MORGANTOWN —
Despite coach Bob Huggins’ post-game lashing of his team, I was encouraged by the West Virginia men’s basketball team in its 81-66 loss to No. 3-ranked Michigan.
The Mountaineers (4-5) pulled to within seven points of John Beilein’s Wolverines (11-0) late in the contest. I got the distinct feeling that there were positives on which West Virginia can build the rest of the season.
Huggins, the third-winningest among all active Division I coaches, said he was “sick” of his team’s lack of effort and occasional mistakes and lapses.
“I’m not so much worried about our shooting,” Huggins reasoned, “as I am about us playing (well). We start the game and for the first minutes, we don’t get one rebound.
“And in the first seven minutes, I don’t believe we had a stop (against Michigan). We don’t play. We don’t compete.
“I thought we put some guys in today who will compete.”
Hopefully, the Mountaineers will find the going easier and somewhat more successful in Wednesday’s home game against Oakland at the Coliseum. It’s a later than the usual tipoff, starting at 9 p.m.
WVU needs to be sharper in its shooting and play better defense against Oakland, which is located in Rochester, Minn. That school won only three of its first 10 games this season.
Michigan shot a sizzling 56 percent from the field (28 of 50) while limiting West Virginia to 34.7 percent (20 of 53) in Brooklyn, N.Y., last Saturday.
The Mountaineers have shot less than 40 percent in the past four contests. The Wolverines also managed a slight edge in rebounds.
This will be only the second meeting between WVU and Oakland, which is nicknamed the Golden Grizzlies. WVU won 95-71 in the 2010-11 season’s opener in Morgantown.
Greg Kampe, a Bowling Green alumnus, is in his 29th year as Oakland’s head coach. His record was 470-349 at season’s start.
Eight lettermen, including four starters, are available from last year’s team that posted a 20-16 record.
Juwan Staten, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound sophomore guard, leads the Mountaineers in both scoring (10.8 per game) and in play-making with 23 assists. Aaric Murray, a 6-10, 245-pound junior center, is the leading rebounder with 7.0 per game.
West Virginia will remain at home to play Radford in a game that begins at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Wednesday night’s contest will be televised by ESPNU.
Mickey Furfari
Can WVU build on positives?
- Mickey Furfari
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FURFARI COLUMN: Harrick greatest WVU two-sport coach
The late Steve Harrick was the longest-serving, most-successful two-sport head coach in West Virginia University’s athletic history.
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FURFARI COLUMN: Crutchfield ‘miracle man’ at West Liberty
Jim Crutchfield, who learned the value of “aggressive defense” in basketball as a player at the old Roosevelt-Wilson High School in Clarksburg, continues to parlay that play phase with others to lead the nation in scoring as well as achieve smashing success as an NCAA Division II head coach.
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FURFARI COLUMN- Talley successful as business owner
Darryl Talley, one of the hardest-hitting and most productive tacklers in West Virginia University football history, is now owner and operator of a successful business in Florida.
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FURFARI COLUMN: Is WVU’s Mazey Big 12 Baseball Coach of the Year?
Randy Mazey, West Virginia University’s new baseball coach, continues to raise eyebrows from coast to coast as the Mountaineers elevate to a three-way tie in the Big 12 Conference for first place in the standings.
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FURFARI COLUMN: Ex-WVU swimmer still winning at 77
Dan “Cav” Cavanaugh, who grew up in Parkersburg, is individually the most honored swimmer in West Virginia University’s athletic history.
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FURFARI COLUMN- ‘Ideal’ conference can’t possibly become reality
With West Virginia University nearing the end of its first year as a member of the Big 12 Conference, some people are speculating where it could — or should — have been competing in intercollegiate athletics.
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FURFARI COLUMN- Former Mountaineer DB Agee a celebrity in Hollywood
Tim Agee, one of the toughest little defensive backs in Don Nehlen’s 21 years as West Virginia University’s head football coach, did not waste much time becoming a celebrity in Hollywood, Calif.
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FURFARI COLUMN: Former LB now is noted artist
David Benn of Akron, Ohio, was an outstanding linebacker on the West Virginia University football team in 1968-69-70.
But the 6-2, 200-pound alumnus became more of a longtime celebrity than he was then. -
FURFARI COLUMN: Dunlap said to be taking a new role
Steve Dunlap reportedly has told friends he will be rejoining West Virginia University’s football program in a new, non-coaching role on July 1.
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FURFARI COLUMN- Was Geno Smith a victim of racial bias?
You may recall that recently a guy writing in Pro Football Weekly assaulted the talent, practice habits and character of WVU quarterback Geno Smith.
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FURFARI COLUMN: Harrick greatest WVU two-sport coach
