Mountaineers Now Postgame Show: Highlanders Top Mountaineers
Mountaineers Now Postgame Show: Highlanders Top Mountaineers
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:10 Welcome in everybody, it is the Mountaineers Now post game show.
00:13 I'm Scott Callahan, that is Christopher Hall, West Virginia,
00:17 falling to Radford 66 to 65, look, look here at the numbers.
00:21 Rayquan Battle in his official Mountaineer debut goes for 29 points,
00:26 all scorers, 9 of 22 from the field, 6 rebounds, took him a little bit to get going.
00:31 But once he did, boy, he showed that offensive firepower that the Mountaineers
00:36 so desperately need, Noah Farrakhan in just his second game, 16 points and
00:40 7 rebounds.
00:41 As a team though, West Virginia really struggled to shoot it,
00:45 particularly from three.
00:46 In the first half, they were 0 for 10 from beyond the arc,
00:49 they finished the game 4 of 21.
00:51 In the first game without Jesse Edwards, they were out rebounded 46 to 38.
00:56 And Daquan Smith led it the way for Radford, 18 points in.
01:01 Yeah, by the way, he hit the game winner, Chris.
01:03 This was a tough one, a loss that they could not afford whatsoever,
01:10 because of the record, the resume so far.
01:12 We talked about it following the UMass game,
01:14 they probably needed to go 3-0 in this stretch, and at worst 2-1.
01:19 And with Ohio State still being one of the next two games,
01:22 it's not looking too good right now.
01:23 [MUSIC]
01:26 >> Yeah, I don't know what sins West Virginia committed in a past life, but
01:30 this is brutal.
01:31 >> [LAUGH] >> You still catch a break no matter what.
01:33 Jesse's out.
01:35 >> You lose on just, the kid just threw it up.
01:39 >> Did he potentially carry travel?
01:44 >> No, I don't know.
01:45 >> If you lose control, it's not a travel.
01:48 >> So he didn't travel.
01:49 >> Okay, you may have had a much better angle than I had, but-
01:52 >> Yeah, once you lose control of the ball,
01:54 you can't bobble it all the way down the floor.
01:56 But if you lose it hits the floor, he couldn't have dribbled it again.
02:00 But it's what it is, I mean, they have to figure out how to rebound without Jesse.
02:06 They weren't stellar at rebounding when he was in the lineup.
02:08 >> Yeah, that's true.
02:09 >> So Eilert talked about it, it's about want to.
02:12 I mean, we heard Huggins talk about it,
02:14 you'll hear coaches across the country talk about it.
02:16 Just want to, get it.
02:18 Now, if Farrakhan had seven rebounds, he's a little sky on the floor.
02:20 He obviously wanted to win the game.
02:22 So they gotta figure it out.
02:24 Gotta get better, gotta get more out of your front court,
02:27 gotta get more out of Quentin, he's been off the last two games.
02:30 So you gotta do something when it comes to rebounding, and
02:33 that's really the biggest issue.
02:34 They still have lapses on defense.
02:36 The plus side is they're able to play up tempo with the guards.
02:41 Saw a lot of positivity out of the guards tonight.
02:43 But again, it's gotta find a way to rebound.
02:46 It's gonna have to be a battle.
02:48 All five guys in there putting a body on somebody,
02:51 probably gonna have to leak somebody out, and that's more likely Kerr.
02:54 But at the same time, he may not be at the top of the key.
02:58 So you just gotta have a little bit of awareness of what's going on around you,
03:05 and put a body on somebody, and go get the ball,
03:07 especially on those long shots.
03:09 So obviously, it'll come off the rim, probably gonna go to the opposite side.
03:13 >> Well, gotta figure that one out.
03:15 If you don't rebound, you're gonna find a lot of large,
03:18 lopsided losses come big 12 play.
03:21 >> Quinn Slizinski, as you mentioned, struggled.
03:25 Kirk Crease has struggled in this one.
