Off to Philadelphia
January 31, 2003 11:13 AM | General
January 31, 2003
PHILADELPHIA – Sizing up his team’s strengths and weaknesses after 18 games, West Virginia coach John Beilein says they are really one in the same.
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| West Virginia coach John Beilein shouts out instructions during Wednesday's game at Notre Dame. (AP photo) |
“We have young kids that are very promising for the future which is a tremendous strength to have that promise within your program,” he said. “But a different freshman has hit a wall for every game. It’s the same thing with our two sophomores. Our final success in this last month will probably be determined by the personalities and the toughness of those kids.”
West Virginia has been near flawless at home winning eight of nine games (WVU’s only loss came against No. 2-ranked Pittsburgh). However, West Virginia is still searching for its first road victory this year, and has now dropped 12 straight Big East road games dating back to the 2000-01 season.
“Only experience is going to solve that problem,” said Beilein.
Wednesday night the Mountaineers lost an 88-69 verdict at No. 10 Notre Dame, and the assignment doesn’t get any easier Saturday afternoon at Villanova.
The Wildcats (12-6, 5-1) sit at the top of the East division standings with a 5-1 record. Villanova lost 74-65 last Saturday at Connecticut and has had a week to rest and prepare for West Virginia’s motion offense.
“We had a run there where we’ve played a lot of games from a stretch of about the fifth of January up to the Connecticut game, so I think (the break) was good for us in that sense,” said Villanova coach Jay Wright. “Now we’re just really trying to refine everything that we do. This game against West Virginia is going to be a good test for us.”
Wright has brought along his young Wildcat team with a tough non-conference schedule, and now has his team positioned for a possible run toward the NCAA tournament.
“We’ve been playing consistent basketball in our last seven or eight games,” said Wright. “They haven’t always resulted in victories, but I like just the way our team is playing: trying to play hard every night, defend well and rebound well.”
Six-three senior guard Gary Buchanan leads Villanova with a scoring average of 15.3 points per game. Buchanan is only making 42.9 percent of his field goal attempts, but he is shooting 40.9 percent from three-point distance.
Six-seven junior Ricky Wright is averaging 12.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Six-three freshman guard Randy Foye has started all 18 games and is averaging 11.1 points and 3.4 assists per game. Six-two freshman guard Allan Ray is averaging 10.4 points per game coming off the bench, while 6-foot-10 freshman center Jason Fraser is averaging 8.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Six-foot junior point guard Derrick Snowden is averaging 7.9 points and 3.9 assists per game, starting 15 of 18 contests this season.
“It looks like they have tremendous talent on their team,” said Beilein of the Wildcats. “Jay has certainly gotten some fine recruits there and then he’s got enough guys that have been around and understand Big East play.”
Like Villanova, West Virginia’s young lineup centers on sophomore forward Drew Schifino and freshman center Kevin Pittsnogle. The pair is averaging 33.4 points per game between them.
Pittsnogle’s play has caught the attention of Wright.
“He’s really like a three-man in a center’s body which I think will bode well for his future after college. He’s also got a great feel for the game,” said Wright. “I was watching one tape where they got a steal and they kicked it ahead to him and he threw it behind his back to the guard -- not just throwing it behind his back, but knowing to give it up to the guard. If he’s not already, I think he’s one of the great players in our league.”
Joining Pittsnogle and Schifino in West Virginia’s starting five are 6-7 sophomore Tyrone Sally (9.2 ppg.), 6-6 freshman Joe Herber (7.3 ppg.) and 5-10 freshman Jarmon Durisseau-Collins (2.5 ppg.).
Saturday’s game is set to tip off at 2 p.m. ESPN Regional (John Sanders and Doris Burke) will televise the game on stations in Clarksburg (WBOY), Charleston (WCHS), Beckley (WVSX), Wheeling (WTRF), Chambersburg, Pa. (WJAL), Philadelphia (Comcast) and Boston (NESN).
Lurking ahead for the Wildcats is a Big Five meeting with St. Joseph’s at the Palestra on Monday night.
West Virginia returns home to face Syracuse at the Coliseum on Saturday, Feb. 8.
MSNsportsNET.com’s Internet coverage for the Villanova game begins at 1:30 p.m.
