FINAL: West Virginia got everything they could handle from Buffalo, but through a super-human effort by Philip, the Mountaineers will move on. They will play the winner of Maryland and Valpo in the next round. From Columbus, I'm Ben Anderson, signing off.
FINAL: Browne gets 1-2 at the line, Buffalo utterly misses on other end. WEST VIRGINIA DRIBBLES OUT THE CLOCK AND WINS!!!!
2nd Half, 28 Secs: PHILIP THE HERO!!!!!!! GET'S THE HUGE THREE!!!! Tarik Philip gets the rebound on the other end, and WEST VIRGINIA LOOKS LIKE A WINNER!!!!!
2nd Half, 1:02: Browne barely misses three on other end, but WVU SCRAPS for offensive rebounds, gets timeout and fresh 35.
2nd Half, 1:38: MOSS MISSES THE WIDE OPEN LAYUP. The big man not coming up clutch, WVU heading the other way.
2nd Half, 1:43: Buffalo's Skeete was trapped, Bulls have to call another timeout. Can't take another turnover here.
2nd Half, 2:10: Buffalo ALMOST turns it over, but calls a timeout. Can they take the pressure in crunch time?
2nd Half, 2:10: Foul, Williams to the line, Buffalo has got to quit these silly fouls. Williams makes both.
2nd Half, 2:24: Nutty final 2 minutes to come, folks!!! Buffalo trying to pull off the upset!
2nd Half, 2:56: Staten the Savior, parts the blue sea, gets the layup. BUT THEN FORD GETS THE THREE ON THE OTHER END, TIE GAME!!!!
2nd Half, 3:27: XAVIER FORD to the RESCUE!!!! Gets the BUCKET and the FOUL, and the BULLS are STAMPEDING!!!!
2nd Half, 4:07: Skeete MISSES the three for Buffalo, West Virginia bailed out. Williams tries to rebound, turns it over. Buffalo will have another chance to cut!
2nd Half, 4:29: WVU, bumbling and fumbling around, shot clock violation!
2nd Half, 5:03: BEARDEN to the BUCKET, what a powerful move! Huggins calls a timeout, and Buffalo isn't going anywhere.
2nd Half, 5:23: Staten to the line, gets 1-2. What does Buffalo have left?
2nd Half, 5:40: XAVIER FORD, Buffalo needed that, gets a big three!
2nd Half, 6:20: MACON fouls Moss, 44 fouls in this game! Moss makes both, but Williams comes back in.
2nd Half, 6:21: Will Regan fouls out. Browne gets 1 free throw to go, back to a 9 point lead, while Williams is working out that ankle on the sidelines.
2nd Half, 6:21: Oh no. Devin Williams' ankle has turned, and he is in a lot of pain. Doesn't look like a bad injury, looks like he rolled it. He gets up. Will be fine. He has 15 points on the evening.
2nd Half, 6:40: Buffalo's SEVENTEEN TURNOVER. This game is getting out of hand from the Bulls.
2nd Half, 7:12: POWER basketball, Devin Williams pushes by Regan, gets the bucket and the foul!
2nd Half, 7:43: Gets them both! This game is going to be wild in these final 7.
2nd Half, 7:43: Pass to Moss, he is fouled. Buffalo is hanging around. Jonathan Holten fouls out, the first to go.
2nd Half, 8:10: Sixteenth Buffalo turnover. Bobby Hurley is beside himself.
2nd Half, 8:44: Staten MISSES on 1 and 1.
2nd Half, 9:18: Wigginton goes to the line, makes both. 7 point lead, Buffalo still hanging around. Bad WVU possession, but Buffalo goes down and commits the charge. Too many overly-aggressive plays by Buffalo hurting them. Staten to shoot free throws.
2nd Half, 9:45: WVU keeps the ball, Miles Jr. MISSES layup, then Bearden misses layup on other end. The futility continues as HOLTEN misses a layup.
2nd Half, 10:10: Williams STRIPPED, Buffalo on the run. Moss then turns it over. Wow, Justin Moss lost a tooth on that play! Tarik Philip stole the ball from him, and in the process knocked a tooth out of Moss' mouth!
2nd Half, 10:55: Carter makes both, then Adrian fouls on other end. Just such a brutal game. Moss to the line, finally makes 2 in a row.
