What Josh Eilert Said Following the Win Over No. 3 Kansas

West Virginia University head coach Josh Eilert Kansas postgame quick hits

The West Virginia Mountaineers (7-11, 2-3) knocked off the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks (15-3, 3-2) Saturday evening 91-85.

Team + Individual Stats vs. No. 3 Kansas

Opening Statement 

Great day to be a Mountaineer. That one That one felt good. That's what our guys needed for confidence to just start snowballing in the right direction. It's one thing to get a top 25 win in Texas, it's another thing to beat a Hall of Fame coach, top five program, at home. So, hopefully that goes a long way on our confidence in terms of moving forward and continuing to grind through the Big 12 because it really is a grind.

I told those guys before the game we had a great game plan. I thought we had a great game plan against Oklahoma, but I told them, you might as well you know, tear it up and start it on fire if you don't out rebound on it, and figure out a way to be neck and neck with them on the class.’ I said, ‘if we come in here, minus 14 minus 15 on glasses, no chance for winning.’ And they heard it loud and clear and out rebound them by nine. So that was probably a huge difference in the game.

Outrebounding Kansas

I think it was effort in a lot of ways. I mean, sometimes it's a little bit skewed in terms of shooting percentages and who’s getting those rebounds, but they were neck and neck was shooting percentage and we shot 52 They shot 53. So, yeah, I think, we were quicker to the ball in a lot of cases and if you look back to the Oklahoma game, it seemed like they were quicker to everything in that regard as well. So, life on the road in this league can be a bear and I know they had some travel issues or foresaw some travel issues, so they came in a day before and they were here all day yesterday. But some of that comes into play, even sitting around the hotel all day or on a snowy day. So, they probably got the rest but regardless, I felt like we were we were quicker to the ball and everything we did, and in a game of inches, I think that it can be the difference.

West Virginia University men's basketball interim head coach Josh Eilert / Christopher Hall - Sports Illustrated: FanNation - Mountaineers Now

Enjoying the win

I'm going to savor it tonight -I promise you that. Savor it with my family. We've been through a lot - this fan base has been through a lot. And so, it's just incredible that we're six and 11 going into this game and we got 12,000-plus in here supporting us. Yeah, I'm going to savor it but this league, you turnaround and you got to prepare for a good Central Florida team. KU, they went in there and had a 16-point lead and ended up coming out of there with a loss. So I'm going to savor it but tomorrow it's right back to it to figure out a game plan for Central Florida because we turn around and leave on Monday and play on Tuesday down in Orlando. 

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