03:27 At the half, they combined for two points.
03:29 At the end of the game, they only combined for seven.
03:32 And if that's the case,
03:33 it's probably unlikely that West Virginia is gonna win a game.
03:37 So what has to happen if those guys can't get going?
03:44 I mean, I know Ray Kwan did what he did, but it feels like you're gonna have
03:49 to get somebody like a Seth Wilson or Josiah Harris or somebody going.
03:55 But does this maybe put more pressure on the defensive end,
03:59 where they've kind of been inconsistent?
04:01 >> Well, if there wasn't pressure on the defensive end, by now there's a problem.
04:05 Defense has been horrendous at times through ten games.
04:11 So yeah, if they can't score, they're gonna have to make stops.
04:15 And there's Nichols has done a great job at Radford, but
04:18 at the same time, that's- >> That's right.
04:20 >> Big 12 competition.
04:22 So Radford potentially could be a tournament team, and that's great, but
04:26 you don't lose to them at home.
04:27 So they gotta clean up a lot of things.
04:30 And yes, they're still gelling offensively, and
04:32 that could be some of the issues tonight with Quinn.
04:34 Where Quinn really was the guy that when they needed to create a shot,
04:39 Quinn was the guy.
04:41 He can't disappear, that's not necessarily on him, but
04:44 you gotta work the ball around him.
04:46 Maybe get him the ball at the foul line and let him distribute.
04:50 Let him kind of look around.
04:52 I mean, he's tall enough, big enough, he's a good enough passer.
04:54 And if he's open, he can either shoot it, drive it, pass it.
04:57 That's a good spot for him to get the ball.
04:58 So they gotta figure it out offensively.
05:01 And really, a good offense sometimes best defense.
05:04 They had a lot on him.
05:05 You can put the pressure on them to have to score.
05:07 And that can help you defensively, cuz then they'll be the one forcing up the shot.
05:11 So yeah, it's just gonna have to work on both ends.
05:14 And now it's been really one thing after another.
05:18 Kerr was suspended, Rayquan was fighting eligibility.
05:21 Now they're back on the floor.
05:23 This is what, Kerr's third game or second game?
05:25 >> Second game.
05:26 >> Second game back.
05:27 So I tell you his second game back, Rayquan's first game.
05:30 That was second game.
05:31 That's where a lot of your minutes are coming from.
05:33 So it's unfortunate because they're racking up losses as they go along.
05:37 But they got it.
05:38 You're two games away from Big 12 play.
05:41 You're a couple weeks away from Big 12 play.
05:43 We know you start with Houston.
05:45 This is not gonna get any easier.
05:47 So they have to really come together.
05:49 And I'm sure morale is really down right now.
05:53 You lose a game like this on the final seconds.
05:55 I think what they're up four or five, a couple minutes left to play.
05:58 And you lose it.
06:00 No battle as good as game we had tonight.
06:02 Missed that front end in one on one and
06:04 left the door wide open for them to just hit a little jumper for the win.
06:07 And that's obviously not what you want at the end.
06:09 So yeah, there's a lot of work to be done.
06:12 You can hear and feel the frustration with the coaches and the players right now.
06:17 And you hope they just get mad enough.
06:18 They work really hard the next couple days in practice and
06:21 figure out the rebounding and grab another one on Saturday.
06:24 >> The cook, a cook, four points and seven rebounds.
06:27 And as he fills in for Jesse Edwards in the starting lineup again,
06:31 this team's gonna look much different over the next month or so.
06:33 If Edwards had the fractured wrist, he's gonna undergo surgery and
06:38 it's about- >> Yeah, surgery today.
06:40 Yeah, surgery today.
06:41 >> So yeah.
06:42 >> And everything went well.
06:43 Everything went well.
06:45 So that timeline could be pushed back, apparently rehab.
06:49 So it is just we'll wait and see.
06:51 And then when Jesse comes back, he has to get back in game shape.
