These guys again: First-place WVU bringing assertive style to Allen Fieldhouse

photo by: Mike Yoder

West Virginia coach Bobby Huggins talks to West Virginia guard Jaysean Paige (5), during a break in action in the Mountaineers 76-63 win over Kansas in Morgantown, W.V. Tuesday.

photo by: Mike Yoder

West Virginia coach Bobby Huggins talks to West Virginia guard Jaysean Paige (5), during a break in action in the Mountaineers 76-63 win over Kansas in Morgantown, W.V. Tuesday.

The Big 12’s first-place team plays Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse. And, no (as you’re surely aware), it’s not Kansas.

The No. 6-ranked Jayhawks are a game back of 10th-ranked West Virginia, coached by the often grouchy and always entertaining Bob Huggins. The Mountaineers (19-4 overall, 8-2 Big 12) already defeated KU in January, when WVU’s guards blew by the Jayhawks on their way to layups and free throws and Kansas had far too many turnovers (22) to win a road game against a top-10 caliber opponent.

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2016/jan/12/familiar-feeling-ku-falls-west-virginia-third-stra/

Even though the Jayhawks (19-4, 7-3) shot 42% from the floor and made 10 of 20 from 3-point range in Morgantown, it was hardly enough to make up for WVU’s 18 points off turnovers. Plus, West Virginia outscored Kansas 16-9 in second-chance points and 32-18 in points in the paint.

The Mountaineers’ unique style — pressure defense, teamed with an offense revolving around determined drives and relentless attacking on the offensive glass — travels pretty well. In Huggins’ eight-plus seasons coaching his alma mater, 94 of his 194 victories have come away from WVU Coliseum.

This season, Huggins and company are 5-2 in true road games. Their losses came at Oklahoma, 70-68, and at Florida in the Big 12/SEC Challenge, 88-71. WVU won at Virginia Tech, Kansas State, TCU, Texas Tech and Iowa State.

Headed into the KU-WVU rematch in Lawrence, here’s a look at some of the Mountaineers’ most impressive statistical credentials:

– WVU forces opponents to turn the ball over on 25.6% of their possessions — No. 1 in the nation

– WVU ranks No. 1 in the country in both steals (10.3) and forced turnovers (18.96) per game

– WVU has had at least 7 steals in 21 of its 23 games, and has forced 14 or more turnovers in all but 2 games

– WVU averages 22.3 points off turnovers and 17.5 second-chance points per game

With all of those things in mind, here are the Mountaineers KU will have to find a way to keep in check in order to pull even with WVU atop the Big 12 standings — for now.

WEST VIRGINIA STARTERS

No. 41 — F Devin Williams | 6-9, 255, jr.

West Virginia’s Devin Williams (41) beats Kansas State’s D.J. Johnson to a rebound during WVU’s 87-83, double-overtime victory over the Wildcats on Jan. 2 in Manhattan. The No. 17 (but likely to rise) Mountaineers will host top-ranked Kansas on Tuesday in a battle of Big 12 co-leaders.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 17 points, 4/11 FGs, 9/12 FTs, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 1 block, 2 steals in 29 minutes

• The Big 12’s leader in double-doubles, junior Devin Williams averages 13.3 points and 8.8 rebounds this season.

• Destroyed Iowa State inside, with 17 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.

• A huge body to deal with on the boards, Williams averages 3.3 offensive rebounds a game and leads WVU with 40 put-backs on the season, per hoop-math.com.

• It’s not just the WVU guards who benefit when they get to the paint. Williams gets the ball with the defense out of position when that happens, too. That means defenders have to foul him as they try to recover. Williams leads WVU with 6.2 free-throw attempts a game and shoots 72% at the line.

• Williams makes 48.3% of his field-goal attempts, and is better off staying around the rim, where he hits 61.8%. Only 29.5% of his 2-point jumpers have found the bottom of the net this season.

No. 2 — G Jevon Carter | 6-2, 195, soph.

photo by: Mike Yoder

West Virginia guard Jevon Carter (2) left, reaches in to steal the ball from a fast-breaking Wayne Selden Jr., (1) in a game between the Jayhawks and the Mountaineers at the WVU Colliseum in Morgantown, W.V. Tuesday.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 10 points, 3/6 FGs, 2/2 3s, 2/4 FTs, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 steal in 34 minutes

• The best 3-point shooter in Huggins’ starting unit, sophomore Jevon Carter (10.2 points) has made 30 of 93 (32.2%) from deep this season.

• Carter’s last trip to Allen Fieldhouse didn’t go so well — and likely prevented WVU from pulling off an overtime road victory: 0-for-10 FGs and 0-for-6 from 3-point range.

• The second-year guard facilitates, too, with 3.5 assists per game and a better than 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

• One of 4 Mountaineers with 30-plus steals on the season, Carter averages 1.8 takeaways a game.

No. 4 — G Daxter Miles Jr. | 6-3, 195, soph.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 3 points, 1/4 FGs, 0/3 3s, 1/2 FTs, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 2 steals in 22 minutes

• This is one WVU player KU probably wants taking 3-pointers — contested 3-pointers at least. Sophomore Daxter Miles Jr. (10.8 ppg) has only connected on 26 of his 91 attempts from beyond the arc (28.6%) this year.

