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Post by cviller on Dec 27, 2008 22:36:17 GMT -5
By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com December 27, 2008
West Virginia 76, #15 Ohio State 48
Box Score Summary 1 2 F West Virginia 35 41 76 Ohio State 28 20 48 Stat Comparison FG Made-Att 31-65 18-58 FG Percentage 47.7% 31.0% 3P Made-Att 4-20 2-18 3P Percentage 20.0% 11.1% FT Made-Att 10-16 10-19 FT Percentage 62.5% 52.6% Rebounds 42 38 Turnovers 7 12
Top WVU Players
Top Scorer Top Rebounder Alex Ruoff 17 Points Da'Sean Butler 6 Rebounds West Virginia held 15th-ranked Ohio State to 20 second-half points in a runaway 76-48 victory over the Buckeyes Saturday afternoon at Value City Arena in Columbus.
The Mountaineers (10-2) completely dominated a Buckeye team that came into the game with the nation’s longest winning streak at 14 and winners of 65 of their last 67 in Columbus against non-ranked teams. OSU also was working on a 12-game home winning streak and was 42-4 at the VCA while ranked in the Top 25.
All of that goes by the wayside on Saturday.
“It’s nice to play well here,” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. “I have a ton of friends and family who were at this game and have spent the majority of my life here (in Ohio). We needed to play hard against a very good basketball team today. I have wonderful kids that play hard. I wish they would grow to be 6-10, but these kids do what they need to do to win games.”
“We weren’t very good,” said Ohio State coach Thad Matta. “It’s just that simple. West Virginia had a lot to do with it. We couldn’t capitalize on momentum and really let our guard down on defense.”
Alex Ruoff scored 17 points to lead four West Virginia double-figure scorers. Da’Sean Butler contributed 16 points, Truck Bryant scored 11 and Devin Ebanks added 10.
“After we went up early in the first half, they got their big run and that was it for us,” said Matta.
The Mountaineers went on their big run in the second half when Butler was on the bench after picking up his fourth foul.
Williams Buford and Jeremie Simmons scored 11 points each, while Evan Turner scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Ohio State, which drops to 9-1.
Touted 7-foot Buckeye center B.J. Mullens finished the game 1 of 5 from the floor for 4 points.
Ohio State was a frigid 7 of 27 shooting (25.9 percent) in the second half and finished the game shooting only 31 percent.
The Mountaineers were much better close to the basket, hitting 31 of 65 overall for 47.7 percent. Behind the 3-point arc West Virginia was only 4 of 20.
“We didn’t want Ohio State to have structure on the defensive end and I thought we did a good job of spreading them out by not letting their big guys stay underneath the basket,” said Huggins.
WVU also beat Ohio State on the glass, 42-38, and forced 12 Buckeye turnovers.
“This is pretty much what we’ve been doing all year,” said Huggins. “We are plus-10 in rebounding but that is misleading because of the competition that we’ve faced.”
“We didn’t finish well under the basket,” Matta said. “They did a better job fighting around the basket. We had great looks but didn’t convert at all.”
“We didn’t match West Virginia’s toughness today,” added Ohio State guard Jeremie Simmons.
West Virginia’s 28-point win was a school record for the widest margin of victory on the road against a ranked team. It topped the Mountaineers’ 25-point triumph at No. 6 NYU on Jan. 3, 1952.
WVU downed No. 24 Temple by 30 points in the 1998 NCAA Tournament in Boise, Idaho.
Ohio State played before its first sellout crowd of the season at 19,000-seat Value City Arena. Most of them left midway through the second half as WVU expanded its lead to more than 25 points.
West Virginia returns to the court on Saturday, Jan. 3, at Seton Hall.
Briefly:
Huggins’ win over 15th-ranked Ohio State today was his fourth victory over a ranked team in a year and a half at WVU. It was also the biggest margin of victory over a ranked team on the road during his long coaching career. The previous best was 26 points in an 81-55 win at Louisville on Jan. 21, 1999, when Huggins was coaching at Cincinnati.
Ironically, Bob Huggins was a year removed from being a graduate assistant coach at Ohio State the last time the Buckeyes lost to an unranked non-conference opponent. It was during the 1981 season when Ohio State dropped a 76-67 decision to South Alabama on Dec. 16, 1980.
The Buckeyes wore their gray uniforms for the first time this year.
Today’s game is part of a two-game series against Ohio State. The Buckeyes will return the game to Morgantown next year.
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Post by cviller on Dec 27, 2008 22:31:05 GMT -5
By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com December 27, 2008
West Virginia 31, North Carolina 30
Summary 1 2 3 4 F West Virginia 21 0 3 7 31 North Carolina 14 9 7 0 30 Stat Comparison First Downs 20 15 Rushing Yards 123 93 Passing Yards 332 277 Total Yards 455 370 Turnovers 2 2 Penalties/Yards 1/10 4/37 Third Down Conversions 12-19 5-11 Time of Possession 33:44 26:16
Top WVU Players
Top Rusher Top Passer Noel Devine 61 Yards Pat White 332 Yards Top Receiver Top Tackler Alric Arnett 93 Yards Boogie Allen 7 Tackles CHARLOTTE - Pat White finished his career just like he started it – standing atop the winners podium hoisting another bowl trophy over his head.
