Bob Huggins stresses importance of Erik Stevenson's hot start

West Virginia is still near the bottom of the Big 12 standings and occupies a two-game deficit from sixth-place Oklahoma State. However, even at 3-7 in conference play, the Mountaineers are fighting to stay in the NCAA Tournament field and are currently one of the Last Four In, per Joe Lunardi. After starting out 0-5 in the Big 12, there’s plenty of hope for a March run in Morgantown.

Fans can thank senior guard Erik Stevenson in large part for the recent uptick in play from WVU. They’re winners in four of their last six, including three Quad 1 victories. Stevenson was a monster in the wins, racking up totals of 34 and 31 the last two Saturdays in home victories over Auburn and Oklahoma. Against the Sooners, he got off to a particularly hot start, which head coach Bob Huggins said helped other guys get into the flow of the game too.

“Well, obviously he was really good,” Huggins said of Stevenson after his scoring outburst vs. Oklahoma. “I think we finally have realized what we need to do to win in this league. Our practices were better. Guys were a lot more focused. I think they understand we got some work to do. Erik was terrific. And I thought he did a good job of leading and helping our other guys.”

Later in the press conference, Huggins went on to say that the potential end of their careers is lighting a fire under some of the seniors. After the 0-5 Big 12 start, these guys were staring down the barrel of a second straight last-place finish and another missed NCAA Tournament to end their careers.

“I think they’re starting to realize that,” said Huggins. “Particularly, I think, guys like Erik, this is it for him. This is it for Keddy (Kedrian Johnson). So, I think they’re starting to realize…hey man, I don’t want to have to go through what we went through a year ago in Keddy’s situation. And Erik’s heard enough about it that he doesn’t want any part of that as well. I think that’s motivation.”

Erik Stevenson and Kedrian Johnson are both journeyman guards, in their fifth and sixth seasons of college ball. For Stevenson, it’s his fourth school in four years. Meanwhile, the rest of the roster is more of the same. Old, multi-destination transfers who have a month left to earn an NCAA Tournament bid or retire from the college game narrowly missing out.

There’s an urgency to this team that just wasn’t there in January. West Virginia has veterans everywhere and a Hall of Fame coach on the sidelines. Don’t count them out as we head down the stretch of the season.