Final Tune Up
November 05, 2006 11:58 PM | General
November 5, 2006
BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Joe Alexander led five double-figure scorers with 17 points in helping West Virginia to an 81-54 exhibition victory over Fairmont State Sunday night at the WVU Coliseum.
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| Senior Frank Young scored 15 points for West Virginia Sunday evening. The Mountaineers defeated Fairmont State 81-54.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
“Even though it became a somewhat lopsided game I think it’s great for Fairmont State and for us just to get out there under the lights and play,” said West Virginia coach John Beilein. “Just like the Wheeling game last year this is a better way to prepare for the season than playing a club team from Mexico.”
Sunday’s game was West Virginia final tune up before opening the season against Mount St. Mary’s this Friday evening at 7 pm. Alexander, a 6-foot-8-inch sophomore forward, made 7 of 11 from the field including 3 of 6 from behind the 3-point arc, and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds in 27 minutes of work.
“He was a good high school player and most of our guys were great high school players,” Beilein said of Alexander. “He’s really learning the game but you can see why we like his upside. If he continues to learn the college game he can have a great career.
“He’s come a long way.”
Be sure to buy a program when you come to the game on Friday because there are plenty of new names to learn. Seven-foot Butler transfer Jamie Smalligan scored 11 points on 3 of 5 shooting and freshman forward Da’Sean Butler hit for 11 on 3 of 6 shooting in their first appearances in Mountaineer uniforms.
Holdovers Frank Young (15) and Alex Ruoff (10) also reached double digits.
Twelve Mountaineer players saw action in the game, including freshmen Devan Bawinkel, Wellington Smith, Joe Mazzulla and Cam Thoroughman.
West Virginia had a 40-26 rebounding advantage and made 13 of 34 from 3, shooting 44.4 percent from behind the arc in the first half (8 of 18).
“I can’t see the forest from the trees but I believe in the long run we’re more athletic with this team and their basketball IQ I guess is the thing that we’ll develop,” Beilein said. “They’re not dumb players: they’re just learning the college game whether they’re a transfer, whether they sat last year or whether they are brand new.”
Jamal Womble led the Falcons with 13 points.
The Mountaineers led 43-26 at halftime.
“We’ll watch the film and make a judgment on the things we need to work on because there are a lot of things,” said Beilein.
Mount St. Mary’s, coached by Milan Brown, posted a 13-17 record last year in the Northeast Conference and has three starters returning led by 6-4 guard Mychal Kearse, who averaged 10.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in 2006.
Friday will be the third time West Virginia has met Mount St. Mary’s on the hardwood, the two last playing during the 1993-94 season when WVU claimed a 100-76 victory.
For ticket information, contact the Mountaineer Ticket Office toll-free at 1-800-WVU GAME or go online at WVUGAME.com.
