West Virginia Falls Flat at Home, Offense Stalls Again in Loss to Baylor
For the first time this season, West Virginia walked off its home court with a loss - and it wasn’t just the final score that stung. The Mountaineers fell 63-53 to Baylor on Saturday night, continuing a troubling trend on the offensive end. That’s now three straight weeks where West Virginia has failed to crack 54 points - something that had only happened twice in the last three years combined.
This isn’t just a cold stretch. It’s become a pattern. And Head Coach Ross Hodge knows it.
Another Slow Start, Another Uphill Climb
You don’t have to dig deep into the box score to see the problem. For the fourth consecutive game, West Virginia found itself in a double-digit hole early. That’s not a sustainable formula in the Big 12 - or anywhere, really.
“We just started out too casual on defense,” Hodge said postgame. “You let No. 5 hit a couple early threes, fall asleep on an inbounds play, and then Carr knocks down a three right in your face. Combine that with turnovers and missed bunnies… it’s tough to overcome.”
In other words, the Mountaineers weren’t ready from the jump. Again.
Hodge didn’t sugarcoat it - these aren’t just execution issues, they’re mental lapses. And when you’re already struggling to score, giving your opponent a head start is asking for trouble.
Offense: Execution or Just Missed Shots?
When a team scores 53 points in a college basketball game, the natural question is whether it’s poor offense or just shots not falling. Hodge’s answer? A little of both.
“You’ve got to watch the film to really know, but I thought every guy who took a shot had a good look at some point,” he said. “There were a handful of possessions where we got exactly what we wanted - the ball just didn’t go down. But then there were nine or ten possessions where, as a coach, you feel like you didn’t give your team the best chance.”
That’s the kind of honesty you want from a coach. He’s not blaming the players, but he’s also not pretending the system is flawless. The Mountaineers had their moments - they just didn’t capitalize.
Huff Held in Check, Help Needed
One of the biggest signs of West Virginia’s offensive issues? Honor Huff, the team’s go-to scorer, was neutralized.
“People are making it hard on him,” Hodge said. “And you’re going to have nights like tonight, no matter how good you are. That’s when other guys have to step up and help.”
Huff can’t carry the load every night, and opposing defenses know it. Until someone else consistently steps up, West Virginia’s offense will continue to be easy to game-plan against.
Battle on the Boards: A Tale of Two Halves
If there was a silver lining, it came on the glass. After getting beat early, West Virginia flipped the rebounding script in the second half, outscoring Baylor 8-2 on second-chance points.
But even that came with a caveat.
“We waited too long,” Hodge said. “We’ve got to have a higher sense of urgency, a level of desperation.
Winning is a choice. You’ve got to make that choice earlier.”
That line - winning is a choice - says a lot about where this team is mentally. The effort is there, but it’s not consistent. And in a conference as deep and physical as the Big 12, you can’t afford to wait until halftime to flip the switch.
Where Do They Go From Here?
The Mountaineers are still searching for answers. The defense has had stretches of intensity, and the rebounding effort in the second half showed some fight. But until the offense finds rhythm - and until the team starts games with the urgency they show late - the results won’t change.
West Virginia has the pieces. But right now, they’re not fitting together. And with the season hitting its midpoint, time is running out to figure it out.