West Virginia lost the Backyard Brawl to Pitt for the first time since 2012 on Wednesday.
Three-Point Misses
The Mountaineers shot 15 percent from beyond the arc, going 3 for 20 on the evening. While one could argue sometimes the ball just doesn’t go in (which is fair), West Virginia’s struggles from deep are becoming a trend. In WVU’s last three games, they have made a total of 10 three-pointers and are shooting 21.7 percent from deep during that span.
If you look where that would rank in college basketball, the mark of 21.7 percent would be dead last (351st). Currently, the Mountaineers are 319th in the country in three-point shooting percentage.
Guards Struggling Big Time
The two guards of Kobe Johnson and Seth Wilson needed to take a step forward in year three if the Mountaineers were going to want to win games. Over WVU’s past five games, which the Mountaineers are 1-4 in, they have both struggled.
Over the past five games, Johnson is -31 while on the court, while Wilson is -42. In addition, according to KenPom, both players have had high usage rates with Johnson being on the floor 89 percent of the time, and Wilson being on the floor 62 percent of the time.
While the depth issue isn’t going away, West Virginia is desperate for either one of them to step up. For Wilson, it’s shooting struggles, while for Johnson his offensive shortcomings seem to stem from him having to guard so frequently on defense.
Three-Point Defense Continues to Lack
West Virginia’s defense has also been lacking from the perimeter, nothing more evident than Pitt’s shooting performance on Wednesday.
While the Panthers’ identity is to shoot the long ball, this is also becoming a recent trend. Pitt made 16 three-pointers, Opponents are shooting 34 percent from three against the Mountaineers this season, which ranks 232nd in the country.
What’s Next?
The road ahead does not get much easier for West Virginia. The Mountaineers welcome in Drexel who already beat Villanova earlier this season. WVU then has four more non-conference games, ending with a neutral site game against Ohio State. The Buckeyes are 25th in the NET Rankings, and are 8-1 on the season. They have a win over Alabama, and their only loss is to Texas A&M by seven.
