Ross Hodge Praises Mountaineers’ Composure In Upset Of No. 19 BYU

The West Virginia Mountaineers (17-12, 8-8) snapped their three-game skid with an upset win over the No. 19 BYU Cougars (20-9, 8-8) Saturday evening 79-71 at Hope Coliseum.

Five Mountaineers hit double figures to help guide the Mountaineers to the victory. Senior guard Honor Huff led the group with 19 points, senior forward was a rebound shy of a double double with 18 points and nine rebounds, freshman DJ Thomas was 5-7 from the floor with 13 points, and senior guards Jasper Floyd and Chance Moore both produced 11 points apiece.

West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge met with the media following the game and gave his initial thoughts on the Mountaineers’ win over the 19th -ranked Cougars.

Opening Statement

I just want to thank everybody that came out today. Obviously, Hope Coliseum was special. It’s what makes this place special. Obviously, we lost a couple of tough ones. Again, people were hanging in there with us. It was a special environment.

I thought that our guys really executed defensively well, early. (Senior guard) Jasper (Floyd) got us off to a great start offensively. Attention to detail was good. (Senior forward Brenen Lorient) B-Lo and (fifth-year senior forward) Chance (Moore) did a really good job on number three (Freshman forward AJ Dybantsa), and (Sophomore guard) (Robert) Rob Wright (III) got away from us a little bit in the first half, but obviously, he’s a great player too. (Freshman forward) DJ (Thomas) was tremendous in the first half, and it was kind of one of those kinds of baton games where it kind of kept getting passed to other people in big parts and big stretches.

They made their run, which we figured they would. If you kind of followed them this year, they, similarly to us, have dug themselves some big holes and then had the ability to dig themselves out of those holes. I thought our composure, and again, this group stays together about as good as any team I’ve been around and made the plays down the stretch, and then obviously, the rebounding differential was probably the separator in the game.

Hodge on the difference in rebounding – WVU outrebounded BYU 39-29, including 18-8 on the offensive glass

I’d have to watch it to really see. I thought we were able to drive the ball, which I’ve talked about, how vulnerable that can make you on the defensive glass, even from our own standpoint. I thought we were able to drive the ball and get shots up on the rim. B-Lo was really active, and (senior center) Harlan (Obioha) and Chance just played with a level of urgency once the shot went up and led to some big baskets.

The Mountaineers regrouping to pull off the upset

I told the guys after in the locker room that I really felt like today was a byproduct of the previous 72 hours, and just their ability to stay the course, stay together, handle disappointment in the same manner that they handle success, be the same guys, put the same work in, learn from it, not run from it, not point fingers, not blame and getting that 72 hours onto the floor today.

BYU making runs at WVU in the second half

If you’ve watched them this year, that’s similar to what they’ve done in other scenarios - I wasn’t surprised. I thought to start the second half, part of that was we didn’t do a great job of giving them one shot and one shot only. We made them miss the first shot of the half and we couldn’t come up with it, then we foul them, then they bang a three, then we turn it over. Now, you’re in a seven-point game. They are an elite one on one players in our entire league. So, the last thing you want to do is give them multiple chances, but they got in a rhythm, and they started making some tough ones and you do feel a little bit of a squeeze like, ‘you better keep scoring on the other end too.’ But our ability when we did miss to go get the offensive board and then, I thought Chance probably made the play of the game when we turned it over and he went and stole the ball back.