White passed for 332 yards and three touchdowns to lead West Virginia to a 31-30, come-from-behind victory over North Carolina in the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl at Bank America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
"He's the greatest winner to ever wear the old Gold and Blue," said West Virginia coach Bill Stewart. "The whole key to the game was our number five managing the game."
White, the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher for quarterbacks with 4,480 yards, became the first quarterback in NCAA history to win four bowl games as a starter. White engineered bowl victories over Georgia in the 2006 Nokia Sugar Bowl, against Georgia Tech in the 2007 Toyota Gator Bowl, over Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and now over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
The senior was named game MVP, the third time in his career he was earned that honor.
Today, West Virginia overcame first-half trickery from North Carolina and later needed an interception from sophomore linebacker Pat Lazear at the North Carolina 45 to finally put away the Tar Heels.
Trailing 30-24 with 8:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, White went to the air, completing a 40-yard first-down pass to Jock Sanders to the North Carolina 29. Two plays later, White fired a 20-yard touchdown pass to Alric Arnett – his second TD catch of the game.
Alric’s first touchdown catch was a pretty, 44-yard one-handed grab to put the Mountaineers ahead, 14-7.
White also completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Bradley Starks in the first quarter after Noel Devine began the game with an 18-yard TD run on West Virginia’s opening drive.
Heading into the game West Virginia had the 65th rated offense in the country while North Carolina’s offense was rated 95th. Naturally, by the end of the first quarter the two teams had 35 points, 387 total yards and both quarterbacks were a combined 13 of 13 for 271 yards and four touchdowns.
Trailing 23-21 following a questionable safety call on Noel Devine and a Yates touchdown pass, WVU let another scoring opportunity slip by at the end of the first half after using 15 plays to drive all the way to the Tar Heel nine with 59 seconds left. On third and eight, White tried a pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Deunta Williams – the 20th pick of the year by the North Carolina defense.
North Carolina, taking advantage of a WVU secondary without starters Brandon Hogan and Sidney Glover, used reverses, and reverse passes to put 21 first-quarter points on the board as the Mountaineers had a miserable time trying to stop North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks.
Nicks was able to get behind Ellis Lankster to haul in a 73-yard touchdown that Lankster misjudged and tipped the ball into Nicks’ arms.
Nicks also caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Cooter Arnold on a reverse pass, and later in the second quarter pulled in a pretty 25-yard touchdown pass from Yates on a post-corner route that faked Lankster to the ground.
Nicks finished the game with a career-high 217 yards receiving on eight receptions, including one amazing first down catch when he pinned the ball on his hip with one hand and pulled it between his legs while still running.
"Obviously I haven't seen anything like it since I let him run right by me," said WVU linebacker Pat Lazear. "That's going to eat me up when I see that (on film)."
West Virginia’s defense made two critical second-half plays that turned the game around. The first happened with 8:40 remaining after the Mountaineers gambled and failed to get a fourth and one at the WVU 44 with North Carolina leading 30-24.
Two plays later freshman safety Robert Sands made a big hit on North Carolina running back Shaun Draughn, jarring the football loose and West Virginia recovering at the WVU 31. That set up White’s go-ahead touchdown pass.
The Mountaineers’ other big defensive stop came with 1:53 left in the game when sophomore linebacker Pat Lazear stepped in front of a T.J. Yates pass at the North Carolina 45 and returned the football to the 32.
West Virginia, which couldn’t run out the clock on its previous possession, was able to take a knee three times because the Tar Heels had used all of their timeouts.
"You all in North Carolina know what type of football team we just beat," said Stewart. "God help the ACC the next few years. I ain't playing them. I told (Athletic Director) Dick Baddour, 'Help me get some ACC games but I ain't playing you.' No way. These guys are good."
Mountaineer fans caught a glimpse of the wide-open offense Jeff Mullen has been trying to implement since the beginning of the year. Seven different players caught at least two passes including a season-high seven receptions from Alric Arnett.
Dorrell Jalloh caught five passes for 36 yards, Jock Sanders caught four passes for 70 yards, Bradley Starks had four receptions for 61 yards and tight end Tyler Urban caught a pair of balls for 43 yards.
"When you load the box on West Virginia the days are over of just hammering it up in there and getting beat up," Stewart said. "Let him win it with his arm."
Noel Devine led the Mountaineers for a team-hest 61 yards on 13 carries while White had 21 carries for 55 yards. West Virginia ran just enough (123 yards on 42 carries) to keep North Carolina honest. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, managed only 93 yards on the ground against a West Virginia defense ranked 47th against the run.
