Johnny Dawkins on Why West Virginia Is So Hard to Put Away

One thing West Virginia does really well is playing with maximum effort for a full forty minutes.

It's the one aspect of the game that head coach Ross Hodge doesn't have to worry about on a nightly basis. The offensive issues are seemingly always going to be there, and from time to time, there will be defensive lapses. Until that final horn sounds, though, no team playing WVU should feel comfortable. The Mountaineers have erased a 14-point deficit in each of their last two road games.

UCF Johnny Dawkins could see it coming from a mile away.

Feb 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; UCF Knights head coach Johnny Dawkins listens during a timeout against the Houston Cougars in the first half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

“We didn’t execute coming down the stretch. You give them (West Virginia) a lot of credit. That’s how they’ve won a lot of their basketball games. We knew that coming in, we had to stay focused, and we didn’t sustain in the second half the way we needed to. They just keep playing, and they make some plays. (Honor) Huff, he can get going at any moment. I think he had seven points with nine minutes to go, but he finished with 21. That’s what he does. We just have to understand that you have to play for a full forty (minutes) and you can’t have any let-ups on either side of the basketball.

“It was disappointing to see us not stay completely focused the entire time. I know that can be a challenge, but that’s the nature of this sport. Teams like West Virginia, they really thrive on that, and they do a good job. Coach Ross does a great job of understanding how they have to be successful to win, and that’s the way they played tonight. They just stay with you. They keep on executing their stuff. They get the pace at the way they want the pace to be played, and they did it.”

WVU takes such pride in its defensive play, and as long as they're locked in on that end of the floor, they're always going to have a chance to win. They are now 12-1 this season when they score 70 or more points. They average 70.1 points per game, which is dead last in the Big 12. If they can just hit or break that per-game mark, the opposition is likely walking away with a loss.

That grit and energy they play with is what makes it so difficult for teams to put up with over the span of 40 minutes.

UCF Johnny Dawkins could see it coming from a mile away.

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