2nd Half, 11:35: Buffalo makes a pair from the line, back to a 9 point lead. On other side, WVU gets THREE offensive rebounds, now going to the line themselves.
2nd Half, 12:20: On the other end, Wigginton and Macon COLLIDE, foul on Macon. No shots. Evans then utterly misses three pointer, WVU runs, Philip gets a tip-in, 11 point Mountaineer lead.
2nd Half, 12:44: Wigginton with a nice move, but if Buffalo wants a run, they need to play some better defense. Now another Buffalo foul, Carter to the line.
2nd Half, 13:00: Staten POWERS to the basket, what a move! WVU is responding to every Buffalo run.
2nd Half, 13:40: Regan SLAMS it home, but Buffalo fouls on other end. No shots for WVU, WVU ball.
2nd Half, 14:01: Will Regan gets his 3rd foul, rough on the Bulls. Carter drills a jump shot, 48-38 WVU.
2nd Half, 14:20: Buffalo gets an offensive rebound, but then turned it over out of bounds. Need to cut down on silly mistakes if they want to win.
2nd Half, 14:40: TV Timeout after Bearden pushes his way into the paint for a lay-in.
2nd Half, 15:50: Johnson misses BOTH, FT woes continue for the Bulls. Miles Jr. UNLOADS FOR THREE on the other end, back to a 10 point Mountaineer lead.
2nd Half, 16:31: Foul on Browne, no shots for Buffalo. Evans is BLOCKED by Holten, but it's rebounded by Buffalo, and the Bulls will go the the line, Johnson shooting.
2nd Half, 17:04: EVANS for three, he's heating up for the Bulls, but Miles Jr. DRIVES to the basket for the easy lay-in. Back and forth we go.
2nd Half, 17:45: Great job on the defensive end by WVU, didn't back down when Buffalo pushed down low. WVU ball, then Williams to the basket AGAIN. Back to an 8 point lead.
2nd Half, 17:50: Williams gets the feed from Staten, Williams gets the bucket AND foul. Great response by the Mountaineers.
2nd Half, 18:23: Ford with the JUMPER, and it's a 3 point game!!! 7-0 run by Buffalo!
2nd Half, 19:00: Moss to the RIM, Bulls on the CHARGE. 36-31 WVU.
2nd Half, 19:30: Buffalo starts with the ball, gets it to Evans in the corner for THREE. That was impressive. Will it continue?
Halftime: We are almost back to basketball.
Halftime: This was a fun game so far, but a massive amount of fouls so far in this game, 12 for each team. Juwan Staten leads the Mountaineers with 10 points, as he is driving into the lane with authority. Tarik Philip is playing off of the bench well for WVU, giving them a spark, and Devin Williams & Jonathan Holten only have 2 fouls each. As for Buffalo, it took them a while to get in rhythm, but they played very well after they settled in, beating the press. They simply need to calm down, and be patient with the basketball. It will be a fun 2nd half, and we will be back when it begins.
1st Half Ends: Bearden misses another wide open layup. WVU closes out the half with a missed three, and the Mountaineers lead by 10 at the half.
1st Half, 45 Secs: Ford, offensive foul! Buffalo needs to settle down.
1st Half, 1:00: ELEVEN Buffalo turnovers, the press has got to them all game. Not used to it. But, Staten dribbles it off of his leg out of bound. Buffalo ball.
1st Half, 1:41: Watkins fouls Justin Moss, big men are continually getting fouled in this game. But, Moss is not shooting well at the charity stripe. Misses BOTH.
1st Half, 2:59: WVU went to the line, gets two. Then Buffalo misses on other end, THEY have went cold. Topsy-turvy time. Staten on other end EXTENDS the lead, got into the paint.
1st Half, 3:20: Now a run for the Mountaineers, Buffalo gets caught up in the moment. A few turnovers brings the WVU lead to 6.
1st Half, 4:00: Macon, out of bounds, turnover! Buffalo looking to get within one or tie here.
1st Half, 4:25: Moss goes to the line, makes both, and it is a 3 point game!
1st Half, 4:40: WVU has went a little cold here. Need to stop the bleeding.
1st Half, 5:40: Devin Williams makes them both, but Ford DRILLS the trey on the other end. Carter BARELY misses layup on other end for WVU. Wild pace.
1st Half, 5:56: Williams is fouled AGAIN. To the line the big man goes.