Yates finished the game 15 of 25 for 209 yards.
White set career highs in passing yards (332) and completions (26) and moved into second place at WVU in career passing yards with 6,049 behind school-record holder Marc Bulger. White is also the Big East and WVU career total offensive leader with 10,529 yards.
"We've been successful in bowl games since I've been under center," said White. "We've had a lot of great players come through here to help out. We've had great coaching staffs. At the end of the year we definitely wanted to finish strong."
Stewart is the first coach in school history to win his first two bowl games and he joins Dudley DeGroot as the only first-year coaches at WVU to win nine games.
West Virginia’s senior class finishes as the top winning class in school history with a 42-9 record.
"We talked before this week started about how physically gifted West Virginia was," said North Carolina coach Butch Davis. "Pat White has been a Heisman Trophy candidate for the last two seasons. He's a very talented and very gifted young man and they played very well."
This is the 10th straight bowl dating back to 1997 that the Mountaineer defense has given up at least 28 points. West Virginia is 5-5 in those games including winning four straight.
The Mountaineers finish the year winning eight of their last 10 games after starting the season 1-2.
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Post by cviller on Dec 27, 2008 8:45:27 GMT -5
By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com
CHARLOTTE – West Virginia will face North Carolina in a battle of two 8-4 teams on Saturday, Dec. 27, at Bank America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., in the 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl.
West Virginia is making its second trip to the Charlotte Bowl, last playing there in 2002 when the game was called the Continental Tire Bowl. This is also North Carolina’s second appearance in the game. The Tar Heels lost to Boston College, 37-24 in 2004.
The game will be televised nationally on ESPN (Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman and Rob Stone) with the kickoff set for 1 pm.
Here is Saturday’s Countdown to Kickoff:
10 – Three of West Virginia’s four losses in 2008 came by a total of TEN points with two of those games ending in overtime. The Mountaineers dropped a 17-14 overtime decision at Colorado, lost 26-23 in overtime to Cincinnati and fell 19-15 at Pitt.
9 – Brandon Hogan, Mortty Ivy and Ellis Lankster have combined to intercept NINE passes this year. Overall, the Mountaineer defense has picked off 16 passes so far this season.
8 – Sophomore tailback Noel Devine has EIGHT career 100-yard rushing games including a career-best 207 yards in West Virginia’s 34-17 win over Auburn earlier this year.
7 – West Virginia is making its school-record SEVENTH consecutive bowl appearance dating back to the 2002 Continental Tire Bowl. In succession the Mountaineers have played in the Continental Tire, Gator, Gator, Sugar, Gator, Fiesta and Meineke Car Care bowls.
6 – Today’s game will be the SIXTH time this season West Virginia plays a football game on a natural grass surface. The Mountaineers are 2-3 on grass this year and 16-14 on natural playing surfaces since 2001.
5 – West Virginia’s FIVE-year record of 49-13 is presently ninth best in college football.
4 – This will be the FOURTH time West Virginia has faced a North Carolina school in a bowl game. Twice the Mountaineers faced NC State in the 1972 and 1975 Peach bowls and played North Carolina in the 1997 Toyota Gator Bowl.
3 – Bill Stewart becomes the THIRD first-year coach in West Virginia history to lead his team to a bowl game. The other two were Marshall “Sleepy” Glenn, who guided the Mountaineers to the 1937 Sun Bowl, and Dudley DeGroot, who took West Virginia to the 1948 Sun Bowl. Ironically, both coaches led the Mountaineers to victories.
2 – Today’s game will be the SECOND meeting between West Virginia and North Carolina. The only other time the two schools hooked up was in the 1997 Toyota Gator Bowl when North Carolina held on for a 20-13 victory over the Mountaineers.
1 – Quarterback Pat White ranks FIRST in school history in total offense with 10,142 yards heading into today’s game.
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Post by cviller on Dec 27, 2008 8:42:01 GMT -5
by dave poe, Parkersburg News
Today's a huge day for West Virginia University sports fans.
Not only do the Mountaineers meet North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl at 1 p.m., but about the time that game is winding down, WVU's basketball team will be in Columbus, Ohio, to take on undefeated Ohio State in a 4 p.m. tipoff.
I'm finding it hard to get fired-up for the Car Care Bowl.
After watching West Virginia play in a January bowl game each of the past five seasons, this seems like a consolation prize.
I'd much rather WVU be playing for the NC than playing NC.
Obviously, this has been a disappointing season that didn't meet our expectations.
Let's hope it doesn't end in yet another disappointment.
If it does, the Mountaineers will have lost five games this year, equal to the amount WVU lost in the last three seasons combined.
Let's hope Pat White and his fellow seniors, who have given us so many thrills, get to go out as winners.
There's nothing like winning your final game.
West Virginia fans rejoiced when veteran coach Don Nehlen, the man who put Mountaineer football on the national map, won his final game by beating Mississippi in the 2000 Music City Bowl.
