West Virginia found itself in a competitive battle against No. 9 Texas Tech, trailing by just three points at halftime. However, a second-half collapse saw the Mountaineers fall 73-51 in a game where momentum completely shifted after the break.
Head coach Darian DeVries voiced his frustration over the team’s defensive struggles, particularly in the final 20 minutes. “They shot 62 percent in the second half, and that’s where the game got away from us,” DeVries said. “We can survive some scoring droughts, but not if our defense isn’t hooked up. In the first half, they shot 34 percent and scored 30 points—we were right where we needed to be to stay in position.”
The Mountaineers’ offensive woes in the second half compounded their defensive issues. They shot just 29.6 percent from the field, including 2-for-11 from three-point range, while Texas Tech found its rhythm, shooting 63 percentoverall and 7-for-11 from beyond the arc.
“The second half, right from the first possession, we just weren’t as tough or physical as we needed to be,” DeVries said. “We did a good job in the first half limiting their bigs, but in the second half, we didn’t fight as hard for position, and once those guys get to their spots, they’re really tough to stop.”
Despite the lopsided final score, DeVries emphasized that there was no major tactical shift from Texas Tech—just a lack of execution from his own team. “Not a lot changed schematically, but our defense just wasn’t as connected or as stout in the second half,” he noted.
With the loss now in the rearview mirror, West Virginia’s tournament hopes hinge on upcoming games, particularly a critical home matchup against TCU. Sitting on the NCAA Tournament bubble, the Mountaineers must capitalize on every opportunity to strengthen their résumé.
“I told the team, we were in position at the start of the second half, but we didn’t do what we needed to do to finish,” DeVries said. “But these are huge games, especially at home. Late-season matchups like this are absolutely critical, and we can’t dwell on this one for long.”
Looking ahead to Tuesday night’s showdown, DeVries stressed the importance of taking advantage of their home crowd in Morgantown. “We lost a close one at their place, so this is a big, big game for us,” he said. “We need to create the same kind of tough environment that we saw today and make sure we give ourselves every possible edge.”