West Virginia will look to win their first Big 12 road game in 701 days on Wednesday when they face Texas Tech.
The Mountaineers will look to rebound from a poor second half showing against Texas, one in which they shot 35.7 percent in the second half, while allowing Texas to shoot 53.8 percent over the final 20 minutes.
Bigs Be Big
West Virginia’s front court is going to have to play to their size and to their capability at the Red Raiders. Against Texas, Jimmy Bell, Mohamed Wague, and James Okonkwo, had a combined 10 points and 11 rebounds. In West Virginia’s win over TCU last Wednesday, the duo of just Bell and Wague combined for 20 points and 16 rebounds. Facing a Texas Tech squad that could be without 6-foot-11 Fardaws Aimaq, the Mountaineers must take advantage.
Keep Issacs off the 3-point line
Pop Issacs for Texas Tech is their best three-point shooter, so it makes sense to keep him off the line. However, he shoots a lot, so it is imperative the Mountaineers don’t give him open looks, but make the shots he does take from deep, contested. Issacs has attempted at least nine three-pointers in every Big 12 game this year for Texas Tech. The Mountaineers have to know Issacs will take three’s, but not let them be easy looks.
Can the two-guard score?
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins has been trying to mix both Erik Stevenson and Seth Wilson in at the two-guard position. Stevenson’s struggled have combined with Wilson starting to figure things out in his sophomore season. Against Texas, the two went a combined 3 for 14 from the field, while scoring 10 points. Stevenson and Wilson, no matter who is on the court, must be better if WVU wants to win.
