WVU’s Slow Starts Are Adding Up, and the Numbers Tell an Uncomfortable Story

In five of West Virginia's first nine Big 12 Conference games, Ross Hodge's squad has had a difficult time hanging around in the opening minutes.

WVU has found a way to win two of those games, beating Arizona State and Kansas State, but the slow start played a part in seeing their 16-game home winning streak come to an end on Saturday against Baylor.

You can just look at the halftime scores and realize how poor WVU has been in the first half, particularly offensively. But I wanted to dig a little deeper, so I went back and charted the score of each of these five games at each media timeout, and the results are jarring.

Houston

Under 16 TO: Houston 10, West Virginia 2
Under 12 TO: Houston 15, West Virginia 5
Under 8 TO: Houston 20, West Virginia 5
Under 4 TO: Houston 28, West Virginia 11
Halftime: Houston 33, West Virginia 18

Arizona State

Under 16 TO: Arizona State 11, West Virginia 4
Under 12 TO: Arizona State 16, West Virginia 11
Under 8 TO: Arizona State 26, West Virginia 13
Under 4 TO: Arizona State 32, West Virginia 28
Halftime: Arizona State 37, West Virginia 35

Arizona

Under 16 TO: Arizona 11, West Virginia 4
Under 12 TO: Arizona 20, West Virginia 8
Under 8 TO: Arizona 25, West Virginia 16
Under 4 TO: Arizona 32, West Virginia 19
Halftime: Arizona 43, West Virginia 23

Kansas State

Under 16 TO: Kansas State 4, West Virginia 0
Under 12 TO: Kansas State 10, West Virginia 4
Under 8 TO: Kansas State 13, West Virginia 8
Under 4 TO: West Virginia 21, Kansas State 18
Halftime: West Virginia 28, Kansas State 22

Baylor

Under 16 TO: Baylor 13, West Virginia 4
Under 12 TO: Baylor 15, West Virginia 8
Under 8 TO: West Virginia 20, Baylor 17
Under 4 TO: Baylor 32, West Virginia 24
Halftime: Baylor 38, West Virginia 30

Average score per segment of 1st half

Under 16 TO: Opposing Team 9.8, West Virginia 2.8
Under 12 TO: Opposing Team 15.2, West Virginia 7.2
Under 8 TO: Opposing Team 20.2, West Virginia 12.4
Under 4 TO: Opposing Team 28.4, West Virginia 20.6
Halftime: Opposing Team 34.6, West Virginia 26.8

Digging that big of a hole in this league and expecting to claw out of it is unsustainable. And Ross Hodge knows that. So, what's the issue?

Ross's analysis

West Virginia University head coach Ross Hodge | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

“For a large part of the season, we were getting off to really fast starts, and we were kind of having a harder time finishing, and then really started in the Arizona State game. We got off to a slow start there, then Arizona, and then you come back for the last two at home. And so, it's a combination of a lot of different things that you're looking at.

"Obviously, we're evaluating that and looking at it, and it's not just one singular issue - it's a lot of things. Some of its personnel issues, some of its coaching issues, some of it is not finishing and not - you know, you are getting the ball where you want to get it early in these games, and maybe you're not making the play.

"And so, then you got to evaluate as a coach, well, maybe that's not the best way to start these games, but everybody's kind of had their hand in it across the board. If it was just kind of like one person that you felt like was creating slow starts, well, maybe you wouldn't start that person. But it's kind of been a little bit of everybody's had their hand in it, and obviously we've talked about it and have looked at it specifically, like, hey, is it something particular that's causing it, and haven't kind of settled in on one thing in particular just other than needing to get off to better starts.”

My two cents

West Virginia University guard Jasper Floyd | Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

West Virginia's methodical approach on the offensive end can help the opposing team settle into the game and get stops, although they're having to defend deep into the shot clock. It's not like the Mountaineers have elite ball movement and really make you defend every inch of the floor. They waste a good chunk of the shot clock before running any sort of action, or make multiple passes and attack the basket.

I understand that Hodge doesn't want to play at a fast tempo, mainly because he doesn't have the personnel to operate that way, but playing with a little extra pep in their step in the opening minutes may create a better sense of urgency.

I'm sorry, but Jasper Floyd pounding the ball in the ground for 10 seconds in the post isn't accomplishing anything. And neither is wasting seven or eight seconds trying to force the ball to Honor Huff, who is still going to be smothered.

Personally, I think there's too much of an emphasis on getting Huff and Eaglestaff going early and hunting for the perfect shot rather than finding the open look and pounding it inside.

WVU may be a solid defensive team, but creating such a big hole early in games puts a ton of stress on your defense to string together a bunch of stops, especially when you don't have an offense that can get you right back into it.