Mitch Vingle

Quote:I asked Huggins if he’s ever had another team of this ilk.

“Yes,” he said. “The ’92-93 [Cincinnati] team. It was pretty good.”

That’s an understatement. The Bearcats were the No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament and didn’t lose in the event until meeting No. 1 North Carolina in the East regional final. They had longtime NBA players Nick Van Exel and Corie Blount. Their second-leading scorer was Erik Martin, now Huggins’ assistant. (“He was a hell of a player,” Huggins said.)

“We had size; we had speed,” Huggins said. “We had some really, really good players.”

Wasn't Huggins always quoted as saying '93 was really his best team, in spite of the '92 group advancing to the Final Four? In retrospect, that '93 team gave UNC all they could handle. Get past the Tar Heels and maybe the 'Cats could have cut down the nets in '93. Those were exciting times.

Yep. He said his 92-93 team was better than any team he's ever coached. I think he said it after WVU's Final Four loss in 2010. But don't hold me to it. I'm not sure.

What about the team Kenyon's last year? I was just a basketball fan from afar at that time but that team was dominant before the injury. I thought they would cut the nets down.

I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

(01-07-2015 02:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

You think they are better than the final 4 / big east tournament champions team?

(01-07-2015 02:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

Not to sound glib, but who'd have thought that Huggs would apparently be back with maybe one of his best teams ever (ranked #7 currently per Sagarin), while Mick would be sidelined for the year with a health issue? You just never know...

(01-07-2015 02:13 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 02:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

Not to sound glib, but who'd have thought that Huggs would apparently be back with one of his best teams ever, while Mick would be sidelined for the year with a health issue? You just never know...

I thought WVU would struggle this year. Looks like they have a good team.

(01-07-2015 02:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

It's amazing what you can do when you've got guys that will play hard and take pride in their defense. If I heard correctly, they didn't implement the pressing defense until a week before their first game. Bet he's not regretting that decision one bit. You can tell he's still trying to teach them how to do it more effectively, but it's pretty good right now.

What they lack in talent, they make up for in effort. You can tell Huggins really likes his team.

The Cincinnati kid on the team turned out to be pretty good. But I only saw him in one game so far.

(01-07-2015 02:28 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 02:13 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 02:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

Not to sound glib, but who'd have thought that Huggs would apparently be back with one of his best teams ever, while Mick would be sidelined for the year with a health issue? You just never know...

I thought WVU would struggle this year. Looks like they have a good team.

we'll see how Huggs has this team at tourney time. He usually wearing his own teams down with 4 hour practices the day before a Ncaa game. It was frustrating seeing it unfold in front of us for a lot of years here.

(01-07-2015 02:09 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 02:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

You think they are better than the final 4 / big east tournament champions team?

Yes I do.

(01-07-2015 06:38 PM)subflea Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 02:09 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 02:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  I watched some of the WVU/Texas Tech game the other night. This is definitely his best team since he has been at WVU. With this group he has gone back to the pressing style he used during his early years at UC. The pressure they put on their opponents is really impressive.

You think they are better than the final 4 / big east tournament champions team?

Yes I do.

One thing about this style of play, if you have trouble shooting, if you play good defense, you're never out of a game.

(01-07-2015 07:09 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  One thing about this style of play, if you have trouble shooting, if you play good defense, you're never out of a game.

When they mentioned WVU FG% vs. Opponent FG % on the broadcast, I had to look it up: shooting 43.2%, opponents shooting 44.2%.

(01-07-2015 07:18 PM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 07:09 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  One thing about this style of play, if you have trouble shooting, if you play good defense, you're never out of a game.

When they mentioned WVU FG% vs. Opponent FG % on the broadcast, I had to look it up: shooting 43.2%, opponents shooting 44.2%.

But they are turning teams over which makes up for that.

James Bolden from Holmes is going to be interesting to watch there. Lefty, quick and streaky....little Van Exel-esque.


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(01-07-2015 07:18 PM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote:  

(01-07-2015 07:09 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  One thing about this style of play, if you have trouble shooting, if you play good defense, you're never out of a game.

When they mentioned WVU FG% vs. Opponent FG % on the broadcast, I had to look it up: shooting 43.2%, opponents shooting 44.2%.

I think points per possession is a better way to judge a defense. FG% and points per game can be skewed

Not to be maudlin, but I cringe watchnig Huggs coach. Anyone with heart problems should not look like the sta puff marshmallow dude. Just saying.

Thread about Huggins' WVA team as compared to a UC team from two decades ago....


#relevancyfail

(01-07-2015 08:52 PM)rtaylor Wrote:  Not to be maudlin, but I cringe watchnig Huggs coach. Anyone with heart problems should not look like the sta puff marshmallow dude. Just saying.

Live your life and others will do the same. I see homeless drunks and don't cringe.