BUFFALO, N.Y. – It’s a style of play so distinguished it has its own nickname – “The fastest 40 minutes in basketball.”
The motto belongs to the Missouri basketball team and its game-long, full-court pressure which has forced a NCAA-leading 19.7 turnovers per game and recorded 11.1 steals per game.
It’s an intensity West Virginia has yet to face this season, but will have to find a way to break if it wants to come away successful from its second round NCAA Tournament game against the Tigers (23-10) Sunday. Tip-off is set for 2:40 p.m. at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y.“Pressure busts pipes,” said Mizzou guard Zaire Taylor. “It's how we play. We’re going to live and die by that. We don’t know any other way to play.”
The style of play originated from Tigers head coach Mike Anderson’s days under former Arkansas head coach Nolan Richardson whose pressure was deemed “40 minutes of Hell”. Anderson brought the philosophy with him after taking the head coaching job at UAB.
The head coach is now in his fourth season with Missouri where he has his team looking for its second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance after finishing in the Elite Eight in 2009.
In the Tigers’ 86-78 win over Clemson in the first round, Missouri picked up 15 steals and outscored Clemson 20-5 off turnovers and 22-2 in fast break points.
"It’s been the secret for us in tournament play,” Anderson said.
Mountaineer head coach Bob Huggins has had success against the style, however.
Huggins has lost just once to an Anderson-coached club in five tries including three while Anderson was at UAB, and twice at Missouri.
The key, Huggins said, lies in the decision making of when to push the ball up court, but feels the progress of point guard Truck Bryant against the press this season will allow WVU to find success in breaking the pressure.
“We’re ready to handle it, I can tell you that,” Huggins said, adding the Mountaineers worked on the press Wednesday along with their preparation for Sunday’s matchup. “I think it helps us, to be honest. It opens the floor and gives us a better chance to score.”
The fact that the pressure doesn't stop plays the biggest factor in the team's success, according to Taylor. While he admits teams may be able to break it down early in the game, the last 10 minutes of the game is when the team usually makes its run due to the Tigers’ opponents being exhausted, both mentally and physically.
“It’s chaos,” said WVU senior Da’Sean Butler. “They do what they have to do defensively and make everybody pick up their pace. For us to be successful, we can’t fall into that.”
Three seniors start for the Tigers although the team is led offensively by three sophomores. Kim English, a 6-foot-6 guard averaged 14.1 points to lead the team while sixth man Marcus Denmon and 6-foot-8 forward Laurence Bowers also average double figures.
Rebounding, however, has been a problem for Missouri throughout the season. The team ranks 266th nationally in rebounding margin and are 9-9 this season when it is outrebounded. In the Tigers’ win over Clemson, they were outrebounded 41-30.
West Virginia, meanwhile, enters sixth in the nation in rebounding and is 23-3 this season when it outrebounds its opponents.
“We’re not an oversized team,” Anderson said. “We certainly are going to have to match their size and their toughness especially at the rim. That’s what they do well. They can shoot it, and they can go get it.”
The two teams have met once before in the NCAA Tournament – an 89-78 Missouri win in the opening round.
“It’s going to be more about being mentally prepared than physically prepared,” said WVU sophomore Kevin Jones. “As long as we don’t make a lot of mental mistakes, I think we’ll be just fine.”
brian.gawthrop@mail.wvu.edu
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