Time flies. I know we hear that all the time, but it's true isn't it? That saying always hits me about this time of year. In some ways, it feels as if basketball season is just now getting going, yet we are actually only have six weeks or so from conference tournament time.

 

Need another indication that time is flying right along? Starting today, West Virginia begins round two of the conference season. WVU began the Big 12 conference season just a few weeks ago by traveling to Ft. Worth to take on TCU. Now the Horned Frogs return the trip and visit the Coliseum for a 2:00pm tipoff later today.

 

Here's what you should look for in today's game:

 

1) How will the press effect TCU in this second meeting? I think this will be a key to the rest of the season for the Mountaineers. It's well documented how effective the press has been so far for WVU (the Texas game notwithstanding). There's no doubt that one of the keys to the Mountaineers' success so far has been the inability of other teams to replicate West Virginia's defense in practice. Sure, you can throw seven or eight guys out there against your starting five to make it uncomfortable. You can watch hours of film. You can read the scouting report about the size of Johnathon Holton or Nate Adrian on the front of the press. But, until you step on the floor and experience it for yourself, there's no way you can really know what's coming.

 

Once teams have seen the press and played against it for 40 minutes, will they be better prepared to handle it? If the answer to that question is yes, it could be a rough few weeks for WVU. The element of surprise is gone, but that doesn't mean the press won't be effective as WVU faces teams for the second time. We'll begin to find out today how much having played against this WVU press helps a team in round two.

 

2) Will Juwan Staten return to form? Staten has not scored in double figures in either of the last two games. That's rare. He only missed double figure points last year in two games all year. Now WVU found a way to win against Oklahoma on January 13 without Staten doing his normal thing on the offensive end, but I've got to think that will be a rarity. In order for this Mountaineer team to make a run deep into March, it will need Staten's scoring. In Big 12 play last season, there were only two stretches of two or more games in which Staten was not the leading scorer for WVU. The first came in February, the second in March.

 

DATE:	OPPONENT	STATEN	RESULT	LEADING SCORER IN GAME
Feb. 10	Iowa State	19 points	Win	Dibo (20 points)
Feb. 15	Texas	14 points	Loss	Harris (21 points)
Feb. 22	Baylor	16 points	Loss	Harris (32 points)
March 8	Kansas	24 points	Win	Harris (32 points)
March 13	Texas	4 points	Loss	Watkins (10 points)

 

Look at the output by Staten in all of those games except the Texas game on March 13. Even if he was not the leading the scorer, he was still putting up really good numbers. That hasn't been the case in the last two games in which Staten has scored seven points combined.

 

I would expect Staten to bounce back with a good game on Saturday. And by 'good game,' I mean double digit scoring. We know Staten can still produce even if the scoring totals are down, as we saw when he had eight assists in the win over Oklahoma on January 13. However, I would expect him to get back near his scoring average in today's game.

 

3) The officiating. I know, I know, the majority of you think the officiating has been awful so far this year. Of course, when do Mountaineer fans think the officials are doing a good job? Here's something to think about … the way the guys in the striped shirts are calling the games are much different than a year ago.

 

Remember, how last season every little touch or hand-check was called? It wasn't only away from the basket, but in the lane as well. Any contact was a foul. Well, that really benefitted Juwan Staten. It was virtually impossible to stop him. No guard could stay in front of him and once he blew by the first defender and got to the hoop, he did a great job of drawing contact from the player trying to block his shot. Teams were either fouling him or giving up a layup nearly every time he drove to the basket.

 

This year has been different. There is much more contact around the basket. It may not be like it was two years ago or in the BIG EAST, but the game is certainly being called differently this year than last. Officials are letting guys grab and push much more than last year.

 

Now that's not all bad though. Think about how WVU plays defense. The WVU guards swarm to the ball when the offensive player picks up his dribble. Their hands are constantly reaching in and trying to grab the ball. There is plenty of contact. Some of it gets called, yes. But much of it does not and the result is a ton of turnovers.

 

It's not only opposing teams that are seeing the West Virginia press for the second time. As WVU goes through the conference for the second time, many of the officials will have seen WVU a few times as well. Will that affect how they call the game? Will the referees let the contact go today or will there be a 'quick whistle?'

 

4) How is the collective mental well-being of this team?

 

The Texas loss was rough. This Mountaineer team had been rolling. Even the losses were close. The game last Saturday against Texas was not. How will WVU recover from that loss? Did the week off help the team and allow them to get over it? Will it linger in their minds as they take the floor today. The old cliché after a bad loss is "don't let that team beat you twice." That saying certainly applies today. WVU must not allow Texas to beat it twice.

 

We know TCU is improved from last year, but this is simply a game WVU must win. Because of the early season success WVU has had, it is in great position for a return to the NCAA Tournament. Games like today, however, are tricky. You won't get much national love for beating the Horned Frogs. A loss, though, will be noticed by the selection committee come March.

 

What's the key to the game today in your opinion? Leave a comment below or send me a tweet @bradhowe07 and let me know.

 

Editor's Note: Photos by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.