• Another 30-plus steals defender who anticipates and takes away possessions, Miles averages 1.6 steals a game.

• When Miles takes the ball to the rim, he is one of WVU’s top finishers, converting 67.2% of the time.

• Coming off a season-high 20-point night against Baylor.

• Unlike Carter, Miles enjoyed playing in the fieldhouse last year, and scored a team-best 23 points by hitting 5 of 9 from 3-point range. So, yeah, don’t leave him wide open out there.

No. 23 — F Esa Ahmad | 6-8, 225, fr.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 2 points, 1/2 FGs, 0/1 FTs, 1 rebound, 1 turnover in 11 minutes

• Still learning the ins and outs of college hoops, freshman Esa Ahmad averages 4.5 points and 2.7 rebounds for WVU.

• But he has his moments, like producing a Vine-worthy slam at Iowa State and making 4 of his 5 shots at Hilton Coliseum.

• Ahmad really does a nice job of getting to the foul line in limited minutes (19.0 a game) but has made just 26 of 52 free throws.

• With his leaping ability, Ahmad is tied for the team lead with 11 blocked shots.

No. 11 — F Nathan Adrian | 6-9, 240, jr.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 3 points, 1/3 FGs, 1/2 3s, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal in 15 minutes off the bench

• Junior Nathan Adrian has only started 4 games this season and averages just 17.1 minutes. So he comes in putting up a modest 4.0 points and 3.0 rebounds.

• In his last 4 games, Adrian has made 6 of 8 from 3-point land.

• On the year, Adrian has hit 12 of 30 from deep: 40%.

• Came away with season-highs — 11 points and 9 rebounds — in WVU’s win over Baylor.

WEST VIRGINIA BENCH

No. 5 — G Jaysean Paige | 6-2, 210, sr.

West Virginia guard Jaysean Paige drives past Iowa State forward Abdel Nader, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 26 points, 6/13 FGs, 0/2 3s, 14/17 FTs, 4 rebounds (3 offensive), 1 turnover, 5 steals in 29 minutes off the bench

• It’s hard to come up with a more talented bench scorer in the nation than senior Jaysean Paige. You might as well consider him a starter, because Paige averages 17.6 points per game and 1.7 steals in Big 12 play.

• Paige’s ability to knock down more 3-pointers this season has made him a lethal driver. His 33 3-pointers lead the team and he shoots 37.5% on the season.

• Against KU at WVU, all 6 successful field goals for Paige come on layups, as he routinely found his way to the paint off the dribble.

• It’s his finishing around the rim that brings his season field-goal percentage to 49.8%. Paige has converted 62 times on 94 attempts at the rim.

• He also gets to the foul line plenty with his attack-mode offense, and shoots 73.6% — 67 of 91.

• The reigning Big 12 Player of the Week, Paige has scored 15 or more points in 8 of his 10 league games this season.

• His 5 steals vs. Kansas last month marked a career high, as did his 26 points.

No. 1 — Jonathan Holton | 6-7, 220, sr.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 2 points, 1/7 FGs, 0/3 3s, 8 rebounds (4 offensive), 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 block in 26 minutes as a starter

• Huggins said Monday senior Jonathan Holton “probably won’t” play at KU, due to a suspension for a team rules violation.

• If that’s the case, WVU will really miss Holton (9.7 points, 7.5 rebounds) and his team-best 81 offensive rebounds, as well as his 36 put-backs.

• For WVU, perhaps the worst part of playing without Holton is the Mountaineers won’t have their point man at the top of their full-court press.

No. 12 — G Tarik Phillip | 6-3, 200, jr.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 7 points, 1/9 FGs, 0/1 3s, 5/7 FTs, 1 rebound, 1 turnover, 1 block, 1 steal in 23 minutes off the bench

• Another decent threat to have off the bench, junior Tarik Phillip (8.3 points, 2.7 rebounds) is shooting 35.4% on 3-pointers — 17 of 48.

• With 38 steals, Phillip averages 1.7 swipes an outing.

• Phillip can create off the bench, with 2.9 assists a game, but also is prone to giving the ball away, with nearly 2.0 turnovers a game.

• Scored 8 points in the final 58 seconds of WVU’s win at Texas Tech.

No. 45 — F Elijah Macon | 6-9, 235, soph.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Kansas guard Frank Mason III, drives beneath West Virginia forward Elijah Macon (45) and is fouled by West Virginia guard Jaysean Paige (5), right, in the Jayhawks 74-63 loss to the Mountaineers at the WVU Colliseum in Morgantown, W.V. Tuesday.

– Jan. 12 vs. KU: 4 points, 1/2 FGs, 2/4 FTs, 3 rebounds (2 offensive), 1 turnover in 11 minutes off the bench

• A rebounder and finisher inside, sophomore Elijah Macon averages 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 14.0 minutes.

• Making 55.3% from the floor, best on the team, Macon is awful at foul line (43.5%).

• At the rim, Macon converts 67.1% of the time.

• Tied with Ahmad for the team lead in blocks: 11.