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WVU to visit Baylor

MORGANTOWN -- Bob Huggins isn't scared of the fourth-best team in college basketball.

"It's not tough, it's an opportunity," West Virginia University's basketball coach said following the Mountaineers' 77-68 loss to Arkansas on Saturday. "It's an opportunity that I'm really looking forward to and those guys headed for the bus better feel the same way."

The team in question is Baylor, which the Mountaineers will take on in Waco tonight (9 p.m., ESPN). The Bears are the only thing standing in the way of WVU snapping its current five-game losing streak, dating back to earlier this month.

Against Arkansas on Saturday, the Mountaineers (13-7, 2-5 Big 12) shaved a 19-point deficit down to only five, but were unable to overtake the Razorbacks. Despite the stroke of bad luck, the loss has had little effect on the Mountaineers' psyche, according to senior guard Kedrian Johnson.

"Our confidence is still very high -- through the roof," Johnson said. "Five losses in a row, that hurts if you love the game of basketball. Losing five games in a row, and that's never happened to you before, that'll have a big toll on you. It's just up to us to stay positive, keep moving forward and learn from our mistakes."

With tonight's game marking the second time this season that West Virginia and Baylor (18-3, 6-2 Big 12) will square off, the ability to learn from their mistakes could work out in the Mountaineers' favor.

When the two teams last met on Jan. 18, Baylor's L.J. Cryer (25 points) and Matthew Mayer (20) led the Bears to an easy 77-68 win over WVU. With that game having taken place not even two full weeks ago, it appears as if Baylor is still fresh on the Mountaineers' minds.

Now, it's all up to West Virginia to execute to perfection-- a tall task -- in hopes of ending the team's losing ways.

Among those problem areas has been rebounding, with the Mountaineers being outrebounded in four of the team's five losses.

"They're not making an effort to rebound the ball," Huggins said. "It looks terrible when you're the biggest guy on the floor or close to the biggest or the biggest one we have out there and the ball gets shot and you stand there and watch it. That's not competing, that's not helping your team."

Scoring has also caused its fair share of problems, with players like Sean McNeil -- who ranks second on the team in scoring -- averaging a mere seven points in the last three games.

"None of it is on the coaches because they're preparing us for battle," Johnson said. "We've talked as a team, guys have gotten in the gym, we made adjustments. It'll come around, I really do believe that. All the work that we've been putting in and all our dedication, I think this is definitely going to turn around soon."

Huggins echoed his starting point guard, citing the team's internal growth of late.

"I still got all the faith in the world that this team's gonna get turned around; we're gonna get turned around," Huggins said. "I mean, we play in the hardest league in the country. We're gonna come out of it. I believe that and I believe that with all my heart. I really think we're gonna come on. I'm looking forward to playing Baylor in Waco."