BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: West Virginia @ Rutgers

January 31, 2007


West Virginia will continue their quest for their first conference road game this week with a two-game trek through the state of New Jersey. The road begins tonight with a date at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a thrilling double OT win over their in-state rivals Seton Hall over the weekend and will look to try and make it two in a row when the Mountaineers come to the RAC.

Here are the internet pregame stories and previews found this morning:

Rutgers-WVU Scouting Report (Courier News)
Win over Pirates a Shot in the Arm for Rutgers (Edison Sentinel)
WVU Begins Critical NJ Jaunt (Charleston Gazette)
Mountaineers Hope to Get Road Win Tonight at Rutgers (Register-Herlad)




Click below for our brief preview and prediction on this game and don't forget to leave your prediction in the comments section.

READ REST OF PREVIEW...CLICK "Read More" BELOW



West Virginia's ability to reload this season after losing JD Collins, Patrick Beilein, Mike Gansey, Joe Herber and Kevin Pittsnogle to graduation has kept the Mountaineers in contention in the Big East and alive for a bid to the NCAA Tournament come March. Many, including myself, believed that the only bubble the Mountaineers would be on would be that for the Big East Tournament, let alone the NCAA!

The next two weeks are going to be critical for the Mountaineers and their NCAA hopes. First, they must show they can win on the road. While the Big East schedule makers were not a big believer in the Mountaineers, they were dealt a very favorable schedule, but they have yet (0-3) to win on the road in the conference. Tonight they have a golden opportunity to end that streak when they travel to New Jersey to meet Rutgers. This weekend West Virginia will also meet Seton Hall at the Meadowlands before returning home next week for Pittsburgh and UCLA, where their SOS will finally get a bump up.

For Rutgers, it did not look very promising after the were dumped by South Florida by 22 points. However, they rebounded from that embarrasment to make a late rally and force overtime against Seton Hall and eventually prevailed in 2 OT. The Scarlet Knights are extremely offensively challeneged as shooting from the perimeter is a chore and they really lack any for of inside offensive as well. A definite combination to be in the conference cellar.

West Virginia will most certainly frustrate Rutgers with their patience on offense and their ability to trap in their 1-3-1 zone. Rutgers is going to have to make all the right decisions and the shots that present themselves for them from the perimeter. WVU will rely on the 3-ball and make their share, leaving Rutgers scrambling to keep up.

West Virginia is a 9-pt favorite and a 15-pt projected winner by Pomeroy. I see them winning this game, but it might be a little more of a contest than many think as WVU looks for their first win on the road since a November date with Duquesne.

NBE Blogger Prediction: West Virginia 65 Rutgers 57