Today's game is a lot like that one. It's not a huge game as far as the national standings are concerned, but it's a big game for the West Virginia program in general and the outgoing seniors in particular.
Plus, it's our final chance to see Pat White in a West Virginia uniform. No individual player ever has had such a major impact on West Virginia football. He's given us thrills on the field and been a model citizen and an outspoken advocate off of it.
This is a game West Virginia should win. North Carolina, like WVU, is 8-4, and unranked. It's a middle-of-the-pack team from the extremely disappointing Atlantic Coast Conference. Perhaps the winner will squeeze into the final top 25 rankings.
I'm much more fired up over the basketball game, for it represents a huge opportunity for the Mountaineers.
No one expects West Virginia to go into Columbus and beat the 15th-ranked Buckeyes. A loss in this game won't hurt WVU's NCAA Tournament chances, but a road win significantly would bolster the Mountaineers' postseason credentials.
West Virginia has won both its true road games. Its two losses - to Kentucky and Davidson - came on neutral courts in high-profile events.
WVU needs a signature victory. Yes, it opened some eyes by blasting Iowa in Las Vegas.
But that win doesn't compare to the impact an upset over Ohio State would have. OSU already is 2-0 against Big East teams, having beaten both No. 21 Miami and No. 7 Notre Dame.
A rare football-basketball doubleheader. The perfect day to be a couch potato.
Contact Dave Poe at dpoe@newsandsentinel.com
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Post by cviller on Dec 25, 2008 8:42:37 GMT -5
The WVU Mountaineers don't have a day off on Christmas Day, in fact, Coach Bill Stewart and his team will go through a regular Thursday game week practice in Charlotte today. The 8-4 Mountaineers are preparing for Saturday afternoon's Meinke Car Care Bowl against the University of North Carolina.
Coach Stewart says today's activities will also include a big family meal for Christmas and then the players, coaches and their families will spend the evening at a popular Charlotte video arcade.
Follow comprehensive coverage of the bowl game with live MetroNews programming from Charlotte Friday and Saturday. Live reports will take place during the Morning News tomorrow followed by Hoppy Kercheval and MetroNews Talkline live from the Omni Hotel, the team headquarters for West Virginia. Tony Caridi and MetroNews Sportline will originate from an alumni gathering in Charlotte tomorrow night.
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Post by cviller on Dec 25, 2008 8:37:28 GMT -5
by kerry patrick, Parkersburg News
Next year marks the 20th anniversary for the release of "Back to the Future Part II."
Borrowing a page from the movie's storyline, here is what might or might not happen in 2009. Keep in mind for all you Biff Tannens out there, gambling on the outcomes could cause hazardous damage to your wallets.
Jan. 8: With bowl victories already in hand, fans from Southern Cal, Texas and Alabama are waving their 'We are No. 1' foam fingers in the stands at the BCS National Championship game. Playing in its home state, Florida turns this contest into its own track meet and defeats Oklahoma. During the postgame celebration, officials ask Sam Bradford to do the honorable thing and relinquish his Heisman trophy to game MVP Tim Tebow.
Feb. 1: In a rematch of a game played during the regular season in late October, the Pittsburgh Steelers look to exact revenge on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLIII. The Steelers capture their second title in four years and afterwards, Troy Polamalu reveals his true identity as Cousin It from the Addams Family. April 6: Detroit finally gets a winner. It's not the football version as Forbes Field fans have been yearning for. Instead, it's college men's basketball - site of the NCAA Final Four.
Oklahoma upends North Carolina 80-79 in the championship game.
Tyler Hansbrough shuts down All-American sensation Blake Griffin in the first half, but unbeknownst to the Tar Heels coaching staff Blake and his look-a-like older brother Taylor Griffin switch jersey numbers during intermission.
Even the announcers can't tell the difference and Blake Griffin has a field day in the second half. Of course, Taylor gets all the credit in the scorebook and just smiles when asked about his MVP performance.
Aug. 16: Hobbled knee and all, Tiger Woods completes the grand slam of golf by winning the PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. Granted permission to use a riding cart during his final event of the season - ala Casey Martin - Woods wins an emotional 18th major, tying him with Jack Nicklaus for the most career majors.
Upon receiving the trophy, Woods announces his retirement and receives a bear hug from the Golden Bear himself.
Nov. 5: The improbable happens. The Pittsburgh Pirates complete a worst-to-first finish in the National League's Central Division and meet the darkside of Major League Baseball in a Game 7 of the World Series. Not even the richest payroll can save the New York Yankees as the Pirates' slew of young arms finally pay off for the franchise's first World Series title in 30 years.
Several days later, the Steinbrenners claim bankruptcy, the Yankees begin their fire sale and the world is a better place.
So as the saying goes, Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night.
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Post by cviller on Dec 25, 2008 8:27:38 GMT -5
WVU notebook: Williams ahead of schedule
By Dave Hickman
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Reed Williams walked onto the practice field at Charlotte Country Day School early Wednesday afternoon and approached one of the media types hanging around the edge of the field.
