MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Bob Huggins said Friday morning he expects to have a full roster available for Saturday afternoon's Big 12 game against Kansas State.
 
The Mountaineers were down three players for last Saturday's 74-59 loss at 17^th-ranked Texas, including 20.9 points per game scorer Taz Sherman. Having those 21 points or forward Gabe Osabuohien's presence on the defensive end of the floor certainly would have made up the difference in the Mountaineers' 15-point defeat.
 
The other player who didn't make the trip was freshman guard Kobe Johnson.
 
Huggins did say that all three have practiced little and conditioning could be an issue on Saturday.
 
"I think we've done the best job we can possibly do in the best way it can possibly be handled with the biggest thing being making sure the safety of our guys is not jeopardized," Huggins said.
 
But West Virginia's issues pale in comparison to those of K-State, which was without coach Bruce Weber and had only eight players available for Tuesday night's home loss to Texas. Weber and assistant coaches Chris Lowery and Shane Southwell won't be with the team in Morgantown Saturday, nor will three of the Wildcats' tallest players - 6-foot-10 forward Kaosi Ezeagu, 7-foot forward Davion Bradford and 6-foot-9 forward Logan Landers – according to the Kansas City Star.
 
Kansas State (8-5, 0-2) is expecting the return of top playmaker Markquis Nowell and his team leading 54 assists, however.
 
"We have stayed around that number where, according to Big 12 rules, we have enough coaches and players to play," Weber said via Zoom video conference earlier today. "I don't think it's right. I think it's unfair, and I have expressed that to the league office.
 
"I did that last year. I did that this year to our administration, but those are the rules and you have got to play by the rules," he added.
 
Despite its depleted roster, Kansas State led Texas 35-29 at halftime before wearing down in the second half. 
 
Nijel Pack scored a game-high 21 points in 38 minutes of action against the Longhorns. The 6-foot sophomore leads the Wildcats with 15.6 points per game while shooting a team-best 42.5% from 3-point distance. He made 3-of-7 from 3 against and 6-of-12 overall from the floor against Texas.
 
Selton Miguel, a 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, contributed 13 points in 32 minutes against the Longhorns and is averaging 8.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
 
"They've got more shot makers than I can remember. They've got guys that can make hard shots," Huggins said. 
 
Of K-State's other available players, senior guard Mike McGuirl is probably the most familiar name to Mountaineer fans, although he's started just five of 12 contests this season and is averaging 6.1 points per game. McGuirl has had some big games against West Virginia in the past.
 
Mark Smith, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior transfer from Missouri, is averaging 10.3 points and a team-best 8.5 rebounds per game. He had six points and seven rebounds in the Texas loss.
 
The two bigs available – 6-foot-9, 210-pound sophomore Ismael Massoud and 7-foot, 220-pund senior Carlton Linguard Jr. – are averaging 8.2 and 2.0 points per game respectively.
 
Kansas State is already one win shy of the nine victories it had for the entire season last year.
 
"Bruce doesn't get the credit he deserves for being the coach that he is," Huggins said. "He runs great stuff, they're terrific defensively and I think he's done a great job with roster management. He's brought in guys that really fit into his system, and he's brought in guys and helped them get better."
 
Meanwhile, Huggins is hoping sophomore forward Jalen Bridges can build off his team-best 18 points scored in last Saturday's loss to Texas.
 
After Sherman and guard Sean McNeil, the Mountaineers have been seeking a consistent third scorer to help balance the floor. Before last Saturday, Bridges had only topped double figures against Pitt (18) and Marquette (11). He's now averaging 8.1 points per game.
 
"I hope he kind of came out of his shell, so to speak," Huggins said. "(Bridges' teammates) were encouraging J.B. to shoot the ball as much as I was. They want him to score. Taz and Sean both know we're going to be a much better team when we've got all three of those guys making shots and being aggressive offensively."
 
McNeil is averaging 13.8 points per game.
 
Saturday's game will be just West Virginia's second game since Dec. 22 when it defeated Youngstown State 82-52.
 
"I guess the one good is some of the younger guys got some more attention during practice than they normally would have had at this time of year," Huggins noted.
 
Last Monday night's game at TCU was postponed because the Horned Frogs did not meet the Big 12's minimum threshold of having six players and one coach available for the game.
 
The Mountaineers (11-2) are seeking their first conference victory of the season on Saturday. Tip is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be televised locally on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ (Ted Emrich and Bryndon Manzer).
 
Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage begins at 1 p.m. on stations throughout West Virginia and online via WVUsports.com and the popular mobile app WVU Gameday.
 
Tickets are still available and can be purchased through WVUGAME.com.