Photo by: Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images
Tony’s Take – Answers to Some Preseason Hoop Questions
October 07, 2019 11:17 AM | Men's Basketball, Tony's Take
Tony's Take is a monthly Mountaineer sports column written by veteran West Virginia University play-by-play man Tony Caridi.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The Mountaineer basketball team steps into the spotlight this Friday night. The annual Gold-Blue Debut tips off at the Coliseum at 7 p.m.
The price of admission can't be beat; it's free.
There are many questions surrounding Bob Huggins' squad as he begins his 13th season at his alma mater.
Here's my take on some of the questions Mountaineer fans are asking:
What are realistic expectations for the returning players?
Overall, there should be optimism. That's not a generalized opinion but one that's based on statistical history. I researched scoring averages of freshmen under Bob Huggins since he took over at WVU. With very few exceptions, those who failed to average at least 4 points per game never became contributors. Those who did average at least 4 points became starters and major impact players.
The trio of Jordan McCabe, Emmitt Matthews Jr. and Brandon Knapper all averaged more than 4 points per game last season. The outlier in the group is Derek Culver, who averaged the most points (12) and rebounds (10) of any freshman since Huggins took over as coach.
What are realistic expectations for the newcomers?
Following the theme from our first question, newcomers can contribute but very few head into the rarefied air of double-digit scoring. The only players under Huggins to average double figures as a freshman are Devin Ebanks, Truck Bryant, Eron Harris and the aforementioned Culver.
Kevin Jones (6 ppg), Devin Williams (8 ppg), Jevon Carter (8 ppg) and Daxter Miles (7 ppg) all became major contributors but failed to crack the double-digit mark. History says the newcomers will range between 5 and 8 points per game.
What's my biggest concern?
I have two major issues that make me uneasy. The first is overall experience and the second is defense. No matter how you analyze the roster, it's still incredibly young. Despite the inordinate amount of conversation about one and done players, the college game is still dominated by experienced teams. An anticipated starting lineup that could start this season for WVU (Culver, McCabe, Matthews Jr., Haley, and Oscar Tshiebwe) would walk on the floor with just 85 Division 1 starts. In comparison, WVU's Final Four team in 2010 opened the season with 151 career starts. Yes, this season's team has improved talent, but it's still unproven.
My second concern is defense. WVU morphed from one of the nation's stingiest teams to one of the most generous last season. The program's entire culture is built on the foundation of defense, and it's being stressed more than any other area in preseason workouts. It appears the personnel shortcomings have been addressed, but until I see it suffocate opponents I'll stay concerned.
Does Press Virginia return?
The short answer is no. Did The Beatles ever get back together? Quite honestly, I'm not sure we'll ever see the devastating thievery of the charter members of that group. However, don't burn your t-shirt just yet; I do expect this team to press in some fashion. We'll likely see more half-court pressure than the full court variety though.
Does this team return to the NCAA tournament?
I'd certainly like to think it can, but very few prognosticators think it will. The question becomes just how much of an aberration was last season? Was it a one season blip or a larger issue that will take more time to fix? I was encouraged by how the team played late last season after the roster shuffle in February. The wins over Iowa State, TCU and Texas Tech were significant. If this group can build on those performances coupled with the arrival of several key newcomers this team could return to the NCAA tourney. The skeptics that say no may eventually prove to be the Mountaineers' best motivation.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The Mountaineer basketball team steps into the spotlight this Friday night. The annual Gold-Blue Debut tips off at the Coliseum at 7 p.m.
The price of admission can't be beat; it's free.
There are many questions surrounding Bob Huggins' squad as he begins his 13th season at his alma mater.
Here's my take on some of the questions Mountaineer fans are asking:
What are realistic expectations for the returning players?
Overall, there should be optimism. That's not a generalized opinion but one that's based on statistical history. I researched scoring averages of freshmen under Bob Huggins since he took over at WVU. With very few exceptions, those who failed to average at least 4 points per game never became contributors. Those who did average at least 4 points became starters and major impact players.
The trio of Jordan McCabe, Emmitt Matthews Jr. and Brandon Knapper all averaged more than 4 points per game last season. The outlier in the group is Derek Culver, who averaged the most points (12) and rebounds (10) of any freshman since Huggins took over as coach.
What are realistic expectations for the newcomers?Following the theme from our first question, newcomers can contribute but very few head into the rarefied air of double-digit scoring. The only players under Huggins to average double figures as a freshman are Devin Ebanks, Truck Bryant, Eron Harris and the aforementioned Culver.
Kevin Jones (6 ppg), Devin Williams (8 ppg), Jevon Carter (8 ppg) and Daxter Miles (7 ppg) all became major contributors but failed to crack the double-digit mark. History says the newcomers will range between 5 and 8 points per game.
What's my biggest concern?
I have two major issues that make me uneasy. The first is overall experience and the second is defense. No matter how you analyze the roster, it's still incredibly young. Despite the inordinate amount of conversation about one and done players, the college game is still dominated by experienced teams. An anticipated starting lineup that could start this season for WVU (Culver, McCabe, Matthews Jr., Haley, and Oscar Tshiebwe) would walk on the floor with just 85 Division 1 starts. In comparison, WVU's Final Four team in 2010 opened the season with 151 career starts. Yes, this season's team has improved talent, but it's still unproven.
My second concern is defense. WVU morphed from one of the nation's stingiest teams to one of the most generous last season. The program's entire culture is built on the foundation of defense, and it's being stressed more than any other area in preseason workouts. It appears the personnel shortcomings have been addressed, but until I see it suffocate opponents I'll stay concerned.
Does Press Virginia return?
The short answer is no. Did The Beatles ever get back together? Quite honestly, I'm not sure we'll ever see the devastating thievery of the charter members of that group. However, don't burn your t-shirt just yet; I do expect this team to press in some fashion. We'll likely see more half-court pressure than the full court variety though.
Does this team return to the NCAA tournament?
I'd certainly like to think it can, but very few prognosticators think it will. The question becomes just how much of an aberration was last season? Was it a one season blip or a larger issue that will take more time to fix? I was encouraged by how the team played late last season after the roster shuffle in February. The wins over Iowa State, TCU and Texas Tech were significant. If this group can build on those performances coupled with the arrival of several key newcomers this team could return to the NCAA tourney. The skeptics that say no may eventually prove to be the Mountaineers' best motivation.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballTV Highlights: WVU 86, MVSU 51
Monday, December 22
Ross Hodge | Mississippi Valley State Postgame
Monday, December 22
Treysen Eaglestaff, Harlan Obioha & Amir Jenkins | Mississippi Valley State Postgame
Monday, December 22
Ross Hodge | Mississippi Valley State Preview
Thursday, December 18