"I heard somebody wanted to talk to a has-been,'' he said.
Well, he may have lost his ability to play, but his sense of humor is still intact.
The former is coming around, too. After sitting out all but two early-season games after surgery on both shoulders during the offseason, West Virginia's middle linebacker is back in a helmet these days, if not actually practicing with the team then at least pretending to.
Williams won't play in Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina, of course, but he looks as if he could. He practiced lightly with the team last week in Morgantown and is doing the same this week.
"I just thought it would be a good idea to knock some of the rust off,'' Williams said Wednesday. "I was sitting on the couch with [roommate Pat McAfee] a couple of weeks ago and said, 'You know, I want to start practicing.'''
The limited practice time Williams is getting isn't going to affect the redshirt season he is taking. He still has a year's eligibility remaining and is expected to be close to 100 percent by the time spring drills begin in March.
"He's way ahead of target, way ahead of what they scheduled,'' West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said. "And now he's out there bumping a little bit.''
nn
Speaking of McAfee, remember the hits he took as a punter in the South Florida game on Dec. 6?
McAfee certainly does.
"On the first one I hyperextended my knee,'' McAfee said. "I'm surprised it didn't break my leg.''
McAfee still feels the pain, but said it shouldn't affect his kicking duties. In addition to punting, McAfee also handles kickoffs and field goals.
His field goal work during practice Wednesday was just fine. In fact, he kicked about six perfect field goals in a row during an early practice period, ranging from 26 to 46 yards. And even on his two 46-yarders he barely missed hitting the cameraman who was taping the workout from a platform a few yards behind the goal posts and several feet above the top of the uprights.
And yes, he was aiming for the guy.
"Kickoffs and field goals aren't a problem. But I can't get full extension with my leg on punts,'' McAfee said. "I'm OK, though.''
nn
West Virginia's coaches apparently got some good news on the recruiting front. Sources indicate that defensive end Tevita Finau's official letter of intent arrived this week.
Finau signed with the Mountaineers last February but didn't graduate from his junior college. So he played another year of junior college football in Phoenix and could have signed anywhere. His letter of intent - junior college players could sign beginning last week - now locks him back with the Mountaineers.
Finau, though, still has to pass one more course in order to get his junior college degree and be eligible to enroll at WVU. West Virginia is hoping he can do that in time to enroll for the spring semester, which begins Jan. 12. Students can enroll up until Jan. 16.
If he does make it in time, he would be eligible to go through spring drills. And he's not likely to be the only incoming recruiting getting a jump. Highly regarded wide receiver Logan Heastie is expected to graduate from high school on Jan. 10 and enroll for the spring semester.
BRIEFLY: With no official activities on the calendar, West Virginia's coaches, players and any family in town were to have a Christmas Eve dinner Wednesday night. Christmas Day's itinerary includes an afternoon practice and a trip to an arcade. ... On the good-health front, fullback Will Johnson is practicing well for the first time since suffering a bad quad bruise early in the season. "That's the old Will Johnson there,'' Stewart said.
Reach Dave Hickman at 348-1734 or dphickm...@aol.com.
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Post by cviller on Dec 25, 2008 8:19:53 GMT -5
By Mitch Vingle
WHEN BOB HUGGINS is within the Mountain State's craggy lines, he is home for the holidays.
"West Virginia is my home,'' he said. "But I have many dear friends in Ohio.''
Many as in many, many.
And it's no wonder. Although Huggins was born in Morgantown in 1953 and lived there until he was 9, he went to high school in Gnadenhutten, Ohio, at Indian Valley South.
He attended WVU and played basketball for the Mountaineers, but he's one of Ohio's most central basketball figures ever.
It's what makes Saturday's West Virginia game at No. 15 Ohio State special.
Not only is the matchup a fine opportunity for the Mountaineers, it's an opportunity Huggins has been awaiting most of his career.
See, much like Marshall pined for the resumption of a football series with WVU a few years back, Cincinnati pined for a basketball series with Ohio State for years.
Um, in case you've forgotten, Huggins coached at UC for 16 years.
"Ohio State didn't play UC,'' the now-WVU coach said. "But we were the premier basketball team in the state. I don't know why they wouldn't have wanted to play.''
Ah, but they did. After, that is, Huggins was forced out of his UC job by school president Nancy Zimpher.
On Dec. 16, 2006, the Buckeyes and Bearcats played. With Huggins gone. With UC's team in a depleted state. With OSU loaded with players like Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr.
The final: Ohio State 72, Cincinnati 50 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
It was the first game between the two schools in 44 years. The last time they'd played was in the 1962 national championship game, won by Cincy.
So Huggins must be excited for Saturday's game. For many reasons.
There's the 16-year snub.
