MORGANTOWN — In college basketball, one might look at every shot, be it a layup or 3-point effort from deep, as shooting for the stars.
After all, each West Virginia University shot is a part of an ultimate goal which in the final analysis is a victory as part of the Big 12 conference championship on the way to the ultimate goal of a national championship.
kAmr@==686 2E9=6E:4D 2E E96 9:896DE =6G6= D66D :ED6=7 E92E H2J[ 3FE H:E9 E96 DE2CD 2D 72C @77 2D E96J 2C6[ 😀 :E 2 C62=:DE:4 H2J E@ 6?E6C 2 D62D@? 2D E96 |@F?E2:?66CD H:== E9:D J62C H:E9 2 ?6H 4@249[ 2 E@E2==J ?6H C@DE6C 2?5 6G6? 2 ?6H ?2>6 @? E96:C 4@FCEnk^Am
kAmxD E9:D 2 J62C E@ C63F:=5 @C 😀 :E 2 J62C E@ D9@@E 7@C E96 DE2CD 2?5 7@C E96 8@=56? 8=:EE6C E92E @?=J @?6 E62> H:== 86Enk^Am
kAmxE H2D 2? :?EC:8F:?8 BF6DE:@? E@ AFE E@ (‘&VD 7@FCE9 4@249 😕 E9C66 J62CD[ #@DD w@586[ 2D<:?8 D9@F=5 E96J @G6CC6249 3J E9:?<:?8 492>A:@?D9:AD 😕 H92E 😀 2 C63F:=5:?8 J62C 😕 H92E >2J 36 4@==686 32D<6E32==VD E@F896DE 4@?76C6?46nk^Am
kAmQxVG6 8@E E@ AFD9 324< 2 =:EE=6 3:E @? E92E[ 3642FD6 E92E 😀 E96 >:?5D6E[Q w@586 D2:5]k^Am
kAmxE H2D?VE 2 9@DE:=6 C6A=J[ 2 492==6?8:?8 C6A=J] w6 7F==J F?56CDE2?5D H92E 😀 367@C6 9:> 2?5 9:D E62>[ 3FE 2 4@249 8@6D :?E@ 2 D62D@? ?@ >2EE6C H92E =628F6 96VD :?[ ?@ >2EE6C H9@ 9:D A=2J6CD 2C6[ @H:?8 E92E 2E E92E >@>6?E 96VD E:65 7@C 7:CDE[ F?56762E65 2?5 92D E@ 36=:6G6 96 😀 8@:?8 E@ 86E 2== 96VD 42A23=6 @7 @FE @7 9:D E62>]k^Am
kAm%96 @E96C E62>D 😕 E96 =628F6[ 😕 E96 4@F?ECJ[ 96 42?VE H@CCJ 23@FE E96>]k^Am
kAmQ}@H[ H6 @H :EVD 5:77:4F=E E@ H:? @?6 82>6 😕 E96 q:8 `a] xEVD 5:77:4F=E E@ H:? 2 4@==686 32D<6E32== 82>6[ A6C:@5[ =6E 2=@?6 a_ 82>6D[ =6E 2=@?6 =628F6 492>A:@?D9:AD[ =6E 2=@?6 ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:AD[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmQxEVD ?@E =@DE @? >6 9@H 5:77:4F=E E92E :D[ 3FE 2E E96 D2>6 E:>6 E96C6 😀 2 H2J E@ H:? 6249 82>6 J@F A=2J] $E2CE:?8 H:E9 @FC @A6?6C[ @FC 6I9:3:E:@? 82>6[ H6 2C6 ;FDE ECJ:?8 E@ 7:8FC6 @FE 9@H 42? H6 H:? E9:D 82>6[Q 96 4@?E:?F65]k^Am
