West Virginia Vs. Connecticut: Mountaineers Hit The Road Against Huskies

The Mountaineers picked up a great win on Saturday afternoon, besting the top-10 ranked Georgetown Hoyas. There's no rest for the weary in the Big East and, a mere forty eight hours later, the Mountaineers are gearing up to face the No. 8-ranked Connecticut Huskies. Here's what's worth watching:

• Can WVU handle the size difference? The Mountaineers have had a one-man frontline for much of the season, with senior forward Kevin Jones leading the league in points and rebounds. After Jones, there's the streaky Deniz Kilicli and the sound of tumbleweeds. The 'Eers have tried to get decent minutes out of redshirt freshman Kevin Noreen and juco transfer Dominique Rutledge, but those minutes have been few and far between. These over matched Mountaineers will have their hands full dealing UConn, which features three players 6-foot-10 or larger and one bulldog in 6-foot-9 Alex Oriakhi. The Huskies will try to out-physical the Mountaineers, which shouldn't be hard.
• Is Truck finding his rhythm? Don't look now, but senior point guard Truck Bryant has played well in three of the last four contests. While that may mean that he's ripe for another outing where he chucks everything at the rim to no avail, it could mean he's finding his rhythm with how he needs to contribute this season. The Mountaineers will need to hit their outside shots to unclog the lane, and that task falls principally to Bryant and freshman wing-man Aaron Brown. Bryant will have to get hot early for the 'Eers to stand a chance.
• The Big East numbers game. To get to the tournament, the Mountaineers will realistically need 10 conference wins to get there, and finish with a winning record in conference. By picking up a win on Saturday, the 'Eers can lose tonight and still be a respectable 3-2 in the league. With games against Rutgers Cincinnati and St. John's on the horizon before a trip up to the Carrier Dome, the schedule is playing out nicely for the Mountaineers. They should be relaxed tonight and, if they can steal one from the Huskies, it could pay dividends later in the season.