Sunday Morning Thoughts: Honor Huff’s Struggles Are Multi-Layered With No Easy Fix

Another game is in the books, and it was another night where West Virginia couldn't get Honor Huff going. Scott Drew's team executed the gameplan, smothering Huff all over the court, not allowing him to get many clean looks at the basket. He finished the night 1/13 from the field, including a 1/9 game from downtown.

Now that we've reached the halfway point of Big 12 play, it's enough of a sample size to see that something is clearly wrong. What is it? How can the Mountaineers get it fixed? Can they fix it?

Let's start with the numbers

at Iowa State: 1/9 FG, 1/8 3FG
vs. Cincinnati: 7/14 FG, 6/10 3FG
vs. Kansas: 5/12 FG, 4/11 FG
at Houston: 4/11 FG, 2/9 3FG
vs. Colorado: 4/9 FG, 2/7 3FG
at Arizona State: 2/9 FG, 2/8 3FG
at Arizona: 4/15 FG, 2/9 3FG
vs. Kansas State: 5/15 FG, 5/12 3FG
vs. Baylor: 1/13 FG, 1/9 3FG

Since entering Big 12 play, Huff is just 33/107 (30.8%) from the field and 25/83 (30.1%) from three-point range. He still has the knack to make some incredibly difficult shots, but he's missing more open looks than we're accustomed to seeing. Why is that?

There are multiple reasons behind it. The length, size, and quickness of teams in this league are on a whole other level. Huff, as you know, is a tiny guy who stands at just 5'10". He's still adjusting to how teams defend him in the Big 12, learning how he can create more separation.

One of the main reasons he's been unable to shake loose, in my opinion, is that he's essentially a one-dimensional scorer. On the season, Huff is shooting 31.6% at the rim (layups, dunks, etc.) and 43% in the mid-range. You can live with that mid-range percentage, but he's missed a number of bunnies here of late, many of which he's not even met with contact. Point-blank looks inside that he just hasn't finished.

Javon Small was so dynamic because he could score from anywhere on the floor. You couldn't just follow him around the three-point line and consider it a win if he doesn't get a clean look off. You had to respect his ability to get downhill and pressure the rim. Last year, Small made 61.3% of his shots at the rim.

See the difference? It's a lot easier to get a guy open, even if he's told to be swarmed when he has the ability to beat you in more than one way. In Big 12 play, 78% of Huff's attempts have been from three. You don't mind the high volume because you know he can make them, but it's the lack of an inside game or higher volume mid-range game that hurts him.

Getting him some help

Jan 31, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Treysen Eaglestaff (52) celebrates after a made three point basket during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Aside from Huff expanding his shot diet, probably the easiest and most likely way to open things back up for him is for WVU to get consistent, high-level scoring from someone else, be it Treysen Eaglestaff or Brenen Lorient.

Eaglestaff has shown he's capable of getting red-hot at any moment, and you have to tip your hat to him for sticking with it during the ice-cold start he had to the season. At the same time, we can still acknowledge that he has not been the dominant scorer we all expected him to be coming into the season. It comes and goes.

For Lorient, he needs to be more aggressive, and that's from everywhere on the floor, not just in the post. How many times did we see him try to dish it out to the perimeter against Baylor instead of continuing to back his guy down and make a move to the hoop? He still took 13 shots, but it should have been more like 17 or 18, especially considering how the rest of the team was playing offensively. He's shooting 35% from three on the year on relatively low volume (two attempts per game). Get an extra three or two in there and attack the rim more often, and all of a sudden, teams will be forced to loosen up their coverage beyond the arc.

Can it be fixed?

West Virginia University guard Honor Huff | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The short answer is yes.

Unfortunately, you're going to need some tendencies or offensive behaviors to change with the snap of a finger. There are only so many ways you can run Huff off of screens to free him up. It's deeper than X's and O's. It takes ball movement (which is another issue), off-the-ball movement (another big problem), and the two points we just made with Huff's shot diet expanding, and some help from his friends.

The harsh reality? If the Mountaineers continue to get the same production and tendencies, they're going to have to drag teams in more rock fights than you'd like.

Let's start with the numbers

Getting him some help

Can it be fixed?

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