MORGANTOWN - Heading into Saturday's SEC/Big 12 Challenge game against Texas A&M, the thought was WVU would be tested by the taller Aggies.
As the Mountaineers move toward an NCAA Tournament berth, one figured it would be a nice learning experience. Somewhere along the way, WVU will have to deal with a lineup like Texas A&M's, which started 6-foot-10 Tonny Trocha-Morelos, 6-10 Tyler Davis and 6-9, 237-pound Robert Williams. (The Aggies played without 6-9 freshman D.J. Hogg, a Top 30 recruit.)
In the end, though, what West Virginia learned wasn't noticeable. Instead, it's what the Mountaineers haven't learned.
In short, they haven't learned to avoid letdowns. They haven't learned to put the proverbial hammer down against lesser teams. They haven't learned to stay mentally focused after building a nice lead.
Yes, WVU won over what is now an 11-9 Aggies team. Yes, the victory is in the books and the Mountaineers are now 17-4.
Yet West Virginia was winning by 20 early in the second half - and had to hold on for dear life at the end.
WVU coach Bob Huggins never found comfort.
"I've seen too many leads disappear," he said.
Indeed, the Mountaineers were up by 19 against Kansas, even though they still won convincingly. In Manhattan a week prior to Saturday's game, they were up by 12 to Kansas State and fell 79-75. Against Oklahoma in the Coliseum, they held a 15-point lead and shockingly lost 89-87 in overtime. Back in the loss to Texas Tech, they held a seven-point lead in the second half before falling.
It's to the point where Bob Huggins is troubled.
"I'd say that's a fair statement," said the coach.
Of course, much of the problem has to do with free-throw efficiency. In the second half against Texas A&M, WVU was 10 of 17 (58.8 percent). Overall, the Mountaineers were 12 of 23 (52.2). The issues: focus and mental toughness. In the win over Kansas, West Virginia hit 19 of 23 (82.6). So the Mountaineers can make free throws. Apparently, though, they have to be jacked up.
WVU is now hitting 65.7 percent on the season. If you use the NCAA stats heading into the day, that would put the Mountaineers at No. 287 nationally. They started the day No. 275.
"We just have to stay focused," said Mountaineer forward Nate Adrian. "We kind of lose focus sometimes at halftime. We get a little lazy. That can't happen."
Yet it does. It's become a pattern. So I asked some of the players after the game: How can this be corrected?
The most honest answer came from guard Jevon Carter.
"Honestly, I don't know," he said. "We have to figure that out. We have to stop doing that. Once it gets late in the season, it's going to be hard to keep winning these games. It's going to be hard to stop teams when they get hot and start making all types of shots. We have to figure something out."
If, that is, WVU hopes to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
Look, West Virginia is sitting pretty at the moment, especially with wins over Virginia, Baylor and Kansas in pocket. Although WVU tumbled to No. 18 in the polls, metrics like the Pomeroy (No. 3 behind Gonzaga and Kentucky), Sagarin (No. 2 behind Kentucky) and BPI (No. 2 behind Villanova) all loved the Mountaineers heading into the day's action. (Oddly, perhaps, the Rating Percentage Index had them at No. 30.)
In addition, teams like Villanova, Kansas, Kentucky, Florida State, UCLA, Notre Dame (twice), Creighton and Duke all lost this past week. WVU was set to move to at least No. 11 in the polls.
Yet the team has to embrace - not reject - prosperity. It has to understand what's there for the taking - and grab it.
These can't be quotes after games:
"Our effort sucked," said Huggins. "Our effort absolutely sucked. That's what it came down to. ... Maybe I ought to play freshmen instead of seniors that don't give us effort."
And ...
"We have to come out with a lot more effort," said Esa Ahmad. "We came out sluggish. We had a big lead at halftime and let down in the second half."
WVU has a nice ballclub. It seems Huggins is on to something and the future looks bright as well.
Yet there are 10 games left in this season.
It's time for the Mountaineers to ramp up - and stop letting down.
Contact Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvingle@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @MitchVingle.