Providence comes to town tonight with an 0-4 Big East record. The Friars have not won here since 1999. Good chance for WVU to increase its winning streak to three.
–Good early start for Casey Mitchell who is coming off his best all-around game at Georgetown Saturday. Mitchell hit three point shots on back to back possessions early in the game. Good, quick release both times. Mitchell came into this game with 15 3’s in WVU’s four Big East Conference games. With 17 now, he has the most of any player in conference games.
–Danny Jennings got the spot start for the Mountaineers. Interesting because he had played just six minutes in the four previous league games. Jennings didn’t play at all at DePaul and he played less than one minute vs. St. John’s. Jennings got the first points on the game on free throws, but was quickly replaced by Deniz Kilicli who scored the first time he touched the ball against the Providence zone.
–John Flowers gets the defensive assignment on Marshon Brooks of Providence. Brooks is the second leading scorer in the league at 23.8 points per game. In league games, Brooks is #1 in the league with an average of 26 points per game, three more per game than the overall leader Kemba Walker of UConn.
–Unexpected offense from Flowers early in this one. Flowers had averaged just three points per game in the first four Big East games. Flowers scored 12 points in the first nine minutes of the game. He also got another spectacular block as he got one of Brooks’ shots.
–Mountaineers got a lot of easy points in transition and on second chance opportunities in the first half. WVU scored 11 points off seven Providene turnovers. WVU also got ten offensive rebounds and 13 second chance points The Mountaineers also got seven blocked shots in the first half and then another in the first few seconds of the second half.
–The WVU defense was very solid as it held Providence to 19% shooting from the field. The Friars scored 20 points in the first half. They came in averaging 80 points per game.
–Flowers outscored Brooks 15-8 in the first half. The WVU senior hit his first six shots from the field. Flowers added five rebounds, four blocks and two steals.
–Career high 24 points for Flowers with 7:51 to go. Providence is shooting a season low 26% from the field.
–Kevin Jones worked hard on the glass during this second half as he haseight offensive rebounds. Jones has ten points in the second half and a double/double for the game.
–Jones finished his night with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Flowers finished 10-12 from the field with 24 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks, five assists and five steals. He outscored Brooks 24-13.
–93-63 the final. The Mountaineers have won three in a row now following a 0-2 league start. The final two non conference games are next. Here at the Coliseum Sunday vs. No. 8 Purdue. And then in Charleston Wednesday vs. Marshall.