West Virginia’s trip to Maryland exposed a simple truth: when the Mountaineers don’t bring enough force, bigger and older teams can push them around.
That lesson came into sharp focus in College Park, where Maryland erased a 19-point first-half deficit, WVU answered to force overtime, and the Terrapins still pulled away for a 90-81 win at the XFINITY Center. Next up is Division II Glenville State at the Waco Center, and while that matchup is not on the same level, Ross Hodge made clear the Maryland game has to shape how his team approaches the next one.
After Maryland fifth-year big Pharrel Payne powered through the frontcourt for an impressive double-double, Hodge drew a line to another bruiser from Baltimore.
"We're not far from Baltimore here," he said after Maryland's fifth-year big Pharrel Payne rumbled through WVU's frontcourt with an impressive double-double. "If you're a Ravens fan, you better hit Henry in the backfield before he gets a full head of steam. If he gets a full head of steam and you're trying to hit him, you've got major issues."
Hodge’s comparison was aimed at the kind of player who keeps moving after contact. Derrick Henry, he noted, has earned right around 75 percent of his career rushing yards after contact.
Payne gave WVU the same kind of headache. He took 18 shots, and 16 of them came at the rim as dunks or layups.
He also grabbed 13 rebounds, with 10 coming on the offensive end.
The Mountaineers had a hard time stopping the damage once Payne got rolling, and Hodge’s message was blunt: strong teams can handle contact if you let them get a head start.
"You've got to hit him first. You'd better be the low man," Hodge said. "If you don't, you're going to have problems."
West Virginia was outmuscled on the glass, finishing at a 48-37 rebounding disadvantage and giving up 24-15 in second-chance points. Even so, the Mountaineers still held a 10-5 edge in blocked shots and were narrowly beaten 34-32 in points in the paint.
The matchup also came with some familiarity. WVU beat Maryland in an exhibition last season, and Payne was healthy then, having joined the program after following Buzz Williams from Texas A&M.
Andre Mills was also on that team before the third-year guard put together a strong season after Payne was sidelined following 10 games. Against West Virginia, Mills scored 27 points and added eight rebounds.
He later found his way into the paint after halftime, finishing with three layups and four free throws on his way to 13 points.
"Those two guys' physicality was the separator," Hodge said
That physical edge matters even more because West Virginia is still working through some of these matchups with a young group. Mouhamed Sylla had 16 games under his belt as a true freshman at Georgia Tech before last season ended with an injury.
Amadou Seini was in high school last year. Miles Sadler now has to deal with that level of size and pressure at point guard, along with DJ Wagner, the senior who has played at Arkansas and Kentucky and figures to be one of the quickest players Sadler has ever faced.
For Hodge, the Maryland game became a teaching tool as much as a loss.
"You've got to reinforce habits, and you've got to lengthen those habits," Hodge said. "It's a great way to learn it.
Hopefully, you can learn from it, but say, 'Hey, when you do it right, this is what happens. When you do it wrong, this is what happens.'
In Other News...
Sonny Dykes Had A Frustrated Reaction To West Virginia's Win
West Virginias 24-2 win over TCU had the kind of closing sequence that can tilt a game from competitive to lopsided in a hurry. After both teams spent much of the afternoon fighting through stalled possessions, David Afoghos late strip sack and Ben Cutters recovery gave the Mountaineers the kind of defensive break that can put a game out of reach and leave the opponent looking back at all the missed chances.
For Sonny Dykes, the frustration showed up quickly afterward. The TCU coach pointed to the Horned Frogs inability to finish drives, along with turnovers, missed field goals and other failed critical plays, as the difference in a game where his team managed to outgain West Virginia in several statistical categories. From West Virginias perspective, it was another reminder that style points do not matter much when the defense keeps producing the one play that ends the night. [Read more 🡒]
Ross Hodge Made Clear What WVU Still Must Fix Fast
West Virginias 103-66 exhibition win over Glenville State offered a cleaner look at where the Mountaineers are settling in under Ross Hodge, and where the work still needs to continue before the games count. The result moved WVU to 1-1 in preseason play, and Hodge used the postgame to frame the night as more than just a tune-up, touching on the significance of the outing and the way his team handled itself on both ends.
There was also a little bit of the usual October injury watch to sort through, along with some encouraging signs from practice that Hodge has seen from one players rebounding and competitiveness. Even in a lopsided exhibition, those are the kinds of details that matter for a roster trying to sort out its rotation and sharpen its identity before the season gets moving for real. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Defense Reaches A Breaking Point Before Crucial Bye Week
West Virginia has been grinding through eight straight weeks without a break, and the timing of the upcoming bye could hardly be better. Before it gets there, though, the Mountaineers still have one more game to navigate against TCU, with the defense carrying plenty of attention after a stretch that has left Rich Rodriguez wanting a reset far earlier than this point.
Zac Alley has described the units play as inconsistent, and that has made the open date feel less like a luxury than a necessity. The hope now is that the extra time will give West Virginia a chance to regroup, clean up the issues on that side of the ball and head into the final weeks of the regular season with a better answer for the tougher matchups ahead. [Read more 🡒]