Joe Alexander Last Year at MSG

Saturday, West Virginia (21-9, 10-7) heads to the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, for its final regular season game against St. John’s (11-18, 5-12).

The Mountaineers have found a home away from home in New York City in recent years, especially in March.

Rewind back to the 2004-2005 season under former head coach John Beilein. WVU defeated Providence, then-No. 19 Boston College and then-No. 13 Villanova, in Madison Square Garden, before falling to Syracuse, in the Big East Tournament championship game.

The Mountaineers performance in the conference tournament helped them secure a NCAA Tournament bid. Kevin Pittsnogle, Mike Gansey and company shocked the college basketball world and took WVU all the way to the Elite Eight. WVU came up just short against Louisville, in a thrilling overtime loss that would have sent the Mountaineers to the Final Four.

Fast forward to 2006-2007. WVU advanced to the semifinals of the NIT, again in Madison Square Garden. Darris Nichols hit a game-winning, buzzer-beating 3-point basket from the corner against Mississippi State.

The 63-62 victory over MSU propelled WVU to the NIT championship game against Clemson. Frank Young lead all scorers with 24 points in his final game in a West Virginia uniform. WVU claimed its first NIT championship since 1942.

Playing in ‘The Big Apple’ has proven kind to the Mountaineers of late. Tournament games in the Garden have launched WVU’s premier postseason play and exhibited a prestigious basketball program’s history, in a football-first state.

Those Mountaineer moments and players will live in the hearts of WVU fans forever.

However, the 2007-2008 WVU basketball team is breaking in a new era with first-year head coach Bob Huggins.

Here the Mountaineers are again in March. They are in a similar position as last season, being on the NCAA Tournament bubble and needing to secure crucial wins in, you guessed it, Madison Square Garden.

The Noon tip-off against St. John’s is pretty much a must-win game if WVU hopes to lock up another trip to the ‘Big Dance.’

Next Wednesday, March 12, marks the beginning of this year’s Big East Tournament, in New York, N.Y.

Will Nichols have another magical shot up his sleeve to win an important game for WVU? Can West Virginia win a couple of games in the Big East Tournament? Will the Mountaineers cruise past St. John’s and seemingly grasp a tight hold of a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, its first since 2006?

Those questions will have to be answered in WVU’s next games.

Joe Alexander has emerged as one of the top players in the conference in his last two games. Alexander has gone for a career-high 32 points against quality opponents— UConn and Pitt. If ‘Jumpin Joe’ can contribute similarly on offense, while continuing solid defensive play and rebounding, these experienced Mountaineers should be primed for another exciting run through the postseason.

Keep in mind, WVU has played tough competition this season.

The Mountaineers lost to now-No. 4 Tennessee on a neutral court, 74-72. The Vols are projected as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.

Oklahoma, who is projected by Lunardi to make the NCAA Tournament, defeated WVU in double overtime in Charleston, W.Va.

The Mountaineers beat then-No. 10/11 Marquette by 15 points, in Morgantown.

Syracuse fell seven days later at WVU, 81-61.

West Virginia lost a controversial contest to then-No. 9 Georgetown, by a point. Patrick Ewing, Jr. blocked Da’Sean Butler’s last second lay-up attempt that the home crowd and Huggins believed was goaltending.

Then there is Pitt’s Ronald Ramon, sinking a 3-pointer as time expired that edged WVU by a point, in Pittsburgh.

WVU got revenge and throttled Pitt Monday night, splitting the season series.

Assuming WVU can get by St. John’s Saturday, a 22-9 overall record, including an 11-7 mark in Big East play, the Selection Committee will have a hard time turning away Huggins and the Mountaineers.

If the Mountaineers can catch a break and win a few close games, don’t be surprised if they turn out to be a sleeper team in the NCAA Tournament. Huggins knows how to win big games and has been deep in the NCAA Tournament, on many occasions.

There is a reason this month is named after the ‘Madness’ of the college basketball world.

Another dream postseason could be on the horizon if the Mountaineers can play well in New York City. Is this not the same city that is built on people chasing their dreams?