Bill West: After long journey, Staten returns home

[43rd Parallel]

AN EXCERPT:


"My family will get to watch me play," Staten said. "That's something I don't want to overlook, and it's something I definitely want to take advantage of.
"The journey has definitely been worth it because whether it's been good or bad, and it's been a little bit of both, you can always take something away from it and always learn something."

Greensburg Tribune-Review

 

[43rd Parallel]

Mickey Furfari: Popovich chose baseball over basketball

AN EXCERPT:


Besides playing two years as an infielder for WVU, he played on the 1958-59 freshman basketball team in scoring with 18.3 points per game. He then played 16 varsity games and earned a letter to go with his 1959-60 season as a teammate of Jerry West.
Popovich had been known as a superstar with the basketball himself at Flemington High. He averaged 41.3 points per game. That set an all-time state scoring record.

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

[43rd Parallel]

Lyndal Scranton: West Virginian commits to Missouri State

AN EXCERPT:

The 5-foot-10 Miller averaged 19 points, 6.1 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 2.6 steals in helping Motlow State to a 23-6 record this season. The team lost in the Tennessee region juco semifinals last week.

Dequon Miller, whose hometown is Charleston, West Virginia, was an NJCAA honorable-mention All-American and was named first team all-Tennessee Community College Athletic Association. He shot 45.7 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 70.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Springfield News-Leader

 

[43rd Parallel]

Rob Dauster: And these are your Cinderellas

AN EXCERPT:

4. No. 12 Buffalo[/B]: Anyone that watched Buffalo make the trek to Lexington to play Kentucky earlier this season knows how good the Bulls can be when they play well. They have a couple of dynamic guards in their back court in Lamonte Bearden and Shannon Evans, and Justin Moss is as good of a four as you'll find at the mid-major level. The key to beating West Virginia is avoiding turnovers against their press. Bearden and Evans can struggle a bit in that regard, which would make me hesitant to pick them, but without Juwan Staten at full strength -- he's battling a knee injury -- the Mountaineers can be beaten. If Buffalo gets past WVU, they should have a favorable matchup in the Round of 32. Buffalo can beat Valpo. And Maryland? They've made an art form out of winning close games, but will those pressure-packed jumpers and free throws go down when the weight of the NCAA tournament is on their shoulders?

NBC Sports

 

[43rd Parallel]

Louisville CJ: The 4 best first-round matchups

AN EXCERPT:

5 Buffalo/12 West Virginia -- On paper, these two teams might make up the most efficient game of the first round. Buffalo is in the Top 30 in points and rebounds per game. West Virginia is in the Top 60 in both categories. Expect a lot of points and second chance points on offensive rebounds.

Louisville Courier-Journal

 

[43rd Parallel]

Josh Newman: 3 creepiest mascots of the NCAA tournament

(The column you write when you have absolutely nothing to contribute to the conversation.)

AN EXCERPT:


2. The West Virginia Mountaineer: First, full-disclosure. I met the Mountaineer, whose name is Michael Garcia, back in November when Monmouth University opened its season in Morgantown and he is a really nice guy. The Hawks radio duo of Eddy Occhipinti (right) and Steve Bazaz (left), who are the two normally-dressed gentlemen in the picture, will agree. Major points to West Virginia for having its mascot be a real person a la Notre Dame, but let's get serious. The beard, the buckskins and the coonskin cap are over the top. If that wasn't enough, he carries a rifle. Indoors. Watching the Mountaineer in action during a game is entertaining, but also a little disconcerting. After all, if you saw a guy running around in buckskins, a coonskin cap and a rifle, what would you think?

Asbury Park Press

 

[43rd Parallel]

Allan Taylor: WVU tries to snap postseason losing streak

AN EXCERPT:

"This is a brand-new team, and we don't want to be associated with anything that happened in the past," Staten said. "We've been playing a new style and we've turned this season around completely from the past seasons that we've had."

