MORGANTOWN —
The zero next to Truck Bryant’s name stood out like an obscene gesture during a Super Bowl halftime show.
Some even said he was M.I.A. as West Virginia University lost a heartbreaker, if not a season-breaker, to Notre Dame, 55-51.
Indeed, the zero points certainly were not what Bryant had in mind as dessert for the 32-point game he put together at Providence, but it is almost unfair to simply paint him as the villain fans were trying to when they booed him at the game’s end.
True, any hope of winning the game went down in the final minutes when Bryant tried to redeem himself, an unadvised pass into the post to Deniz Kilicli being pilfered by Jerian Grant, who turned into a three-point basket.
And then, moments later, Bryant had cruised down the floor and gotten to the basket for his first shot of the second half, only to miss a makeable, although not uncontested layup.
Again, Notre Dame went back down the floor and finished with Scott Martin hitting yet a third-straight 3-point shot to cap an 11-0 run that clinched it.
It is difficult enough to believe that anyone could suffer the pains that Bryant was suffering when it was over, failing for the first time in memory to so much as chat with the local media.
But, gosh dang it, as a football coach from another era might have said, Bryant actually played a good game.
Yes he finished with zero baskets in six attempts, but there were also eight assists to just that one turnover … and if he wasn’t hitting, he wasn’t trying to hit for Notre Dame had opted to smother him early and often.
Bob Huggins, who can be a player’s worst critic when he senses a lack of effort or a lack of good sense, refused to do anything but offer praise toward his intelligent approach and effort.
“Truck tried to win,” Huggins said. “He wasn’t hitting his shots, and he didn’t force things. Yes, his one turnover was huge, but I don’t fault him. He tried to do what we needed to win. He was the one who got the ball inside for us.”
Indeed, whatever disease it was that Bryant was afflicted with spread to the entire team in the first half as they scored just 16 points – which is not even a good night for Kevin Jones – shooting just 24.1 percent, hitting 1 of 11 3s.
See, Huggins had blame for some of the other people … you better believe he did. Not Kilicli, who fought his fanny off while scoring 16 points and grabbing five rebounds; and certainly not for Jabarie Hinds, who was high scorer with 17 points and hit 8 of 12 shots.
And everyone felt for Kevin Jones, who had an opportunity to etch his name next to the Logo, Jerry West, and Hot Rod Hundley in the record books had he scored 20 points for the 10th straight game only to finish with 14.
“It is what it is,” Jones said. “I was just glad being named with those guys, Jerry West and Hot Rod Hundley, great players. Obviously, losing is more disheartening than anything.”
So who did Huggins blame?
“We’ve got guys who made three or four shots in a week, maybe all year, and they’re jacking up 3s,” Huggins said, not naming any names, but Keaton Miles shot one, and Aaron Brown, who is a good 3-point shooter, missed a 3 badly.
“I don’t know what’s going through their heads,” Huggins said.
Be interesting to know now, for Miles never got back in after the first half, and Brown not only didn’t get back in but when Huggins needed a 3-point shooter he opted for Paul Williamson, the walk-on, instead.
And so it was, Truck Bryant will be viewed with disdain when, in reality, it might be best to look upon him as unfortunate, for in truth it was Notre Dame’s defense that took away his offense far more than any shortcomings he may have had.
Email Bob Hertzel at bhertzel@hotmail.com. Follow on Twitter @bhertzel.
WVU Sports
HERTZEL COLUMN: It’s unfair to consider Truck villain
- WVU Sports
-
-
HERTZEL COLUMN: Big 12 baseball tournament is about America
All of a sudden the Big 12’s annual baseball tournament is more about America and the American way than it is about baseball.
And that makes it a wonderful thing. -
Musgrave to pitch WVU’s second game
West Virginia University baseball coach Randy Mazey believes that the change in format of the Big 12 Tournament will benefit his Mountaineers because it allows him to hold conference Pitcher of the Year Harrison Musgrave until the key second game of the tournament.
-
HERTZEL COLUMN: Bill Stewart is missed, remembered
It was Monday, the first anniversary of Bill Stewart’s sudden death while playing the 16th hole of a charity golf tournament with West Virginia University’s former athletic director and his former boss, Ed Pastilong.
-
Miles granted release from WVU
Junior forward Keaton Miles, who suffered through a disappointing sophomore season as West Virginia fell below .500, has been granted a release and will seek a transfer, according to published reports.
-
WVU baseball team helps those in tornado’s path
In so many ways it was a day that called for celebration.
Randy Mazey’s West Virginia baseball team, the team that was supposed to finish last in its first Big 12 season, was sitting in third place on what should have been the eve of the conference tournament. -
FURFARI COLUMN: WVU should reinstate men’s track — not golf
West Virginia University has not had a men’s golf team since 1982 in its sports program.
But Oliver Luck, who’s been the school’s athletic director going on three years, reportedly is talking about bringing back that sport “because it’s cheap.” -
HERTZEL COLUMN- Catastrophes make you stop and think
The scenes have been gruesome, devastation everywhere, words flowing from the mouths of reporters that are as difficult to comprehend as are the images on the eyes.
-
HERTZEL COLUMN- Major delivers message: ‘Roll with the punches’
On graduation day, four or five or who knows how many years into one’s college days, you expect to put on your cap and gown and listen to words of wisdom from a commencement speaker more along the lines of Henry Kissinger or Bill Clinton, but that is not to say it is only a day for an academic elitist.
-
WVU wins regular-season finale
The West Virginia University baseball team guaranteed itself a Top 4 finish in the Big 12 Conference standings with a 5-4 victory at No. 16 Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.
-
HERTZEL COLUMN: Irvin’s dreads are gone now he must rebuild reputation
A couple of days back Bruce Irvin sat down in a barber’s chair — stylist’s chair, if you prefer — and made a dramatic and what had to be traumatic move.
He had his dreadlocks removed. - More WVU Sports Headlines
-
HERTZEL COLUMN: Big 12 baseball tournament is about America
