Post by elp525 on Jul 1, 2011 4:29:27 GMT -5
June 30, 2011
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - For the first time in Bob Huggins' five years at his alma mater, West Virginia's basketball team will play more games at home than on the road.
OK, so it's not a huge difference. The Mountaineers will play 16 games at the Coliseum this season, which is two more than were scheduled in each of the last three seasons and one more than in Huggins' first year.
But for a team that will break in at least three new starters and introduce seven newcomers to the rigors of Division I basketball, this would seem the perfect time to stay a bit closer to home.
That doesn't mean the schedule is easy, though, not by any stretch.
The school officially announced on Thursday 27 of its 31 opponents for next season in conjunction with the Big East releasing the breakdown of its slate. Specifics, namely the dates of the games, won't be released until September. Four of the opponents in a tournament split between Morgantown and Las Vegas have yet to be determined.
The home schedule includes nine Big East games and non-conference contests with seven other teams. The Big East portion of the schedule also shows West Virginia's three home-and-home opponents in the league this year will be Pitt (as usual), Notre Dame and Rutgers.
The seven non-conference games at the Coliseum are highlighted by Miami's first visit here since leaving the Big East. The other opponents at home are Kent State, Oral Roberts, Alcorn State, Akron and two undetermined opponents in the early rounds of the Las Vegas Classic.
In addition, West Virginia again plays two games at the Charleston Civic Center - against Marshall and Morehead State - to give the Mountaineers 18 of their 31 games in the state.
Aside from the nine Big East road games, the bulk of the remaining schedule is on neutral courts. Aside from those nine league games, the only other opponent WVU faces on its home floor is Mississippi State Dec. 3 in the SEC-Big East Challenge.
The other neutral-court games are two at the Orleans Arena in the Las Vegas Classic Dec. 22-23 and a Dec. 8 game against Kansas State in Wichita.
The opponents in the Las Vegas Classic - two in Morgantown and two in Las Vegas - have not been determined, but regardless of the outcome of the on-campus games WVU will advance to Las Vegas along with Baylor, Missouri State and Saint Mary's.
In Big East play, in addition to the home games with Pitt, Notre Dame and Rutgers, West Virginia will face Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette and Villanova. The road games in addition to the three repeat opponents are Connecticut, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, South Florida and Syracuse.
Of the nine non-conference opponents known - not including those to be determined in the Las Vegas Classic - five finished in the top 100 of the RPI last season (No. 23 Kansas State, No. 54 Marshall, No. 73 Miami, No. 77 Morehead State, No. 78 Kent State) and three others were in the top 150 (No. 107 Akron, No. 119 Mississippi State, No. 131 Oral Roberts). The lone exception, by far, was Alcorn State, which won just four games a year ago.
On the other hand, nine of West Virginia's 17 Big East opponents were in the top 40 of the RPI and 10 made the NCAA tournament.
2011-12 WVU basketball schedule
Dates and times to be announced in September
Home games (16)
Big East games (9)-Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette and Villanova
Non-conference games (7)-Miami, Kent State, Oral Roberts, Alcorn State, Akron and two undetermined opponents in the Las Vegas Classic
Neutral-court games (5)
At Charleston Civic Center (2)-Marshall and Morehead State
At Las Vegas Classic (2)-Opponents TBA
At Wichita, Kan. (1)-Kansas State
Road games (10)
Big East games (9)-Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Connecticut, Providence, St. John's Seton Hall, South Florida and Syracuse
Non-conference games (1)-Mississippi State
By Dave Hickman
The Charleston Gazette
MORGANTOWN - For the first time in Bob Huggins' five years at his alma mater, West Virginia's basketball team will play more games at home than on the road.
OK, so it's not a huge difference. The Mountaineers will play 16 games at the Coliseum this season, which is two more than were scheduled in each of the last three seasons and one more than in Huggins' first year.
But for a team that will break in at least three new starters and introduce seven newcomers to the rigors of Division I basketball, this would seem the perfect time to stay a bit closer to home.
That doesn't mean the schedule is easy, though, not by any stretch.
The school officially announced on Thursday 27 of its 31 opponents for next season in conjunction with the Big East releasing the breakdown of its slate. Specifics, namely the dates of the games, won't be released until September. Four of the opponents in a tournament split between Morgantown and Las Vegas have yet to be determined.
The home schedule includes nine Big East games and non-conference contests with seven other teams. The Big East portion of the schedule also shows West Virginia's three home-and-home opponents in the league this year will be Pitt (as usual), Notre Dame and Rutgers.
The seven non-conference games at the Coliseum are highlighted by Miami's first visit here since leaving the Big East. The other opponents at home are Kent State, Oral Roberts, Alcorn State, Akron and two undetermined opponents in the early rounds of the Las Vegas Classic.
In addition, West Virginia again plays two games at the Charleston Civic Center - against Marshall and Morehead State - to give the Mountaineers 18 of their 31 games in the state.
Aside from the nine Big East road games, the bulk of the remaining schedule is on neutral courts. Aside from those nine league games, the only other opponent WVU faces on its home floor is Mississippi State Dec. 3 in the SEC-Big East Challenge.
The other neutral-court games are two at the Orleans Arena in the Las Vegas Classic Dec. 22-23 and a Dec. 8 game against Kansas State in Wichita.
The opponents in the Las Vegas Classic - two in Morgantown and two in Las Vegas - have not been determined, but regardless of the outcome of the on-campus games WVU will advance to Las Vegas along with Baylor, Missouri State and Saint Mary's.
In Big East play, in addition to the home games with Pitt, Notre Dame and Rutgers, West Virginia will face Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette and Villanova. The road games in addition to the three repeat opponents are Connecticut, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall, South Florida and Syracuse.
Of the nine non-conference opponents known - not including those to be determined in the Las Vegas Classic - five finished in the top 100 of the RPI last season (No. 23 Kansas State, No. 54 Marshall, No. 73 Miami, No. 77 Morehead State, No. 78 Kent State) and three others were in the top 150 (No. 107 Akron, No. 119 Mississippi State, No. 131 Oral Roberts). The lone exception, by far, was Alcorn State, which won just four games a year ago.
On the other hand, nine of West Virginia's 17 Big East opponents were in the top 40 of the RPI and 10 made the NCAA tournament.
2011-12 WVU basketball schedule
Dates and times to be announced in September
Home games (16)
Big East games (9)-Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette and Villanova
Non-conference games (7)-Miami, Kent State, Oral Roberts, Alcorn State, Akron and two undetermined opponents in the Las Vegas Classic
Neutral-court games (5)
At Charleston Civic Center (2)-Marshall and Morehead State
At Las Vegas Classic (2)-Opponents TBA
At Wichita, Kan. (1)-Kansas State
Road games (10)
Big East games (9)-Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Connecticut, Providence, St. John's Seton Hall, South Florida and Syracuse
Non-conference games (1)-Mississippi State
