Pirates Pummeled
February 17, 2008 04:42 PM | General
February 17, 2008
BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff scored 15 points each to lead West Virginia to an 89-68 victory over Seton Hall Sunday afternoon at the WVU Coliseum.
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| Joe Mazzulla makes a baseline pass to a teammate during West Virginia's 89-68 victory over Seton Hall on Sunday.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins was able to clear his bench midway through the second half with 13 players getting into the game and 12 scoring.
“I thought it was a great team effort,” Huggins said. “I thought everybody we put in the game did a good job for us.”
West Virginia shot 53.7 percent for the game (36 of 67) and made 11 of 24 from 3-point range. Six different players made 3-point baskets including guard Jarrett Brown, who came off the bench to make a pair and scored 6 second-half points.
“We just struggled shooting the ball for it seemed like forever but it was at least three weeks,” said Huggins. “We have consistently guarded people and we have consistently rebounded the basketball. Those have given us an opportunity to stay in games. Now if we can start making some shots and going to the free throw line and make some free throws we’re going to have a chance against anybody.”
Seton Hall (15-11, 5-8) was never really in the game - the Mountaineers building their first-half lead to 18 points and leading by 15 at halftime. In the second half the Mountaineer lead swelled to as many as 30 before Huggins cleared his bench.
The undermanned Pirates shot 42.1 percent overall and made 8 of 20 from 3 for 40 percent. Jeremy Hazell had 20 of Seton Hall’s 30 first-half points and finished with a game-high 30. Brian Laing contributed 21. The rest of the team managed just 17 points.
“That’s a hard group to guard because they spread you out, everybody can put it on the floor and they have so many guys that can make 3s,” Huggins said. “At times they had five guards out there and I thought our man-to-man defense was pretty good.”
West Virginia had its best rebounding performance of the season with a 47-26 advantage on the glass. Alexander pulled down nine rebounds while Butler and Smith added eight boards each. Smith also blocked a career-high six shots and shows 36 blocks for the season.
“Wells is getting better and better and better,” Huggins said. “He’s becoming more assertive and more aggressive. We’re going to need everybody coming down the stretch.”
The Mountaineers were credited with 10 blocks for the game.
“We spend so much time and work so hard at getting to the ball,” Huggins said. ‘If you don’t get to the ball you’re not going to be able to make plays. As Joe and Wellington have gotten better and better at getting to the ball naturally they are going to make plays because of their athleticism.”
West Virginia had a 34-18 edge in points in the paint and outscored the Pirates 20-5 in second-chance points.
“We passed the ball and that’s been a point of emphasis since the Pitt game was to make sure we passed the ball and shared the ball,” Huggins. “At times we may be passing it too much. We’re giving up good shots to maybe not getting quite as good of shots. But it’s encouraging the way we are sharing the ball.”
Seton Hall has now lost five straight and four of the Pirates’ five consecutive losses have come by double digits.
Joe Alexander scored 13 points and Darris Nichols added 11 points and five assists for the Mountaineers, now 18-7, 7-5. The victory moves West Virginia into a three-way tie with Pitt and Cincinnati for sixth place in the Big East standings.
The Mountaineers play at 15-9 Villanova on Wednesday night. The game will be televised on ESPN Plus.
Briefly:
“Teddy came in and really sparked us,” Huggins said.