MetroNews

 

[43rd Parallel]

Mike Casazza: WVU is happy to return to big stage

AN EXCERPT:


There is a joke to be made about West Virginia's most-experienced NCAA tournament player, but Gary Browne takes that role seriously.
Never mind the senior from Puerto Rico has only played one game, a blowout loss to Gonzaga in the first round in Pittsburgh three years ago.
"Trust me," he said, "it doesn't matter what seed you have, it doesn't matter who you play or where you play. Everybody is 0-0."

Charleston Daily Mail

 

[43rd Parallel]

Jay Skurski: Rebounding will be a tall order for Bulls

AN EXCERPT:


The Mountaineers lead all of NCAA Division I men's basketball with 16.8 offensive rebounds per game.
"I mean you look at the numbers and you see it, but then when you watch the tape, you see why," UB coach Bobby Hurley said Tuesday. "They're very athletic, they're very thick and physical. They play a very physical style, and their coach is a very hard-nosed coach that has coached that way his entire career. His teams have always played tough. We're going to have to be up for the challenge of that, the physicality of the game."

Buffalo News

 

[43rd Parallel]

Dave Hickman: Buffalo short on depth but not talent

AN EXCERPT:


Buffalo's biggest liability against West Virginia is likely to be its numbers. While the Mountaineers try to wear teams down with full-court pressure using a rotation of as many as 12 or 13 players, the Bulls generally play just eight and have only 10 on the active roster. They began the season using nine, but lost freshman guard Mory Diane to academics.
The eight who do play, though, are a nice mix. Four are forwards between 6-foot-7 and 6-10 and the other four are guards. Six of the eight are juniors or seniors and just one is a freshman.
The Bulls also have a go-to scorer both inside and out in 6-7, 240-pound Mid-American Conference player of the year Justin Moss and 6-1 sophomore guard Shannon Evans.

Charleston Gazette

 

[43rd Parallel]

Mitch Vingle: The views from here

AN EXCERPT:


I had a chance to speak with the father of WVU's Michael Ferns, who transferred to Morgantown from Michigan.
Mike Ferns, the father, is a successful businessman in the St. Clairsville-Wheeling area and told me his son's move to tight end is not a surprise. Yes, the player was once rated the nation's No. 14 linebacker recruit, but the father said more than half of his scholarship offers coming out of high school were at the tight end position.
"When [current WVU offensive line coach] Ron Crook was at Stanford, he flew in three times to try to get Michael there [as a tight end]," said the elder Ferns.
Michael Ferns, said the father, is "outgrowing" the linebacker role at 250 pounds, but should excel as a hybrid tight end. At one point, the player thought about playing tight end at Penn State and studying pre-med. (Yes, he's that bright.)
And here's something else to watch. Mike Ferns also has another son, named Brendan. According to 247sports, he's the No. 1 inside linebacker prospect in the nation. Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Arizona and others have offered.

Charleston Gazette

 

[Todd9505]

What would I think? I'd think he's the WV Mountaineer?


I'm not sure what is "creepy" about the guy? He's the mountaineer?

 

[43rd Parallel]

Stephen Hawkins: Big 12 can validate status as best league

AN EXCERPT:


West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, whose team is in its third Big 12 season, isn't sure the league has to prove anything in the NCAA Tournament.

"Sometimes what gets lost in the excitement of this month is that we've already played 30 games. We're the No. 1 RPI league in the country," Huggins said.

"It'd be great if four of our teams end up in the Sweet 16, or seven of them, really, but ... everybody says well, let's see what happens with the test of time. I think we have kind of shown what we do over the test of time."

The Associated Press

 

[43rd Parallel]

Chuck McGill: WVU commit Harler handles heat, pours in points

AN EXCERPT:


Harler, a 6-foot-3 junior who in August verbally committed to play college basketball at West Virginia University, returns to the boys basketball state tournament Wednesday in search of another Class A state championship. Harler averages 25.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the top-seeded Maroon Knights (22-3).
He puts up those numbers even though he is the focal point of opposing defenses ... and opposing crowds.
"After I committed to WVU, I said it was one of the best decisions I've made in my life," Harler said. "But I understand what that comes with, too. Every team is scouting toward me, but it opens up things for my teammates if they're focused on me."
"I kind of like that pressure. It motivates me and feeds me. If I don't have a good game, I hear about it."

