West Virginia's journey to the NCAA Tournament is hitting some serious roadblocks. Saturday night's defeat at TCU pushed the Mountaineers further down ESPN's Bracketology, landing them in the Next Four Out. CBS's version doesn't even include them, cutting off at the first four left out.
The reasons are clear.
Head coach Ross Hodge summed it up after the 60-54 loss: "They executed their game plan better than we did. They excel at scoring from the foul line and with 2-point baskets, while we've been strong at limiting free throws and keeping opponents away from the basket."
It's tough to argue against WVU's recent struggles. TCU capitalized on their strengths, going 18-for-27 from the free-throw line compared to WVU's 9-for-12. Despite the Mountaineers holding a 28-20 edge in points in the paint and forcing TCU into a 9-for-25 showing on dunks and layups, they couldn't seal the win.
TCU managed 30 points in each half with 34 percent shooting. Just a week ago, WVU had a streak of 27 wins when allowing 61 points or less and 15 wins when opponents shot 40 percent or worse. But in this two-game skid in Big 12 play, they allowed 61 and 60 points with 40 and 34 percent shooting.
TCU coach Jamie Dixon noted, "We're a team that scores inside, and they're the best in the league at stopping 2-pointers. Their size and physicality made it tough for us to finish, and shooting 22 percent on our 2s is incredibly low. But we found a way."
The real sting for the Mountaineers? It's not just about their slow starts anymore.
The last two losses have come down to poor finishes. They faltered late against Utah and couldn't close out against TCU.
WVU found themselves down by seven early in the second half, then led by six with 8:03 to go. But if you've followed this team, you know what's coming. They were outscored 17-5 to finish the game, going 2-for-9 from the floor in that stretch without a single trip to the foul line.
"We turned the ball over on four of our last 10 possessions," Hodge explained. "You can't afford that in a tight game against a quality opponent."
During that decisive stretch, TCU's 17 points came from seven free throws, four layups, and a jumper.
"Our turnovers were the big difference, and TCU's execution in the clutch was key," Hodge admitted. "We've got to put our guys in better positions to succeed and capitalize when opportunities arise."