SB Nation Pittsburgh - Miami Vs. West Virginia: Strong Second Half Pushes 'Eers To 77-66 Victoryhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2011-12-10T21:46:02-05:00http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/rss/stream/23912142011-12-10T21:46:02-05:002011-12-10T21:46:02-05:00Miami Vs. West Virginia: 'Eers Whip 'Canes After Strong Second Half, 77-66
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vu2A6neKAixIn6CkeqyUcmXnPkE=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828131/large_pittsburgh.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Another hard fought win for the Mountaineers, this time against the ACC's <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/miami-hurricanes">Miami Hurricanes</a>, 77-66 in Morgantown. Here's what's notable from tonight's win:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>The Truck lighting it up! </b> Truck Bryant went for a career high 27 points tonight, and played far and away his best basketball of the season. He has seemed to shake his previous shooting slump, and got his 27 on 9-12 shooting from the floor, and 5-7 from three. His long shots were falling, but he was equally effective getting into traffic and putting it off the glass. He was also a perfect four for four from the free throw line. He filled the void left by a double teamed Kevin Jones, something he will have to continue to do as more teams key on KJ.</span></li>
<li>
<b style="font-size: 12px;">The Turk doing work! </b><span style="font-size: 12px;"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101439/deniz-kilicli">Deniz Kilicli</a> also had one of the best performances of his career, dropping in 18 points and hauling in 8 boards. The big man looked dominant offensively laying the ball in through a variety of well orchestrated post moves. When his inside game is rolling he's hard to stop. Kilicli also dished out five assists, a pleasant surprise which showed how much he's developed his court awareness. His little no look bounce pass to a cutting Truck Bryant was the play of the game in the second half and will fill WVU highlight reels for years to come.</span>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>A team succeeding with out Kevin Jones.</b> Jones has been a beast so far this season, and Miami's entire game plan seemed to be to take him out of the game offensively. The 'Canes succeeded, but luckily for WVU fans the rest of the Mountaineers stepped up to fill the void. WVU has been a one man team so far this year, so it's good to see them control the game without Jones. That said, the Miami frontline can't hold a candle to talent the 'Eers will see in Big East play, so lets hope more teams don't make KJ disappear.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>The Brown(e)s.</b> Freshmen <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146469/gary-browne">Gary Browne</a> and Aaron Brown both played big minutes tonight off the bench and contributed 9 and 7 points respectively. Right now any freshmen points are a boon to the Mountaineers and these two contributed a big way to the Mountaineers' second half push. West Virginia started the second half down 35-37 but went on a 23-5 run to push the score to 60-40. Huggins let the hot hands ride out the run and both freshmen played long minutes alongside the WVU upperclassmen. Aaron Brown hit a couple of big shots and Gary Browne helped keep the Mountaineer offense humming during the stretch and Huggins may have found his best lineup.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>The Mountaineers now have a week off for finals week and resume play next Saturday against Texas AM Corpus Christie.</div>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2011/12/10/2627175/miami-vs-west-virginia-eers-whip-canes-after-strong-second-half-77-66Aaron Hawley2011-12-10T14:43:02-05:002011-12-10T14:43:02-05:00Miami Vs. West Virginia: Mountaineers Look To Pick Up A Quality Win At Home
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vu2A6neKAixIn6CkeqyUcmXnPkE=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828131/large_pittsburgh.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>West Virginia looks to make it two in a row at home against Miami.</p> <p>Mountaineer basketball fans haven't had long to catch their breath since Thursday night's thrilling double OT win at Kansas State. Forty eight hours later, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/miami-hurricanes">Miami Hurricanes</a> enter the Coliseum and WVU tries to pick up two quality non-conference wins in a row. Here's what I'm watching:</p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Kevin Jones do work.</b> Simply put, Jones has been awesome this season. His game tying three pointer at the end of regulation was just the cherry on top of a great performance against KSU. It appears Jones is blossoming into the player many hoped he could be. If the Mountaineers need a bucket, it's going to be Jones that gives it to them. His work on the glass has been a thing of beauty, even when he doesn't get the rebound he keeps it alive for teammates. This Mountaineer squad will go exactly as far as Jones will take them this season.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can the guards hang on to the ball? </b> Freshmen point guards <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146467/jabarie-hinds">Jabarie Hinds</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/146469/gary-browne">Gary Browne</a> had serious issues turning the ball over against K State, something that can't continue if the Mountaineers are to be successful. Both try to over do things at times and let the game get away from them. If they can play composed basketball, points will start to come easier for the Mountaineers. Hinds in particular has the ability to get the ball to the basket when he plays under control. He also has the tendency to kick it out of bounds when he doesn't.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Can the Turk hold it together?</b> The Mountaineers need <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101439/deniz-kilicli">Deniz Kilicli</a> to be a player this season, not a project. So far, he's been a little of both. He spent the entire first half against Kansas State in foul trouble, but came out with guns blazing in the second half scoring ten quick points. He followed up that dominance with a stretch where he turned the ball over three times and nearly cost the Mountaineers the ballgame. His offensive abilities are blatantly obvious to any who care to look, but the rest of his game has serious issues. The Turk needs to hold things together and play consistently, or Huggins will be forced to shuffle freshmen in and out of his spot. That can only lead to disaster.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>Check back to SBNation after the game for more on the Mountaineers and the Hurricanes.</div>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/west-virginia-mountaineers/2011/12/10/2626299/miami-vs-west-virginia-mountaineers-look-to-pick-up-a-quality-win-atAaron Hawley