Brilliant length-of-the-floor inbound play saves West Virginia
The difference between a good season and a special one is sometimes as simple as winning a few games that probably ought to have been losses.
Eighteenth-ranked West Virginia got one of those Saturday against visiting TCU.
The Mountaineers won 86-85 despite blowing an eight-point lead in the final nine minutes of regulation, trailing for almost the entire overtime and surrendering an apparent game-winning shot in the game's final seconds. It was TCU's Trey Zeigler who sank that shot, burying a short jumper in the paint to give his team a one-point lead with only two seconds remaining.
What saved West Virginia was a brilliant length-of-the-floor inbound pass that led streaking freshman guard Jevon Carter toward the basket and enabled him to draw a foul on Kyan Anderson as he attempted a game-winning layup. Carter coolly sank both foul shots with only 0.9 seconds remaining, sealing a win that didn't seem likely to be so difficult when the game began.
West Virginia has established itself one of the Big 12's better teams this season thanks to its formula of a swarming defense that thrives on forcing turnovers and an offense that overcomes its poor outside shooting by attacking the offensive glass. TCU has only one league win as its 13-0 start in non-league play has proven to be a schedule-aided mirage.
The Horned Frogs played one of their better games of the season Saturday as they attacked the rim and drew fouls at will against the ultra-aggressive Mountaineers. Nonetheless, it wasn't enough thanks to the clutch last-second free throws from Carter.
As West Virginia celebrated the victory at mid-court after the final buzzer, TCU coach Trent Johnson made a beeline for the referees and had to be held back by his assistants.
Did he have a right to be incensed about the foul that resulted in Carter's foul shots? Eh, probably not. It was a tough break for the hard-luck Horned Frogs and a stroke of good fortune for a Mountaineers team that has returned to national relevance.
(Thanks for the video, SB Nation)
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
