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College basketball week 4: 5 biggest takeaways

By Chris Stone

Dec 3, 2016; Villanova, PA, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) dribbles the ball up court against the Saint Joseph
Dec 3, 2016; Villanova, PA, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) dribbles the ball up court against the Saint Joseph /
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Dec 3, 2016; Charlottesville, VA, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins argues a call from the bench against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half at John Paul Jones Arena. The Mountaineers won 66-57. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Charlottesville, VA, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins argues a call from the bench against the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half at John Paul Jones Arena. The Mountaineers won 66-57. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

4. For West Virginia, the sum is greater than the individual parts

Although the West Virginia Mountaineers started the year as a member of the preseason AP Top 25, it wasn’t clear how the program would respond to losing its two leading scorers and its most versatile defender. After this week, though, it might be time to stop questioning head coach Bob Huggins and his squad.

West Virginia bounced back from a neutral site loss to Temple on Friday by smashing Manhattan, 108-61, at home on Monday. The impressive part of that win? The Mountaineers forced 40 turnovers in 40 minutes. That means 46.0 percent of the Jaspers’ offensive possessions ended in a giveaway. The performance is the pinnacle of Huggins’ “Press Virginia” system that has ranked first or second in defensive turnover percentage the past two seasons. This year, they’re back atop those rankings, creating turnovers on 33.6 percent of opponents’ possessions.

If the Manhattan win was the best example of what West Virginia is capable of, the Mountaineers’ road victory over the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday may be the most impressive victory of the “Press Virginia” era. West Virginia forced one of the surest handling teams in the country into 14 turnovers — that was a turnover on nearly one quarter of the Cavaliers’ offensive possessions — en route to a nine point win in Charlottesville. The Mountaineers were also without starting guard Daxter Miles for most of the contest after Miles was thrown out for an elbow in the first half.

At West Virginia it appears the pieces may come and go, but the system remains as resilient as ever. This week showed us there’s not much to worry about in Morgantown.