-Hodge said obviously he has a lot of respect for that team, their coach and their program. As far as this game, the biggest disappointment was their inability to grab loose balls early in the game which led directly to some threes. Out of the first 15 Texas Tech points, a lot of them were busted plays and loose ball, effort. Hodge felt his team’s fight was good and they responded well when Texas Tech made runs but again the start was what got them. JT Toppin is the biggest leverage piece in the country and Hodge felt that Harlan Obioha did a good job on him one-on-one but Texas Tech took advantage on defense.
— Amir Jenkins had gotten in foul trouble in some other games as well but he’ll learn.
-Texas Tech did a great job with their roster construction. The reason they shoot threes is because of Toppin because he forces you to make decisions. To their credit, they really constructed that team well and when those guys had opportunities to step into shots they made them.
-Hodge said their ability to manipulate space and put people where they want them is an advantage. Some of the other three pointers you made a decision to double-team and can you execute the double-team the way you want it. Some of it is being able to execute what you’re supposed to be doing. You can’t just do one thing the whole night, one diet of anything you can’t do. You have to mix coverages, ball screen coverages. Texas Tech generates threes because of Toppin.
-Hodge said no extra motivation or focus with it being Texas Tech. Once you start playing, they had a big enough challenge in front of them with their players.
-Hodge said in this instance West Virginia was scoring as well at the start when they struggled with loose balls and on defense at the beginning of the game. Despite going 2-22 and despite going 13-23 at the foul line, which you can’t always control you had eight loose balls to grab and maybe if you grab four of those you beat them 63-59.
-They had an opportunity to take this team to a coal mine this year and hear their stories. It gave his guys a little perspective on the people of this state and how hard they work. Finding a way to connect the players to the state and the history of the state.
-Hodge didn’t see any issues with Honor Huff and his shooting long term. They did a great job on him and were aggressive with their ball screen coverage. The biggest difference is how teams have adjusted guarding the other players on the floor. He has to do a better job opening things up with spacing. You have to lean into it and trust your work. It’s not from a lack of effort.
-Huff was impacting the game with his gravity but those other guys have to go step up in their opportunities.
-Hodge said they have to take advantage of this week better than anybody else. West Virginia has to win the bye week through mental and physical rest and improvement.
-Hodge appreciates how hard this group fights. He admires that part about them but the goal is to win the game. You should play hard because that’s what you need to do but you must play better.
-Hodge said the biggest thing that the upper portion of the league has is collective experience whether it’s Arizona, Houston, Texas Tech, they’ve been through the grind before with the highs and the lows. Combine that with talent and it’s a separator for them. You have to play well to beat them.
-Hodge said the beauty of being in this league is you get reoccurring opportunities to put yourself in the position you want to be but you have to take advantage of those opportunities. You have to start taking advantage of it.
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