WVU Cruises

WVU Cruises

By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com January 17, 2006 GAME INFO: BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY CSTV All-ACCESS: BEILEIN POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Mike Gansey scored 18 points and Kevin Pittsnogle contributed 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 17 West Virginia to a workmanlike 64-48 victory over Providence Tuesday night at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown. West Virginia guard Mike Gansey scores two of his game-high 18 points in the Mountaineers' 64-48 victory over Providence Tuesday night at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown. All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks West Virginia’s win was its fifth in a row to open Big East play for the first time since the Mountaineers joined the conference in 1996, and it boosts their overall record to 13-3. “I was very conscientious of a let down after the other night and I think we were a little tired, too,” said West Virginia coach John Beilein. “They are a well-oiled machine and they have such great chemistry,” said Providence coach Tim Welsh of West Virginia. WVU overcame a cold shooting start to deposit the Friars for the fourth straight time spanning the last two seasons. Leading by just four, 20-16 after a Randall Hanke dunk with 4:36 remaining, West Virginia went on a 13-5 run to close out the half leading by 12, 33-21. Gansey keyed the run scoring five points while Patrick Beilein and Pittsnogle hit 3s down the stretch to help build a double-figure lead. After leading by just eight, 35-27, with 17:50 left in the game, West Virginia went on a 10-2 run to increase its lead to 16, 45-29, and led by as many as 19, 56-37, after a Frank Young lay up. “Frank Young has become a key player on this team,” said Beilein. “He’s learned from our seniors to play at a higher intensity level. He’s a high-IQ player.” The Mountaineers, having played five games in a span of 12 days, chose to run clock down the stretch in order to wrap up their fifth conference victory. West Virginia held Providence, now 7-8, 0-4, to just 48 points or 30 below its season average. The Friars shot 38.9 percent (21 of 54) and committed 18 turnovers. “They’re very difficult to prepare for,” said Welsh. “Tonight we were fortunate they didn’t make their shots, but we still had 18 turnovers.” Hanke was the only Providence player to reach double figures, scoring 14. The Mountaineers finished the game shooting 42.6 percent including just 6 of 29 from 3-point range for 20.7 percent, but had 17 assists on 26 baskets and committed just seven turnovers. “I thought we got good shots, we just didn’t make them,” said Beilein. “The thing about John’s teams is they’re going to make you play his style,” Welsh said. “We tried to get them out of their rhythm, but they’re too good at what they do. They’re as good as anyone in the country and they could make another run like they did last year.” A crowd of 9,351 witnessed the game. West Virginia players have a day off Wednesday before preparing for a trip to No. 18-ranked UCLA on Saturday. The game with the Bruins will be televised nationally on CBS and will tip off at 3:45 pm. “We have to be very careful on this trip and get plenty of rest,” said Beilein. West Virginia has three straight away from the Coliseum and seven of its next 10 games on the road. Following the UCLA trip West Virginia wraps up non-conference play against Marshall in Charleston on Jan. 25. Briefly: Earlier tonight West Virginia announced that home dates against Notre Dame on Feb. 1, and against Pitt on Feb. 27 are sold out. There are a limited number of tickets remaining for Cincinnati on Feb. 4, against Connecticut on Feb. 18, and against Louisville on Feb. 25.