Rebounding still the key for WVU

BUFFALO, N.Y. – While the bulk of the attention has been drawn to Missouri's "fastest 40 minutes in basketball" label, handling the Tigers' pressure may not be the biggest factor in deciding whether West Virginia advances to the Sweet 16.

 

Instead, the Mountaineers hope to play tomorrow's game at a pace they prefer and focus on their strengths.

 

"We have to try to play a half-court game and slow it down," said WVU point guard Truck Bryant.

 

One of WVU's finest strong points is the way it rebounds and the Mountaineers recognize the importance of wiping the glass against a somewhat smaller Missouri squad.

 

"We've kind of hung our hat on guarding pretty good and rebounding the ball. I don't think that's a secret. I don't think I'm letting anything out of the bag," said WVU head coach Bob Huggins.

 

On paper, the Mountaineers have a major advantage over the Tigers in the rebounding department.

 

Whereas WVU finished the regular season tops in the Big East Conference with a plus-6.8 rebounding margin, Missouri enters the contest averaging 2.9 fewer rebounds than its opponents.

 

Da'Sean Butler is West Virginia's third-best rebounder with 6.3 per game, and that figure that would lead Missouri.

 

Kevin Jones is one of the top offensive rebounders in the country with an average of 3.5.

"We have to find that toughness because they will attack the glass. All (of Huggins') teams have been notorious for that," said Missouri head coach Mike Anderson.

 

West Virginia starts four players in Butler, Jones, Devin Ebanks, and Wellington Smith that are all at least 6-foot-7 with wingspans making them appear much bigger.

 

Missouri, on the other hand, only has Laurence Bowers and Keith Ramsey standing 6-foot-7 or taller in its starting five.

 

"They have a lot of strong guys on their team. Me, Laurence and Steve (Moore) are going to be in for a challenge. We have to box out because they crash the boards like Kansas and Kansas State," Ramsey said.

 

Missouri's rebounding issues weren't helped any when 6-foot-8 forward Justin Safford suffered a torn ACL in late February.

 

In the Tigers' first round 86-78 win over Clemson, Anderson's team was outrebounded 41-30. Missouri overcame its deficiencies on the glass by forcing 20 turnovers and shooting 51.7 percent.

 

Even with a below average rebounding squad, Anderson remains confident that his team can win in any number of ways.

 

"We can play a lot of different ways. The bottom line is you want to find a way to win. And I always say we want to be unpredictable," Anderson said.

 

Without an unpredictable rebounding performance, the Tigers chances of continuing their season decrease in a major way.

 

gregory.carey@mail.wvu.edu