But there are other story lines. See, Ohio State is now coached by Thad Matta. He just happened to have coached at Xavier, Cincinnati's biggest - or at least longest-running - rival. The two met a few times before Huggins moved on to Kansas State.
Perhaps more than anything, though, Huggins has to want this because of pride.
His home may be West Virginia. But he's spent much of his life in the Buckeye state.
He was born in West Virginia. Then he went to high school in Ohio, where he played for his father Charlie's team. Indian Valley South went 26-0 one of those seasons.
Huggins played hoops in Morgantown with such standouts as Maurice Robinson. But he transferred there after playing as a freshman at Ohio University.
Huggins now coaches at WVU. But he became known from coast to coast because of his work in Ohio. At the age of 27, he took over at Walsh University, where he went 71-26 and had one 30-0 regular season. He coached at Akron, where he was 97-46.
And here's one you may not know. He was an assistant for two years at, yes, Ohio State. Under Eldon Miller.
So he's a West Virginian. He's an Ohioan. He's a West Ogininian.
With the emphasis on the West Virginia part.
And an eye on this Saturday's game.
Reach Mitch Vingle at 304-348-4827 or mitchvin...@wvgazette.com.
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Post by cviller on Dec 25, 2008 8:12:02 GMT -5
Yes! It would be great to beat Ohio State right after beating NC in the Car Care Bowl! It that were to happen, Charlotte would EXPLODE!!!
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Post by cviller on Dec 24, 2008 12:43:44 GMT -5
By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com
West Virginia 89 radford 54 MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Alex Ruoff has two explanations for why he was able to score a career-high 38 points that also included a school-record nine 3-point field goals in West Virginia’s 89-54 victory over Radford Tuesday night.
One, Coach Bob Huggins fixed a minor flaw in his shooting stroke and two, Ruoff was disappointed that Radford ruined an opportunity to get a brief vacation by wanting to play two days before Christmas and four days before the Mountaineers’ showdown at No. 13 Ohio State on Saturday.
“Coach told us before the game, ‘You guys would be home right now if it wasn’t for tonight.’ I wanted to see my family on Christmas,” Ruoff joked.
So he went out and took control of a game that already had a Christmas vacation feel to it. It took the Mountaineers nearly 15 minutes to separate themselves from the 3-8 Highlanders. At halftime, West Virginia led 37-24 and 15 of those 37 points came from Ruoff.
Ruoff said Huggins made a slight adjustment to the thumb on his shooting hand.
“I haven’t been shooting it great and I worked with Coach this week and he kind of fixed something with my form with my hand and my thumb,” he said. “It’s helped a lot and I’m definitely going to listen to whatever he tells me.”
Ruoff made five of his nine 3s in the first half and he soon began to realize that he was on a record-setting pace when his teammates began feeding him the ball.
“They were real supportive and they’re very unselfish and were trying to get me the ball. Two of my 3s came on offensive rebounds on kick outs,” Ruoff said. “I hate that expression the rim looks so big but you feel like as long as you get your follow through … the one shot I got from Kevin (Jones) I didn’t really have the ball in my hand and I just kind of threw it up there and it still went it. That shows how when you play with confidence how much better you can play.”
“He didn’t like the fact that he was running around crazy trying to shoot the ball and it kind of put a little more pressure on him,” added teammate Da’Sean Butler.
Ruoff is thankful he got the ninth 3 when he did because he was firing blanks trying to get his 10th one, missing three in a row before Huggs finally took him out of the game with a minute to go.
“I looked dumb at the end trying to get another one. I don’t know what I was doing?” Ruoff said. “I was running around like a little kid.”
“I tried everything I could do to get him 10,” Huggins said.
Ruoff said it started messing with his mind when he realized that he was just two points shy of scoring 40. The most he had ever scored in a game was 44 during high school.
“Coach was calling my number and I appreciate that,” Ruoff said. “I took a fade away and that didn’t make him happy but we got the rebound and I made the shot so he was only mad for a couple seconds.
“After we huddled up Coach came up to me and said, ‘How many plays do I have to run for you to get a shot?’ I think he was aware more than I was.”
Butler isn’t biting on that one.
“It’s not real hard now when you look up and see that scoreboard,” Butler said. “He probably looked up there a couple of times and saw how many points he was getting.
“Yeah, he’s not stupid. He’s a pretty smart guy.”
West Virginia's previous high for 3s in a game was eight made by three different players, most recently by Frank Young against Villanova in 2007.
Ruoff was one short of the WVU record of 15 3s tried by Jonathan Hargett against James Madison in 2001.
Briefly:
Devin Ebanks had another double-digit rebounding performance with 10 boards while also scoring 9 points. Ebanks has had at least 10 rebounds in four of his last five games. The one game he failed to pull down 10 against Miami University he played only 11 minutes because of knee and ankle injuries sustained in practice the day before.
Butler and Truck Bryant scored 11 points each for the Mountaineers, now 9-2 on the season. Bryant left the game late in the second half when he turned his ankle trying to make a pass to Ruoff on a fast break. He did not return.
