What Darian DeVries Said Following the Win Over Bethune-Cookman

West Virginia University head coach Darian DeVries gives his initials on the Mountaineers fourth consecutive win

West Virginia University head coach Darian DeVries / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The West Virginia Mountaineers (8-2) moved past the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (2-8) Saturday evening 84-61.

Head coach Darian DeVries met with the media following the game to give his assessment of the Mountaineers win against the Wildcats.

Team's overall performance

I thought the flow got really ugly at times tonight. Some of that was foul trouble again – just getting guys in different spots but we got off to a great start, building a 20-point lead, so I was really happy about that and then that point on until about the last five of the game we really just got stagnant. There was a lot of free throws and things but that’s on us. We lacked a little bit of discipline defensively, where we’d been pretty good. I thought tonight, we got a little stretched out maybe a little too aggressive. Part of the game plan was trying to limit some guys and we weren’t quite as connected defensively which kind of put on islands a little bit more which led to some of those fouls.

Transition offense

Flowing from transition to the next action is kind of where we got stuck tonight. I thought when we did make a little push there late in the second half to get that lead built up we started getting in more side to side, we got multiple ball screens on the possession instead of just one and trying to get the early quick one where its like its not going to be there, we got to get them shifted and moving a little bit more. I thought (sophomore forward) Amani (Hansberry) and (senior guard Javon Small) ‘Von’ did a really good job of that as that second half wore on.

Freshman guard Jonathan Powell's first career start (14 points, 5 rebounds)

I thought he did great. He continues to get better every day. What I love about JP is he gives us great effort all the time. He’s always sprinting the floor. He’s always going and doing his job as we say, whether it be trying to go get an offensive rebound, talking, those type of things, and he’s going to continue to get better and better. He’s still figuring things out as a young player. I love the confidence that he plays with and the energy he plays with.