06:54 And that may take a couple games and get back in the flow with Jesse.
06:57 So it's just really it's one thing after another.
07:01 >> And since you were just in the press conference with Josh Eilert,
07:04 did he mention anything about Kobe Johnson?
07:06 Because he didn't get into the game.
07:08 >> Coach's decision.
07:09 >> Coach's decision, interesting.
07:10 >> Coach's decision, yep, yep.
07:12 Coach's decision.
07:13 >> Interesting.
07:14 >> That's how he left it.
07:16 [LAUGH] >> Again,
07:19 I don't know what sins were committed around here to have this run of luck
07:23 as of late, but you can get through history where it's just like, well,
07:27 Major got hurt in 88, Pat White gets hurt in the horrendous pick game.
07:33 It's just go throughout history, there's just no luck here.
07:36 It's all bad.
07:37 So somebody's gotta earn some change, do something.
07:40 >> As I say.
07:41 >> Just lift this curse away.
07:44 >> As I always say, the law of averages,
07:46 it has to come back your way at some point, right?
07:49 You would think, but- >> You would think.
07:51 >> The good thing is, you do have Country Roads Trust,
07:55 they're working hard for football.
07:57 That's in the positive direction.
07:58 >> You just got that half a million dollar donation.
08:00 >> This wasn't a season where they built this team.
08:04 This team was pretty much built in August.
08:06 So that's- >> Band-aid, yeah.
08:08 >> I know it's frustrating, but it's just, things will happen.
08:14 You don't wanna give up on this team by no means.
08:16 But at the same time, really that mad, just kinda look ahead.
08:21 There's plenty of things to be happy about with the program.
08:24 They got plenty of facilities, great venue.
08:27 It's definitely a place where coaches wanna come coach.
08:30 That's not saying I'll be here next year, because really, how do you judge Iler?
08:34 But he wasn't looking to be a head coach prior to the Huggins incident.
08:39 So he wanted it when he got it.
08:41 He's doing the best he can with the tools available.
08:45 And it's kind of to see where that decision goes, but you gotta also trust that.
08:48 There's gonna be plenty of resources for
08:50 them to get right back on track next season.
08:52 And it sounds crazy right now, but you get Edwards back,
08:57 I think right now you just try to gel together when you get Edwards back.
09:01 And this team, you can see they're talented enough to make a run if they want to.
09:05 All of a sudden, it would be a wild story for
09:09 the first conference championship to be this team at the end of the year.
09:13 To get on the run and make the NCAA tournament.
09:16 But hey, wilder things have happened.
09:18 >> Yes. >> In college basketball.
09:19 So you never wanna give up on a team.
09:22 Definitely don't wanna give up on these guys, cuz they're talented.
09:23 They can definitely go rip off a bunch of wins here during the conference play.
09:28 But right now, you're just looking at,
09:31 guys, seventh loss of the season, it's not gonna get any better.
09:35 And you weren't really looking at a winning record going into the Big 12 play.
09:38 You're really gonna have to do a 180 when it comes to rebounding.
09:41 And if they can get the rebounding figured out, they'll have better chances.
09:45 But I haven't done a real deep dive on the rest of the Big 12.
09:49 I know there's a lot of top heavy teams when you look at Kansas and Houston.
09:52 But the rest of those games are gonna be a grind.
09:55 We know it's a grind.
09:57 Been a grind for over a decade now at this point.
09:59 So just gotta figure that rebounding out, free throws at the end of the games.
10:05 We kinda credit that to tired legs, tired early in the season.
10:09 Can't really credit that right now.
10:10 You're gonna have to kinda gut these close games out here.
10:14 >> Indeed, lastly, before we wrap up here,
10:17 cuz we're not gonna have a post game show on Saturday,
10:20 unless Chris wants to do a little selfie and go live on Twitter.
10:24 Because I won't be around, I got Christmas duties with the family.