1st Half: 6:40: Williams misses the free throw, Buffalo with a chance to cut. Moss with the move, GETS it to go, 6 point game.
1st Half: 6:59: WVU will head to the line when we return, TV timeout.
1st Half, 7:45: Johnson, slams it HOME, his 2nd dunk! Playing great off of the bench. Then a turnover, Evans with the layup! WVU getting a little sloppy, still holds 8 point lead.
1st Half, 8:09: Shannon Evans has hit a few jumpers, but it committing costly turnovers. Then a foul. Carter to the line, drills them both. 12 point WVU lead in this foul fest.
1st Half, 8:18: Williams to the line. Misses the first, makes the 2nd.
1st Half, 8:40: Evans with the jumper! Buffalo coming alive, down 9.
1st Half, 9:25: Johnson with the DUNK for the Bulls, still an 11 point WVU advantage.
1st Half, 10:00 Finally something for Justin Moss, gets the floater. Buffalo needs to get him the ball. But on the other end, Tarik Philip gets the bucket AND the foul. Philip and Macon are coming alive!
1st Half, 10:34: Macon, active early for WVU. Gets one off of the backboard to go, 22-9 West Virginia.
1st Half, 11:30: Staten, deep two! Buffalo playing some horrible defense. But, Bearden goes down the floor, great lay-in and the foul. Pace is fast, but it is a foul fest. 12 total fouls already. Buffalo in the bonus, WVU near. Timeout.
1st Half, 12:00: Easy pass to Philip, 11 point lead for the Mountaineers after that layup. Just coming way too easy.
1st Half, 12:58: 2 fouls on Buffalo on the defensive end, none while in the act of shooting. Adrian to the rim, tip-in, GOOD. 16-7 Mountaineers.
1st Half, 13:00: Adrian called for the foul, looks a bit ticky-tack. Bob Huggins is furious. Ford makes both at the line, 14-7 WVU.
1st Half, 13:42: After a long possession, Buffalo gets several offensive rebounds. Wigginton misses two, but West Virginia rebounded it out of bounds. Still Buffalo ball.
1st Half, 14:25: Staten goes to the line, scores two at the charity stripe. So far, these healthy Mountaineers look scary.
1st Half, 14:44: West Virginia is moving the ball extremely well. Buffalo looks nervous.
1st Half, 15:03: Staten to the paint, SCORES the layup. Evans turns it over on the other end, Buffalo's FIFTH turnover!
1st Half, 15:40: Browne looking great for WVU early, nails the trey. Turnover on other end, Buffalo's 4th turnover. Timeout.
1st Half, 16:01: FINALLY a field goal by Buffalo, Shannon Evans drills a three. 7-5.
1st Half, 16:47: Macon misses hook shot, Buffalo's Bearden fouled on other end, to the FT line. Buffalo on the board, 7-2 WVU.
1st Half, 17:14: Shot clock violation on Bobby Hurley's team, they look lackadaisical so far.
1st Half, 17:47: Williams, spin move, BUCKET. 7-0 Eers.
1st Half, 18:21: Foul on Gary Browne, WVU's third foul. Ford misses wide open three for the Bulls.
1st Half, 18:24: Jonathan Holten misses jumper. Buffalo having a tough time getting it in, pressure is mounting. Timeout.
1st Half, 18:51: Buffalo not adjusting well to the pressure early, getting pushed around by the Mountaineers.
1st Half, 19:15: Devin Williams, hook shot, 5-0 Mountaineers. Frenetic pace.
1st Half, 19:30: Daxter Miles Jr. gets the 3 to go, early start for the Eers. Offensive foul on other end by Buffalo.
1st Half, 20:00: WVU wins the tip!
Great crowd for both teams, but WVU may lead the crowd in fans.
3 minutes, everyone, until the charge for Buffalo and WVU start in the NCAA tournament. Who will prevail? Juwan Staten and Justin Moss look great in warmups.
25 minutes away, folks. Will another Big 12 team go down, or will the Mountaineers start a big run in this tournament? We shall see very soon.
We are about 45 minutes from tip-off, and Nationwide Arena in Columbus is starting to fill. This will likely have a good crowd today, as Columbus is not very distant from Buffalo or Morgantown.