West Virginia had a 48-31 advantage on the glass which offset a sub-standard 39.4 percent shooting performance. Radford shot 40 percent and committed 25 turnovers.
The victory tonight was the 625th of Coach Bob Huggins’ career. Only three active coaches in college basketball own more wins than Huggins.
West Virginia’s game at Ohio State on Saturday will be televised nationally on CBS. The Buckeyes defeated UNC Asheville on Monday night and boast a perfect 9-0 record.
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Post by cviller on Dec 24, 2008 12:33:59 GMT -5
Christmas Weekend To Be Strong For WV Tourism
Governor Joe Manchin is calling it "the best tourism investment the state has made." He's talking about the Met RX 2008 World's Strongest Man Competition that took place in Charleston and will air starting on Christmas Day.
For two weeks in August contestants from all around the world battled for the title of World's Strongest Man at some of the most beautiful sites around the city. The state capitol, the University of Charleston, Magic Island and Power Park were just a few of the locations you'll see when all six-hours of the competition airs on ESPN2 starting at 7 p.m. on December 25th.
Charleston Mayor Danny Jones says it took teamwork to get the international competition to Charleston. But he says it was worth every ounce of effort. "Occasionally, as mayor, you get to be part of a milestone, part of something much bigger than you are. And this is it,” Jones said at a Monday news conference announcing the TV schedule.
Thousands of people turned out to watch the competition as it took place. Tens of millions more will get to see the action on TV. The competition airs not just here in the U.S. but in more than a dozen countries around the world.
Charleston's own Phil Pfister, who competed for his 11th last time in this year’s competition says it was a great way to end his career. "There are so many good events and good locations within the broadcast,” he said. “It will be really nice to see them all and see all the guys from around the world battling it out in the home city."
If you miss the Christmas Day broadcast, not to worry, the entire competition will air again on Sunday, December 28th, on ESPN from 1 p.m.-7 p.m. And Over the next year it's estimated you can see the competition and West Virginia's beauty several hundred times.
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Post by cviller on Dec 24, 2008 12:23:08 GMT -5
Gerald Bruce Taylor, Jr., an avid Mountaineer football fan and former West Virginia University cheerleader, died as a result of a shooting in Pinellas County, Fla., authorities said.
Taylor, 43, had lived and worked in Tampa for years but still had strong ties to the Mountain State and his alma mater. He kept in touch with friends in West Virginia and followed Mountaineer football loyally.
Family members said they're still trying to understand the circumstances that led to his death Saturday night.
Police and emergency crews responded about 7 p.m. to a 911 call from the home of Elizabeth Evans, 44, said Marianne Pasha, public information coordinator for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department.
At the scene, they found Evans dead and Taylor with a faint pulse, Pasha said. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Autopsies conducted Sunday revealed both victims had been shot once in the neck, authorities said.
The woman's estranged husband, Patrick Evans, 41, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in their deaths and is being held in the Pinellas County Jail without bond, Pasha said. The suspect was found at his residence at St. Pete Beach following the shooting, but the gun used in the incident has not been recovered, she said.
Detectives say Elizabeth and Patrick Evans had been estranged for about eight months, but they had a rocky past and he was having financial trouble. Authorities speculate one problem compounded the other, Pasha said.
Gerald Taylor and Elizabeth Evans had recently started to date, she said.
Now, Taylor's family and friends are mourning his death.
Rick Fath, of Elkins, said he and Taylor have been best friends since they met at West Virginia University and have remained in touch along with a handful of other college friends.
They first met in 1984 and formed bonds that have remained intact, a rarity in a transient world, he pointed out. Evans, who was very athletic, served as a WVU cheerleader for a couple of years but decided he preferred to watch the games from the sidelines with his friends.
Throughout the years they have talked by phone during WVU games and sometimes attended them together, Fath said. When WVU played South Florida, Fath would travel there to watch the game with his friend.
Fath said Taylor's top priority in life was being a father.
"He was married a short time and was blessed with a daughter," Fath said.
Taylor traveled to Pittsburgh once or twice every month to see the 7-year-old girl, Fath said.
Fath and the rest of the group of friends have vowed to look out for her.
"His friends are devastated," Fath said. "He was a great person. He was brought up right and stood for what is right. He was very driven and focused on his career."
Taylor traveled as a supervisor in distributions for various companies and ended up in St. Petersburg where he directed distribution for the Home Shopping Network. About a year ago he took a job at Tech Data, a worldwide distribution firm.
"I talked to Jerry every week," Fath said. "In this day and age that says a lot when people are so busy. You always have time for a friend like Jerry. He was doing everything right. None of this makes any sense."
Taylor lived in Tampa about 10 miles from his father, whose name is also Gerald Taylor. The elder Taylor's voice was strained with emotion when he talked about his son and his interests, including their mutual passion for Mountaineer football.
