Growing Pains
November 25, 2002 10:29 PM | General
November 25, 2002
PITTSBURGH -- Monday night's 86-82 loss at Duquesne was a learning experience for the West Virginia University basketball team.
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| West Virginia freshman Nick Patella is stipped of the basketball in the second half of Duquesne's 86-82 victory over the Mountaineers. |
With virtually all of its production coming from freshmen and sophomores, the Mountaineers fell behind big at the end of the first half but fought their way back into the game late in the second half.
"I'm proud of the team," said West Virginia coach John Beilein. "They really worked very hard at just staying within the game plan, listening in the timeouts and doing the things we needed to do to stay in the game because it was on the verge of a blowout at one point."
Sophomore guard Drew Schifino poured in a career-high 33 points, including 21 in the second half as the Mountaineers chipped Duquesne's lead down to five points three different times. But West Virginia didn't have an answer inside for 6-foot-9 forward Ron Dokes. Operating almost at will inside, at one point in the second half Stokes scored 14 straight points for the Dukes and finished the game with 29 points.
"Whether we were in zone or whether we were in man he used his body very well and they have a tall team, where nobody was under 6-foot-4," said Beilein. "As a result they were looking over the top of the zone and just finding him by an eyelash. We really weren't quick enough in some of the things we had to do to stop him."
Duquesne (1-1) also hit its free throws down the stretch, knocking down eight straight inside of a minute to seal its first victory of the season.
"They're a veteran team, they've got a lot of third, fourth and fifth-year guys out there that have been through this a lot of times. For our young guys, I liked the way we competed and stayed with it," said Beilein.
After four lead changes to start the game, Duquesne went on a 14-6 run to turn a two-point lead into a 10-point advantage at 34-24.
Duquesne held West Virginia (1-1) to just one field goal for the remaining 4:10 to take a 16-point lead into the locker room.
"We probably should have been down just seven or eight at the half, but we had some freshmen in there during that span that cost us points," said Beilein. "Knowing those guys they won't make the same mistakes too many more times."
Schifino's 33 points were the first time a Mountaineer player has scored at least 30 in a game since Jan. 5, 1999, when guard Jarett Kearse scored 31 in an overtime loss at Providence.
Freshmen Kevin Pittsnogle scored 19 and Patrick Beilein added 11 for West Virginia. WVU's trio of seniors Chaz Briggs and Josh Yeager and sophomore Tyrone Sally managed just six points between them.
Duquesne's victory was its second straight against West Virginia and four out of the last five.
"No we didn't get a win tonight but I think we grew some as a team," Beilein said. "Duquesne is a much better team than they were last year mostly because of Dokes -- he just makes a big difference."
West Virginia returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 30 at the Coliseum against James Madison.
Official Basketball Box Score
West Virginia vs Duquesne
11/25/02 7:30 pm at Pittsburgh, PA / A.J. Palumbo Center
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VISITORS: West Virginia 1-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
15 SCHIFINO, Drew...... f 14-22 2-3 3-4 2 3 5 3 33 2 0 1 0 33
22 YEAGER, Josh........ f 2-7 1-4 0-0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 1 0 27
34 PITTSNOGLE, Kevin... c 8-12 3-3 0-0 3 2 5 4 19 1 1 2 0 26
05 DURISSEAU-COLLINS, J g 0-4 0-3 0-0 1 0 1 4 0 2 1 0 1 20
24 HERBER, Johannes.... g 3-8 1-4 2-5 0 4 4 5 9 6 4 0 1 37
02 BRIGGS, Chaz........ 0-0 0-0 1-2 1 3 4 3 1 0 0 2 0 13
03 BEILEIN, Patrick.... 4-8 2-5 1-2 1 2 3 5 11 1 2 0 1 20
04 SALLY, Tyrone....... 0-5 0-2 0-2 3 2 5 3 0 1 1 0 0 20
10 PATELLA, Nick....... 1-1 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 1 4 3 0 0 0 4
TEAM................ 2 3 5
Totals.............. 32-67 9-24 9-17 13 19 32 29 82 16 9 6 3 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-34 35.3% 2nd Half: 20-33 60.6% Game: 47.8% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-8 12.5% 2nd Half: 8-16 50.0% Game: 37.5% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 1-3 33.3% 2nd Half: 8-14 57.1% Game: 52.9% 5
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HOME TEAM: Duquesne 1-1
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
04 PALMER, Elijah...... f 5-6 1-1 2-4 5 3 8 4 13 1 3 1 0 24
14 NJOYA, Simplice..... f 3-6 0-1 0-2 3 2 5 4 6 0 3 1 0 30
41 DOKES, Ron.......... c 8-11 0-0 13-18 2 5 7 1 29 1 2 0 0 30
20 FORNEY, Kevin....... g 3-6 1-1 4-4 0 2 2 3 11 3 7 0 1 30
44 TRICCO, Jimmy....... g 5-10 2-5 2-4 0 6 6 2 14 1 2 0 0 32
21 MIDGLEY, Brad....... 1-6 0-1 3-3 1 2 3 1 5 6 0 0 0 27
22 MCALLISTER, Bryant.. 2-4 0-2 2-2 0 3 3 2 6 0 0 0 0 15
42 CLARK, Chris........ 1-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 12
TEAM................ 2 2
Totals.............. 28-52 4-11 26-37 13 25 38 18 86 12 17 2 1 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 15-26 57.7% 2nd Half: 13-26 50.0% Game: 53.8% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-5 80.0% 2nd Half: 0-6 0.0% Game: 36.4% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 8-13 61.5% 2nd Half: 18-24 75.0% Game: 70.3% 3
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Officials: Reggie Greenwood, Frank Scagliotta, Gene Monje
Technical fouls: West Virginia-None. Duquesne-None.
Attendance: 4802
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
West Virginia................. 26 56 - 82
Duquesne...................... 42 44 - 86
