Basketball

There exists a single common denominator among West Virginia coaches and players in preparation for Thursday night’s NCAA tournament Sweet 16 game against Washington. It has nothing to do with the Pac-10 tournament champion Huskies (26-9), who are sizzling on a nine-game winning streak.

“We’re going to have to dictate the game,” Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said.

“If we do all the things we need to do -- rebound, defend and get back in transition defense -- I don’t see why we can’t win,” said WVU forward Da’Sean Butler.

Read more: WVU Sees "An Excellent Test" in UW

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Read more: Eersports.com's Sweet 16 Special!

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The mood after the second round NCAA tournament win over 10th seed Missouri was unmistakably a jovial one inside the West Virginia locker room. There was a tiny bit of dancing from John Flowers, smiles on most faces and eagerness to talk about the most recent win with the media.

“I’ll enjoy it when we get on that plane. We’ll laugh about it and have fun,” said senior forward Da’Sean Butler. “People will say we don’t take things seriously. It’s my last season. I’m going to enjoy it.”

Most of these Mountaineers have been here before, but back in 2008, when they beat Arizona and Duke to advance into the second weekend of the Big Dance.

“We were in here screaming and yelling,” reserve forward Cam Thoroughman said, who provided a huge spark off the bench against Duke. “We were a seven seed. We upset [two seed] Duke.”

Read more: All Business as WVU Enters Sweet 16

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Da’Sean Butler poured in 28 points against Missouri Sunday afternoon, leading West Virginia to a 68-59 victory and propelling the Mountaineers into the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in the school’s last six NCAA tournament appearances. Butler, now a household name not only throughout the state of West Virginia, but across the college basketball nation, knows second seed WVU (29-6) is as good as any team, but maintains the business-like Mountaineers need not be viewed as the favorite in any game.

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