WVU Basketball: A Puzzle That is Almost Complete

The West Virginia Men’s basketball team is off to a 13-2 start this season, but still don’t look like a top-25 team to a lot of people. However, I think they’re very close to being one of the top teams in the country.

I’ll start off with the obvious aspect to the Mountaineers success this season, Taz Sherman. He’s been lighting up every opposing team they’ve faced so far, and head coach Bob Huggins says he’s the best scorer WVU has had since Da’Sean Butler. Sherman is averaging 20 points per game. He’s scored a career-high 28 points, including three 27-point performances.

“He’s versatile. He can make it off the bounce. He can make it off the catch,” Huggins said. “He gets himself straightened up in the air when he curls and fades. He does a good job getting his feet down.”

Sherman is arguably the best scorer in the nation off the bounce. But one of the greatest improvements of his game has been his ability to score at all three phases on the court.

It’s a no-brainer that Sherman has been the leader for the Mountaineers and helped them out to their 13-2 record. Now, we’re starting to see just how scary this team will be when other players begin to gel within Sherman and McNeil’s play.

McNeil has been the perfect complement to Sherman, and the worst nightmare for opposing teams when Sherman needed help. McNeil, who’s averaging 14.6 ppg, with his performance came recently against Kansas State.

He scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half alone to help mount a 17-point comeback against the Wildcats. Alongside that outing, McNeil has had a 23 and 19-point outing. A mighty duo to say the least. The two guards have been a scary one, two punch as they’re averaging 35 ppg combined for West Virginia.

Of course, we knew what those two guys were capable of. What we didn’t know was how well the rest of the team would fill in after the loss of McBride and Culver.

Granted, Gabe Osabuohien has been exactly what WVU had hoped for and more. Defensive intensity, brilliant playmaking and his offense has become a huge step forward to help this team. Without Osabuohien, the defense may not be nearly as effective. There are plays that he makes outside of scoring that are just as important as putting the ball through the hoop. As it has been said, he encompasses what it means to be a Mountaineer.

Jalen Bridges has been trying to find his rhythm on offense so far, but has been making plenty of plays. An athletic, young player who is hard to stop once he gets going. That was proven in the Mountaineers most recent victory over the Cowboys that had Bridges collecting 22 points, including 10 of 10 from the stripe.

Those four players understand their strengths and have been putting them on display very well. The next phase for this team to become elite? The puzzle pieces must begin to fall in line.

This Bob Huggins squad is really good if they can just get everyone on the same page. I don’t mean that anyone is playing bad. It's all about chemistry and learning each other’s game. Again, let’s point to the Oklahoma State contest:

With Sherman and McNeil playing so well, it’s opening the door of opportunity for their teammates to make plays. They’re taking advantage of these situations and making this team even tougher to prepare for. Especially, when you have someone like Osabuohien putting together a 12-point and 8 rebound game.

Once you have the entire lineup producing alongside of Sherman, McNeil, and Bridges it’s about impossible for this team not to compete with the top teams in the country.

This brings me into the last piece of Huggins group. Who else will step up to complete this puzzle? When you have such talented guys such as Cottrell, Paulicap, Carrigan, (Kedrian) Johnson, (Kobe) Johnson and Malik Curry it’s only a matter of time before it all comes together.

(Kedrian) Johnson has been a reliable ball handler and clutch free throw shooter. A player who was accustomed to scoring in the NJCAA, averaging 25.5 ppg. Of course, he’s playing in the best D1 conference in the country now. However, he’s no stranger to scoring the basketball.

Unfortunately, the Mountaineers big man, Cottrell, lost out on valuable experience a year ago due to injury. The 6’10” freshman has the ability and athleticism to score from anywhere. It’s the first Mountaineer center in years that has the capability to score at all three levels.

If Huggins can get these guys to start playing at the level a lot of people know they can compete at, you’re looking at a team that could beat anyone in the country.

A puzzle, where if the matching pieces come together, could possibly produce another deep run in March for the Mountaineers.