Sophomore guard Shannon Evans is the second scoring threat for the Bulls. He is their long-range shooting option as well with a shooting percentage of 37.5% from three-point range. Evans averages 15.4 points per game and 4.7 assists per game.
Junior forward Justin Moss. The 6-foot-7 forward from Detroit, Michigan leads the team in both points per game (17.7) and rebounds per game (9.3). He has 15 double-doubles this season including a big 22 point, 17 rebound game back on March 3rd.
Two players to watch for the Buffalo Bulls:
Buffalo is one of the better rebounding teams in the country grabbing 38.4 per game, which is good for 16th in the Nation.
After their Valentine’s Day loss to Central Michigan, they found that spark and have since reeled off eight straight win including a win over CMU in the Conference Championship game.
The Buffalo Bulls come into today’s game as the Mid-American Conference Tournament Champions. They had a bit of a roller coaster year after they got into conference play. They started out 3-3 before winning three consecutive games. They followed that stretch with three consecutive losses which saw them fall in the tightly contested MAC.
West Virginia masters the full court press, as they lead in the nation with at least 11 steals a game. 'Press Virginia' has gotten mixed results from their scheme, resulting in some backlash, but depending on matchups, it is deadly for other teams. They need to make sure that they don't allow Buffalo to get wide open threes by WVU getting 'trap-happy'. They need to follow Coach Huggins' orders, as he's been waiting for this tournament all year.
We can't leave Bob Huggins out of the conversation when it comes to underrated yet electric all-time great head coaches. The always talkative and somewhat gruff 'Huggy Bear' has a stunning 758–305 career record, with his time at Cincinnati and WVU being his biggest accomplishments. Leading the Mountaineers to the Final Four in 2010 cemented his legacy, but he is still seeking first NCAA Championship in his 61st year of life. If the program wishes to do it this year, they have a lot of work to do, but never doubt a Bob Huggins-coached team.
Gary Browne was injured in West Virginia's 2nd matchup against Baylor this year, and the senior captain will finally make his return in this game just like Staten. He is an extremely mature young man, and just his presence on the court should give the Mountaineers a boost. There was a silver lining with Staten and Browne being out for WVU, as the all-star cast of freshmen the folks from Morgantown have garnered attained great experience, and will be ready to give the team a boost when necessary. Jevon Carter has become their three-point specialist, bringing the Mountaineers back in big games with the kickout trey. Daxter Miles Jr. has hit his hot streak, and has scored in double-digits for 5 games in a row. Other youthful contributors include JUCO transfer Jaysean Paige, Columbus native Elijah Macon (who has been inconsistent, but can be a force down low), and up-and-coming three pointer specialist Chase Connor, who hails from southern West Virginia.
Juwan Staten was the preseason Big 12 player of the year, and was the leading scorer for WVU throughout the season. He is an explosive scorer, known to score in bunches, but his key attribute is his leadership in late game situations. Some may remember his electric driving layup earlier this year when the 'Eers shocked Kansas in Morgantown. Staten decided to forgo the NBA draft and come back for his senior season because of the potential of the team Bob Huggins had compiled, and it has certainly paid off. He has, however, been out for the past few games due to injury, but he is, according to the team, back to full health and will be ready to go today. Devin Williams will be a critical factor tonight. Usually the Mountaineers' most reliable threat in the paint, he has come into his own the past few games, and without him, West Virginia virtually has no post presence. Legendary coach Bob Huggins knows his 'Eers will have to get him going early and often to have a chance tonight, while needing some production by Jonathan Holten and Brandon Watkins off of the bench to help out Williams.
After yesterday's unbelievably crazy day of upsets of Big 12 teams, with the Baylor Bears being shocked by RJ Hunter and the Georgia State Panthers, and Iowa State falling at the hands of Robert Brown's up and coming UAB Blazers squad, West Virginia is undoubtedly scared today. However, it's hard to deny the power the Mountaineers have shown this season and want to continue through this NCAA tournament. Let's take a microscope to the WVU roster.
Hello, and welcome to VAVEL USA's continuing coverage of the wild, wacky, stupifying, and exhilerating NCAA tournament. I'm Ben Anderson, and I will lead you through this afternoon's intriguing matchup between Bob Huggins' West Virginia Mountaineers, a #5 seed, and Bobby Hurley's Buffalo Bulls, a #12 seed. Sit back and relax as we take you through.