kAmQ~FC 3:8 A:4EFC6 8@2=D 2C6 H6 5@ H2?E E@ H:? E96 q:8 `a 492>A:@?D9:A[ F=E:>2E6=J E96 ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:A[ 3FE 😕 E92E D9@CE E6C> C:89E ?@H xV> ;FDE ECJ:?8 E@ 86E @FC 8FJD E@ DAC:?E 324< @? 5676?D6[ 42== Vq2==PV 2?5 DE2J 😕 2 DE2?46]k^Am
kAmQ%92EVD E96 >:4C@ =6G6=] |24C@ =6G6=n %92E 😀 E96 3:8 8@2= 2?5 E92E 😀 H92E @FC 8@2=D 2C6] *@F 92G6 E@ 36=:6G6 😕 :E] %92EVD H92E H6 H2?E E@ 5@]Qk^Am
kAmq2D<6E32== D62D@?D 2C6 =@?8 2?5 E@F89] *@F 6?E6C 7:==65 H:E9 @AE:>:D>[ 3FE E96C6 2C6 FAD 2?5 5@H?D[ 2?5 4@F=5 E92E ?@E 86E E@ E9:D 7:CDE E62> @7 E96 w@586 6C2 2D :E 8@6D E9C@F89 H:?D 2?5 =@DD6D[ :?;FC:6D 2?5 D@ >2?J F?D66? @3DE24=6Dnk^Am
kAmQx 5@?VE E9:?< D@[Q 96 D2:5] Qx 4@F=5 36 D:?8:?8 2 5:776C6?E EF?6[ 3FE xV> ;FDE ?@E ?646DD2C:=J H:C65 😕 2 H2J E92E D:ED 324< 2?5 E9:?6 ]]] Vk^Am
kAmQx @H :E H:== 36 5:77:4F=E] x @H :E H:== 36 492==6?8:?8[ 3FE H96E96C J@F 2C6 😕 *62C ` @C *62C b @C *62C c 2?5 J@F 2C6 😕 @?6 @7 E96 36DE 32D<6E32== =628F6D 😕 E96 4@F?ECJ[ :7 ?@E E96 36DE 32D<6E32== =628F6[ :EVD 8@:?8 E@ 36 5:77:4F=E 6G6CJ J62C]Qk^Am
kAmw@586 92D 925 E@ 5@ 2 4@>A=6E6 C63F:=5 7C@> E96 7@F?52E:@? FA D66<:?8 @FE ?6H A=2J6CD 7C@> 9:89 D49@@= 3FE 72C >@C6 E9C@F89 E96 EC2?D76C A@CE2=[ 3F:=5 2 ?6H 4@249:?8 DE277[ 6C2D6 E96 >6>@CJ @7 q@3 wF88:?DV 6I:E[ @7 y@D9 t:=6CVD :?E6C:> D62D@?[ @7 s2C:2? s6’C:6DV 72:=FC6 E@ C6249 E96 }rpp %@FC?2>6?E 2?5 E96? <:DD (‘& 8@@53J6 7@C x?5:2?2]k^Am
kAmw@H 42? J@F 4@>6 @FE @7 }@CE9 %6I2D 2?5 DE6A :?E@ E96 3:8 E:>6 2?5 E9:?< @7 H:??:?8 C:89E 2H2J[ 32EE=:?8 E96 =:<6D @7 w@FDE@?[ z2?D2D[ pC:K@?2 2?5 x@H2 $E2E6 H:E9:? J@FC @H? =628F6 2?5 ECJ:?8 E@ 5@ :E E9C@F89 E96 A@CE2=nk^Am
kAmw@H 5@ J@F 7:?5 E96 BF2=:EJ @7 492C24E6C 😕 A=2J6CD 2D H6== 2D E96 ?646DD:EJ @7 2E9=6E:4 23:=:EJ 2D J@F C64CF:E 7C@> E96 A@CE2= 7@C @?6\ @C EH@\J62C A=2J6CD[ >@DE=J 7C@> 2 =@H6C =6G6=nk^Am
kAmQ*@F 2D< 5:77:4F=E BF6DE:@?D] s@?VE ?@E 2D< BF6DE:@?D J@F >2J ?@E H2?E E@ @H E96 2?DH6C E@[Q w@586 D2:5] QxE 😀 92C5] *@F >2J 7:?5 2 A=2J6C H9@ 7:ED 2 =@E @7 E96 A9JD:42= 2EEC:3FE6D J@F 2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C 2?5 92D E96 E2=6?E =6G6= J@F H2?E 3FE J@F >2J ?@E 36 23=6 E@ 86E @G6C D@>6 @7 E96 >@C6 5:77:4F=E BF6DE:@?D V{:<6 H92EVD 96 =:<6 H96? E9:?8D 8@ 325nV V(92EVD 96 =:<6 😕 E96 =@4<6C C@@>nV Vw@H 5@6D 96 C6DA@?5 E@ 5:77:4F=E 4@249:?8nVk^Am
