West Virginia Mountaineers Can Tango in the Big Dance

"It's a great day to be a Mountaineer, wherever you may be!"  Tony Caridi's words have become familiar to the West Virginia faithful, and are especially meaningful come March.

This is West Virginia's fourth NCAA tournament visit in 10 years, and don't be surprised if the defending NIT champions make a run with the big boys this year.

The past three trips have come with excitement and over-achievement, as the men from the mountains have reached at least the Sweet 16 in each appearance.  With each visit, the Mountaineers have been a six seed or worse. 

In 1998 they reached the Sweet 16 as a No. 10.  The trip in '98 was at the mercy of Bob Huggins' Cincinnati Bearcats.  A three-point buzzer beater by Mountaineer legend Jerrod West (no, not Jerry West) lifted the Mountaineers past the Bearcats. 

With Huggins now coaching the Mountaineers, a deep run could easily be possible.

Huggins has brought a new style of basketball to West Virginia, taking John Beilein's 1-3-1 defense and three-point barrage/backdoor cut offense to mold it into what many would recognize from his days at Cincinnati. 

The players have embraced this transition, attacking teams with a scrappy, in-your-face defense.  The players have beefed up and the team, who once seldom could win the rebounding margin under Beilein, now is expected to out-rebound opponents.  

Another Sweet 16 performance or better will be dependent upon the performance of Joe Alexander.  Alexander's recent outburst of mid-range scoring supremacy over opponents has made him nearly impossible to guard. 

His off-the-dribble, jump shot from all over the floor is driving opponents mad. 

Alexander was recently named to the First Team All-Big East and to the Big East All-Tournament Team.

His recent scoring outbursts have come with success for the Mountaineers, helping the team to advanced to the semifinals of the Big East Tournament with victories over Providence and Connecticut.

Alexander's supporting cast will be crucial in ensuring another Mountaineer upset or two in the tournament. 

In addition, senior point guard Darris Nichols must continue to lead the team with his reliable ball handling and accurate long range shooting.  Da'Sean Butler will be expected to drive on opponents with authority, while Alex Ruoff must be lethal from three-point range. 

Support from the bench will be a must for the Mountaineers, as their pesky defense can get them into foul trouble at times.

First off the bench will be Wellington Smith, who can muscle around down low and block shots on defense.  The likes of John Flowers, Joe Mazzula, and Cam Thoroughman will be needed to step in for key minutes to keep the Mountaineers from slipping away in games.  

This year, there's no reason why more Mountaineer Magic can't be possible. 

All of the pieces are in place to pull off a few upsets and bust the experts' brackets once again.

If it all comes together, don't be surprised if a few couches in Morgantown, WV are burned before the tournament is over.