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28 March 2010
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Maybe it was the black unis.
Or Joe Mazzulla's 3-point field goal early in the game.
Maybe it was because the fans of WVU poured into the Carrier Dome and, shockingly, overwhelmed those of Kentucky.
Whatever sparked West Virginia's basketball team, wherever the magic came from, the hard-working, never-back-down Mountaineers pulled off the school's biggest sports victory in the modern era, downing No. 1 seed UK 73-66 to advance to the Final Four.
It was a sight to behold.
With UK sporting a lineup that some day could comprise an NBA all-star team, West Virginia was the one causing its coach to call timeouts and smack his head. Goliaths like DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson were overcome by the Davids, also known as Wellington Smith, John Flowers and Kevin Jones.
It took Mazzulla diving to the floor and slicing to the basket. It took Flowers blocking the shot of NBA prospect Eric Bledsoe - then catching the ball. It took almost the entire Mountaineer team (11 players hit the court).
In the end, however, the task was completed. Mountaineer Nation danced.
"Congratulations,'' said the public address announcer, "to the East Regional champion Mountaineers, which will advance to the Final Four on April 3."
At game's end, WVU's Cam Thoroughman raised his finger indicating No. 1 and ran toward coach Bob Huggins. The whole team rushed toward the architect of the masterpiece.
Devin Ebanks threw the ball high in the air, then danced on the press table. Da'Sean Butler placed a ballcap on his head - sideways- and swayed side to side.
And, hey, why not? West Virginia's basketball team is dancing with the stars.
Because it overcame. It overcame all of Kentucky's considerable talent.
The Wildcats stood taller, jumped higher, stretched further and ran faster. They just didn't work harder.
"That's the attitude Hugs has instilled in us," said regional MVP Mazzulla afterward. "And he just told us in the locker room we didn't come to make the Final Four then lay it down."
Heck, no. Not now. The only No. 1 seed left is Duke. Might as well give this national championship deal a whirl, right?
Butler sat along a table afterward, getting interviewed with his cut net hanging from his ballcap.
"Forty-nine states picked us to lose,'' he said, again obsessed with a Web site poll. "Forty-nine! Obviously, we like to make everyone upset.
"But I knew we were going to win. They outrebounded us and we still found a way to win."