"When they played down here, we would go to every game," he said. "This past year he flew to Colorado to see them."
His son loved sports and he dearly loved family.
Taylor has two brothers and two sisters. A service will be held in early January in Georgia where a sister lives.
Fath said his friend was a man with all of his priorities in order and others looked up to him.
"He'll have to guide us from above," he said.
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Post by cviller on Dec 24, 2008 12:18:36 GMT -5
It was two days before Christmas and all through the Coliseum not a fan was stirring, not even during the YMCA dance. The crowd was lackluster and so were the Mountaineers for the first 15 minutes. But, for the second game in a row West Virginia (9-2) dismantled their opponent, this time despite a slow start. “We came out flat,” said head coach Bob Huggins after the game. “We just came out a little flat.” The Mountaineers only took one shot inside 15 feet in the first five minutes. “It was a sloppy game,” said Da’Sean Butler. “You could see that we had spurts of energy and ran the floor, but tonight wasn’t our best basketball.” The Radford Highlanders (3-8) had no answer for Alex Ruoff as the senior guard scored a career-high 38 points to lead the Mountaineers to an 89-54 win. Ruoff’s nine 3-pointers set a new school record for most 3-pointers in a game. Frank Young, Mike Gansey and Chris Leonard each had eight 3-pointers in a game. Ruoff was just one shot away from scoring 40 points and after the game Cam Thoroughman admitted that the players were trying to get him open shots, but he missed his final three 3-point attempts and finished 9-14 on the night from beyond the arc. “Everytime I caught the ball I heard the crowd gasp,” said Ruoff. “That was a little too much pressure for me and I couldn’t make so I was glad that Coach took me out of the game with about two minutes to go. I don’t care about the points, I just wanted to win, so I’m happy we got the win.”
Leading scorer Da’Sean Butler spent most of the game on the bench in foul trouble, but still managed 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting. He played just 17 minutes and fouled out with 3:26 to play.
Because of Butler’s foul trouble in the first half, freshman Darryl “Truck” Bryant and Ruoff each played the entire 20 minutes in the first half. Coach Huggins says the Mountaineers have to have two of those three players (Butler, Bryant and Ruoff) on the floor at all times for their scoring abilities.
Bryant was having another great game until he left with what appeared to be a sprained ankle. Bryant played every minute until he turned his ankle with about six minutes to go in the game and limped off to the locker room. He finished with 11 points and five assists. After the game Coach Huggins said that Bryant “tweaked” his ankle when he stepped on another player’s foot.
While the game saw the departure of Bryant to injury it also saw the return of Devin Ebanks who only played 11 minutes against Miami, Ohio Saturday because of ankle and knee injuries. He pulled down a game high 10 rebounds with a wrap on his right knee, and moved much better than on Saturday.
While the intensity may have been low for this one, the Mountaineers still played solid defense, forcing 25 turnovers and getting 13 steals. The hustle was there on the boards as well as West Virginia outrebounded Radford 48-31 and scored 35-second chance points.
For Radford Martell McDuffy hit a couple shot to open the game and finished as the leading scorer for the Highlanders. He and fellow guard Amir Johnson each scored 14 points.
The team is staying in Morgantown for Christmas and will being having Christmas dinner at assistant coach Billy Hahn’s house. They aren’t going home because the Mountaineers have to prepare for a game on Saturday.
Up next for West Virginia is No. 13/15 Ohio State in Columbus. The game tips off at 4:00.
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Post by cviller on Dec 24, 2008 12:05:09 GMT -5
Charlotte, NC
WVU's Ryan Stanchek Goes NASCAR NASCAR drivers are athletes. Any non-takers on that fact among the WVU football team had doubts erased on Tuesday when they rolled around Lowe's Motor Speedway.
"When we were coming down, we saw 'Ride along in NASCAR' (on the itinerary) and we were thinking, 'Oh whatever,” said senior offensive tackle Ryan Stanchek. "I think it was a big hit with everybody. It really was a pretty neat experience."
Stanchek and his fellow Mountaineers wedged themselves through the narrow window of the cars at the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Stanchek says riding shotgun on the track is an experience he will never forget.
"We got lightheaded,” said the burly lineman as he recounted the experience on MetroNews Talkline moments after climbing out of the racer Tuesday. "I think he said he went up to 170 or 180, to imagine them going 20 to 30 miles an hour faster is unbelievable."
Some mock NASCAR drivers as non-athletic in a sport where those with only a passing knowledge believe the car is the difference. Stanchek is convinced; the driver plays a huge role in every race.
"I have a lot more respect for NASCAR drivers now,” he said. "There were four cars in our little group and just to see how much concentration it must take to go around for four or five hours it truly is amazing."
The Richard Petty Driving Experience is one of the more popular activities during bowl week at the Meineke Car Care Bowl. West Virginia will take on North Carolina in the game on Saturday.
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Post by cviller on Dec 22, 2008 9:55:55 GMT -5
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