Charleston Daily Mail

 

[43rd Parallel]

Brandon Chatmon: Big 12 football mailbag

AN EXCERPT:


Zac in Auburn, Nebraska, writes:[/B] A recent article indicated the questions coming out of the spring in Morgantown revolve primarily around quarterbacks and receivers. I'm more concerned with the offensive line, what with Adam Pankey is being moved to guard on one side of Tyler Orlowski and Marcus Lucus is the only other returning starter. Who fills in the rest? What's WVU's O-Line gonna look like? To me that's the most important question, given, they open the holes for the backs and protect the QB. What are your thoughts?

Brandon Chatmon:[/B] Offensive line is definitely a question mark Zac, no doubt about it because if that doesn't come together it won't matter who wins the quarterback battle or receiver competition. But I get the sense WVU feels good about its options and the overall competition up front. Offensive line coach Ron Crook wants the ability to move guys around to find his best five players and I think the Mountaineers have options, with guys such as Russell Haughton-James and Tony Matteo set to battle for starting spots, yet the depth and competition to make the entire unit raise its level. Pankey's move inside to guard is a sign WVU likes its options at tackle, even though there isn't an unquestioned replacement for him. This spring is about finding those five guys, but I don't think the offensive line will end up being a weak link in Morgantown.

ESPN

 

[43rd Parallel]

Brandon Chatmon: 3 freshmen join Howard in QB derby

AN EXCERPT:


Skyler Howard in the horse race which has started with Howard a couple of lengths ahead of the competition.
"He's played the most and he knows the most right now," head coach Dana Holgorsen said of Howard, who quarterbacked the offense in WVU's final three games. "He played a big role in three of the games last year. He's still pretty raw so he will continue to get better."

ESPN

 

[BigEer]

It's always interesting with some of these numbers guys

that fail to factor in the competition level. Buffalo wouldn't have those numbers in the Big 12.

 

[AZeer]

I think Dana learned a good lesson...

two seasons ago with Trick. I felt Dana tried to run the O too fast. Trick became very frustrated and confused at times...understandable with his short time on campus at WVU. I noticed last year, even with a year under his belt, Dana slowed the O down and we did much better on both sides of the ball...moved the ball better and kept the D fresh. I think this bodes well for Howard and the three FR QBs. I'm looking for Crest to win the job, he reminds me of Rasheed Marshall and that's a good thing.

 

[bamaEER]

This is a complicated offense....

And I just don't see how any of our three newbies can beat Howard out. Yes, Howard's accuracy is at bad at times, but I think his experience is vital. Crest does have a year under his belt, but he was injured and just watched.

 

[There goes the Major]

Re: I think Dana learned a good lesson...

I would not want Rasheed to be my QB in Dana's offense. Not even close to it.

 

[michi-mountie]

Re: I think Dana learned a good lesson...

I hope the lesson Dana learned is to not under recruit the QB position. Coming off the greatest offensive show in BCS history, Dana should have had a long line of good QBs ready to come in and join the fun. Instead, the most important position on the field was really thin with questionable talent after Geno left.

One of the good things RichRod used to do was over-recruit the QB position. I hope Dana does the same and it looks like he has started. Its not likely that the 4 QBs starting spring practice will be on the team in a year or 2. My hope is that the "cream" will rise to the top even as there will be attrition and WVU continues to recruit a QB or 2 every year. Is Howard a late bloomer with a chip on his shoulder. Can Crest turn his potential into quality and success? Ditto for Sills? Is Chugs the next Tom Brady? Keep bringing high potential QBs in for a 1 or 2 year "interview". Nothing against Millard, he did as well as he could and he was better than the next option down depth chart, but Dana should always have better options with higher potential in the system than Millard and a Fairmont State QB. We may not always have the QB depth of the 2014 Ohio State team, but it is definitely a position where we can justify 4-5 scholarships in the system.

The one advantage of the RichRod over-recruiting was that his style of athletic running QBs could more easily turn into receivers (Brad Starks) or cornerback (Brandon Hogan).

 

[AZeer]

Re: I think Dana learned a good lesson...

...and your reasoning is?