West Virginia is making its 18th NCAA Tournament appearance and eighth under coach Gale Catlett, but not since 1959 have the Mountaineers won two games in a single tournament.
Under Catlett, they've never made it to the Sweet 16, losing three second-round games by an average of 12 points.
''No coach at WVU has a winning record in NCAA Tournament games,'' said Catlett, whose career mark is 5-10. ''I'd like to be the first. And to do that, we'd have to go to the Final Four and win it. So that would be a good story for you.''
Owens feeling better
A hidden factor in West Virginia's late-season decline was the back injury that afflicted star forward Damian Owens with five games left in the regular season.
The Mountaineers had won six of seven entering a Feb. 14 game at West Virginia when Owens got tangled while attempting a layup and was struck in the back by teammate Brent Solheim. He left that game, then missed a win over Marshall, but with his production slipping to 9.5 points a game, WVU closed with three losses in their final four games.
''He was better against Temple, the first time he really played like himself in a while,'' Catlett said.
Bearcat backers
UC coach Bob Huggins said he understood why the crowd turned against the Bearcats in their first-round game against Northern Arizona.
''Those people weren't from Boise. We love Boise,'' Huggins said. ''I don't know where those people came from.
''I know that everybody likes to see upsets. I just hope everybody cheers for us to upset West Virginia Saturday.''
No retirement soon
Catlett has been rumored to be considering retirement, but he insists he plans to coach ''as long as I enjoy it.'' He works on a four-year rollover contract, a deal that has been extended every year he's worked at West Virginia.
A quick pace
West Virginia wants to force a quick pace, seeing as how it has a 17-0 record when it scores at least 80 points. That's what Catlett says.
Maybe the Mountaineers shouldn't be in such a hurry. When UC scores 80 or more, it is 10-0.
History still to judge Catlett reign at UC Tim Sullivan column
Catlett refused Huggins a job
UC women lose in NIT
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