West Virginia-Wake Forest AP Preview
3/19/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 18, 2005
GAME: No. 7 West Virginia (22-10). vs. No. 2 Wake Forest (28-5).
REGIONAL: Albuquerque, second round.
TIME: Saturday, 8 p.m. EST.
SITE: The Wolstein Center; Cleveland.
Even with a successful return by Chris Paul, Wake Forest still has a number of issues heading into a second-round matchup with West Virginia.
Wake Forest had plenty of trouble before holding off Chattanooga, 70-54 in the first round Thursday. The Demon Deacons' problems overshadowed the return of Paul, the star point guard who was back in the lineup after serving a one-game suspension for hitting North Carolina State forward Julius Hodge in the groin in the regular-season finale on March 6.
Although Paul finished with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, Wake Forest trailed by three points at halftime before taking control after intermission.
"We need to find out if that first half was Chattanooga or us," Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser said. "If we play like that on Saturday, we'll be on a plane going home."
Prosser is hoping that the second half is more indicative of his team's play. The Demon Deacons shot 58 percent and committed just five turnovers over the final 20 minutes.
Wake Forest had 10 turnovers and Paul had only seven points in the first half. The guard admitted that nerves were a factor.
"Coach kept telling me, 'You have to play with confidence,"' Paul said. "I told him after the game it was just a little tournament jitters. I hope I'm over them now."
The Demon Deacons also hope to get center Eric Williams more involved in the offense. Williams, who averages 15.8 points, was limited to 11 on 4-of-5 shooting.
West Virginia advanced with a thrilling 63-61 win over Creighton. Tyrone Sally blocked a 3-point attempt by the Bluejays' Nate Funk, raced upcourt and put home an uncontested dunk with 2.9 seconds left for the winning points.
"I was having a terrible game," Sally said. "I figured if I keep playing and do the little things, I'd get myself into the game and things would start to happen for me."
Kevin Pittsnogle scored 17 points to lead West Virginia, bouncing back from a two-point effort in a loss to Syracuse last Saturday in the Big East tournament championship. Pittsnogle is averaging 15.6 points per game.
The Mountaineers, who last advanced to the regional semifinals in 1998, are playing an Atlantic Coast Conference team for the second time this season after winning at N.C. State, 82-69 on Jan. 2.
"We know about Wake Forest, we've watched them a lot of TV this year and they're a great team," Pittsnogle said. "They're the fifth number one seed, I guess you could say, and it's going to be fun to play them. We watched them play a little bit tonight and they're a great all-around team."
West Virginia has won eight of its last 10 games.
The Mountaineers lead the all-time series with the Demon Deacons, 6-3. The teams have not met since Wake posted a 93-80 win on Dec. 3, 1975.
PROBABLE STARTERS: West Virginia - F Sally (12.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg), F Mike Gansey (11.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg), C Pittsnogle (11.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg), G Johannes Herber (8.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg), G J.D. Collins (3.4 ppg, 3.1 apg). Wake Forest - F Jamaal Levy (7.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg), F Vytas Danelius (7.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg), C Williams (15.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg), G Justin Gray (16.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg), G Paul (15.0 ppg, 6.5 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: West Virginia - At-large berth, Big East; beat Creighton 63-61, first round. Wake Forest - At-large berth, ACC; beat Chattanooga 70-54, first round.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: West Virginia - 14-18, 19 years. Wake Forest - 27-19, 20 years.
