big 12 got in?” Butler jabbed.

 

“Seven,” the reporter answered.

 

“One short,” Butler said.

 

Jones started busting out in laughter at that response.

 

Later on in the press conference, when Bryant answered five of six questions, the team started joking with each other about his ball-hogging attack of the microphone.

 

Finally, after everyone was asked a question except for Smith, the senior forward grabbed the mic and said “Didn’t know if my mic was on not,” which led to even more laughter from the room.

 

In short, when the West Virginia Mountaineers walk into a room, it lights up.

 

For people who have been around the team all year, it’s been like that since the exhibition victory over Mountain State.

 

They crack jokes. They tweet. They check out the opposing cheerleaders. They have fun. They enjoy the ride.

 

For a team that has dealt with so much adversity late in the game, it seems like a team can’t be tight to be successful.

 

That’s probably the reason why WVU head coach Bob Huggins allows his team to get away with being so loose.

 

When the team gets down like it did by 10 points against Morgan State early in the game, the Mountaineers don’t panic. It’s happened before and it will happen again, Butler said.

 

The team has learned to turn it up when it needs to and pull out a win.  

 

Late in games – which seems like any game outside of playing Morgan State these days – West Virginia doesn’t struggle or choke.

 

Instead, they joke.

 

Down the stretch, Jones said the team huddles up and someone cracks a joke or lightens the mood.

 

And it seems to work, as the Mountaineers are the most clutch team in the nation.

 

At this time of the season, being clutch and not cracking under pressure is a key factor in a national championship team. Being loose allows the Mountaineers to do that.

 

When the game tips off, the Mountaineers turn it on.

 

“I want them to have fun and enjoy the experience,” Huggins said. “They will be very quick to tell you, when it’s time to do business, then we do business.”

 

It will be business as usual Sunday against Missouri.

 

For West Virginia, the fact that they play so loose will help them turn it up in March.

 

anthony.dobies@mail.wvu.edu