— By Taylor Kennedy
MORGANTOWN, W.Va — West Virginia’s defense controlled what Pitt tried to do offensively. The Mountaineers locked down on the Panthers, and their ability to get stops and force turnovers paved the way to a 74-59 victory in the 118th edition of the Backyard Brawl on Friday at the Coliseum.
The win gives West Virginia five straight victories in the series for the first time since 1966.
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins notched his 902nd career victory, to tie him with Bob Knight.
“I don’t think about it,” Huggins noted. “I have great respect for coach Knight. He has become a good friend of mine.”
WVU forced 32 Panthers’ turnovers. The last time the Mountaineers forced 30-plus turnovers came against Western Carolina in 2016.
West Virginia point guards Kedrian Johnson and Malik Curry were two of the driving forces in causing havoc. The two combined for nine of the team’s 17 steals. Johnson became the first Mountaineer since Jevon Carter in 2017 to record at least seven steals.
“Keddy is good, and his defensive pressure is good,” Huggins stated. “Malik is good. Malik gives us a better shot on offense. How would you like one of those little guys to go out then another comes in right after? I think they wear on people.”
WVU’s Jalen Bridges led all scorers with 18 points and made 6-of-9 shots, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The win hit home for Bridges, a Fairmont native, playing in front of 14,100 after he grew up watching this rivalry.
“It means the world to represent this state at one of the highest levels of college basketball,” said Bridges, who also added five blocks. “That’s the Backyard Brawl. It goes back years and years. Being able to get that going after missing out on it last year because of COVID was a surreal feeling.”
Old Dominion transfer Malik Curry provided a spark off the bench. Curry’s high-intensity defense and ability to penetrate enabled him to score 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting.
Huggins has seen Curry embrace a new role despite averaging 16 points with the Monarchs last season.
“[ODU head coach Jeff Jones] said that he did not know how he would fit in with you guys, because I do not know your personnel since he has a scorer’s mentality, which is good,” Huggins said. “I started thinking he wouldn’t guard at the other end, but he has guarded. His attitude has been phenomenal. He has been great.”
Curry is feeling more comfortable throughout the preseason and through the first two games.
“It starts on the defensive end,” Curry said. “Once I am playing hard on defense then I know I am going to get steals and deflections. I just do what I do. I get to the basket. I knew where to attack, and how to attack it. The ball was going through the basket today.”
West Virginia will head to South Carolina next week for the Shriner’s Children’s Charleston Classic. The Mountaineers play their first of three games in the event Thursday against Elon. The following day, they’ll face Ole Miss or Marquette.
“We are there to win first and foremost with everything else being second,” said fifth-year senior guard Taz Sherman, who scored 17 points, but was held to 6-of-20 shooting. “I think it’s a good team bonding thing as well. We are around each other every day, but we are in each other’s hotel rooms chilling and hanging out. I already told them I am 2-0 in these little tournaments, and I am not planning on being 2-1.”
Guard Sean McNeil made three triples and scored 11 points in the win.
Pitt was led by John Hugley’s 17 points. The Panthers shot 58 percent from the field, including 50 percent from behind the arc, but attempted only 40 field goals as a result of the turnovers.
After being out-rebounded by 15 in Tuesday’s season-opening win over Oakland, West Virginia again struggled in that department and was beaten on the board, 36-20.
WVU was much improved from long range and connected on 9-of-22 threes after making only 4 of 21 against the Grizzlies.