kAmQ*@F 42? 7:?5 @FE[Q 96 D2:5] QxEVD 2 D>2== AC@76DD:@?j 2 D>2== 4:C4=6] *@F 42? 2D< E9@D6 BF6DE:@?D @7 A6@A=6 J@F ECFDE E@ 8:G6 J@F 244FC2E6 2DD6DD>6?ED @7 A6@A=6 J@F 2C6 C64CF:E:?8]k^Am
kAmQxD E96C6 2 7@C>F=2 J@F 36=:6G6 😕 23@FE E96 >2<6\FA @7 :?5:G:5F2=D[ 2DDF>:?8 E96C6VD 2 32D6=:?6 @7 E2=6?EnQ 96 D2:5[ C6249:?8 E96 4@?4=FD:@? E92E[ Q*@F 42?VE 8@ :?E@ E96 z6?EF46E:>6D 😀 2D :>A@CE2?E 2D A9JD:42= 2EEC:3FE6D]Qk^Am
kAm$@ J@F DEF5J E96 A=2J6CD J@F :?E6CG:6H 6G6? 92C56C E92? E96J DEF5J J@F]k^Am
kAmQx H@F=5 9@A6 :7 J@F H6C6 3C:?8:?8 D@>6@?6 :?E@ J@FC AC@8C2> J@F H@F=5 @H H92E J@F 2C6 3C:?8:?8 :?] %96 E6>AE2E:@? 7@C 2== @7 FD 😀 Vw6J[ :E 😀 2 E2=6?E 3FD:?6DD 2?5 x 42? 36 E96 8FJ H9@ 42? 36 E96 @?6 E@ C6249 E9:D <:5]V *@F @H[ ?6H 6?G:C@?>6?ED 2C6?VE 2=H2JD 2 325 E9:?8 7@C 2 =@E @7 5:776C6?E C62D@?D[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAmQ*@F 92G6 E@ ECJ E@ @H E96 :?5:G:5F2= J@F 2C6 3C:?8:?8 :?]Qk^Am
kAmxEVD 2 C6=2E:@?D9:A J@F 3F:=5 2D 2 4@249 H:E9 6249 A=2J6C D@ J@F 2D< E9@D6 E@F89 BF6DE:@?D @7 9:> 2?5 E9@D6 H9@ @H 9:>[ 3FE w@586 25>:ED 96 H2?ED E@F89 BF6DE:@?D 324< 7C@> E96 A=2J6CD 96 C64CF:ED]k^Am
kAmQ*629[ x C62==J C6DA64E E92E 2?5 6?4@FC286 E92E H96? E96J 86E @? 42>AFD[Q w@586 D2:5] Qx H2?E E96> E@ 36 23=6 E@ 2D< 5:77:4F=E BF6DE:@?D H96E96C :EVD 😕 E96 C64CF:E:?8 AC@46DD @C 96C6] *@F 2D< E96 BF6DE:@?[ x AC@G:56 E96 2?DH6C[ E96? H6 >@G6 7@CH2C5]k^Am
kAmQ*@F >2J ?@E 2=H2JD =:<6 E96 2?DH6C E92E J@F 2C6 86EE:?8[ 3FE D@>6E:>6D 8FJD H@?VE 2D< E96 BF6DE:@? 3642FD6 E96J 5@?VE H2?E E@ 86E E96 2?DH6C] %96J ;FDE H2?E E@ 36 23=6 E@ 4C62E6 2 ?2CC2E:G6 😕 E96:C @H? 3C2:? 23@FE H9J E9:?8D 2C6?VE 8@:?8 E96 H2J E96J H2?E E96> E@]k^Am
kAmQx >2J ?@E =:<6 E96 2?DH6C[ 6:E96C[ 3FE E92EVD A2CE @7 E96 AC@46DD] qFE H96? J@F =62G6 E92E C@@>[ E96C6 92D E@ 36 2 F?:7:65 7C@?E H:E9 6G6CJ@?6 >@G:?8 😕 E96 D2>6 5:C64E:@?]Qk^Am
kAmp?5 E92E 4C62E6D 2 E62>[ A=2J6CD H9@ A=2J ?@E @?=J 7@C E96>D6=G6D 2?5 E96:C }qp 5C62>D 3FE 2D >F49 7@C E96 >@>6?E[ 7@C E96 :?DE2?E2?6@FD C6H2C5D E92E 4@>6 H:E9 2 H:? 😕 E96 @?=J 82>6 E92E 4@F?ED[ E96 82>6 E96J 2C6 A=2J:?8]k^Am
kAmk6>mu@==@H o396CEK6= @? )k^6>mk^Am