10:27 So- >> You've already bailed on the team.
10:30 >> Yeah, I have.
10:31 >> [LAUGH] >> Look, I've made it through 11 games.
10:35 I've dealt with enough losses in other areas in the other two teams I covered.
10:39 But anyway, I do wanna get your thoughts though on Noah.
10:44 >> Panther's won, what are you crying about?
10:46 Panther's won.
10:47 >> Hey, it's- >> Could be a Patriots fan.
10:53 >> A blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.
10:56 But I do wanna get your- >> That blind squirrel needs to hop his
10:59 way to frickin Boston right now.
11:01 >> [LAUGH] I do wanna get your thoughts on Noah Farrakhan and Rayquan.
11:06 Obviously, Noah two games in has looked really explosive offensively.
11:10 Looks like he's gonna be someone that can really help this team out,
11:12 not only this year, but next year as well.
11:14 And then Rayquan showing some rust early, but figured some things out.
11:19 Looked like he was pressing, don't you think,
11:20 there at the first ten or so minutes of the game?
11:23 >> Yeah, there's probably about a handful of shots I'm sure he'd want back where he
11:26 forced.
11:27 But yeah, he has a lot of length, he's lengthier than I thought he would.
11:32 He's a lot of arms and legs, and makes it tough on the defense.
11:36 He's, I don't wanna say confused, but he's a step behind in the two,
11:40 three zone.
11:41 And Noah plays really hard, and that's exactly what you want.
11:45 If you're a West Virginia fan, guys that play hard.
11:48 That's a kid that no matter what happens this next season,
11:51 hopefully he sticks around because he's kind of a guy, I don't wanna say a glue guy,
11:55 but he's a leader type guy just with his play on the floor.
11:59 So I thought battle was, score 29 points, I think that was a bit unexpected.
12:04 But I think he forced some things.
12:06 You'd like to see him score more within the offense,
12:09 not just kind of take it on himself.
12:11 Like if there's five seconds left, do your thing, but
12:13 they need to find a little bit more rhythm offensively.
12:15 And that's probably more that he's excited to be back, pressing too much,
12:20 kind of list a variety of things with him right now.
12:24 But 29 points can't really hang your head about it, and that free throw,
12:28 he says his mom's gonna be mad at him for missing that free throw.
12:31 So I'm sure he's gonna have an earful here shortly.
12:34 >> [LAUGH] I remember those days, I missed many free throw myself.
12:39 But I will say too, to go back really quick on that point that you made about
12:44 the facilities that this team has and the passionate fan base.
12:48 This is not gonna be the new norm.
12:49 Don't be freaked out by it just because of how bad things may look.
12:53 You may think, they're gonna lose guys at the portal.
12:55 Look, you can repair that quickly.
12:58 And- >> It's not like football,
13:00 you can build a team within a year or two.
13:01 So it's not, basketball's a little different.
13:05 >> You have everything you need.
13:06 >> You want continuity, but you can get enough talent in that first year to be
13:10 fine.
13:11 >> You have everything you need to be successful there at West Virginians.
13:14 And I think we've seen that with the facilities.
13:19 So we'll see.
13:20 But West Virginia again falls to wrap up 66 to 65.
13:24 They're now four and seven on the season.
13:26 Two non-conference games left on the docket before we turn over to the new year
13:31 and into Big 12 Conference play.
13:33 They take on the Toledo Rockets on Saturday at one o'clock.
13:36 That one will stream on Big 12 now on ESPN+.
13:39 And then they'll wrap up non-con play against Ohio State a week from then.
13:44 So for Christopher Hall, I'm Scott McCallum.
13:46 You've been watching the Mountain Ears Now post game show presented by
13:48 Country Roads Air Duct Cleaning.
13:50 Take me home to comfort.
13:52 Make sure you hit that subscribe button on YouTube at Mountain Ears Now and
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13:57 Thank you for watching everybody and take care.
13:58 [MUSIC]