Post by rainman on Nov 28, 2007 7:02:19 GMT -5
No contest
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— The West Virginia University men’s basketball team won a mighty mismatch Tuesday night at the Coliseum.
Its 110-44 mauling of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore came in the most lopsided game ever played in the Jerry West Boulevard arena.
The 66-point winning margin topped by one the previous high. That was in set in the 106-41 rout of Prairie View A&M on Nov. 18.
In making its record 4-1, WVU saw all 13 players break into the scoring column — five in double figures.
“I thought our shot selection was good until the end,” coach Bob Huggins said. “I think our intensity is getting better.”
West Virginia shot a sizzling 61.6 percent from the field (45-73) — clearly the highest this season — while limiting the Hawks to 25.5 percent (14-55).
The Mountaineers also managed a 45-31 margin in rebounds and had just 11 turnovers to 27.
Joe Alexander scored a game-high 22 points to go with a team-best eight rebounds and four assists.
Alex Ruoff was next with 17 points and three assists, followed by reserve John Flowers with 14 points and Da’Sean Butler and reserve Wellington Smith with 12 points each.
Denzel Jackson tallied 10 points and eight rebounds to lead UMES (1-6). Ed Tyson also chipped in 10 points.
With a crowd of 5,630 looking on, the Mountaineers jumped out to a 16-2 lead at the start and never looked back.
It was 22-9 at the first 10-minute turn, 52-18 at halftime, and 83-27 with 10 minutes left in the blowout.
The biggest bulge was 70 points at 106-36 with 1:56 still on the clock. The record for biggest margin is 81 points against Salem in the 1940s.
“I think we had three or four possessions tonight where we ran offense better than we have all year,” Huggins observed.
“And it had to do with us not holding the ball, us not being tentative or apprehensive with the ball.
“When our guys catch the ball, they make reads. There are three reads that they are supposed to make, and I think early on they were very tentative in what they were supposed to do.
“Hopefully, we are starting to understand our reads a little bit better.”
Alexander said he wishes the winning-margin record were against a team like Marquette.
“I think we are trying to be more aggressive like Coach Huggins wants,” Alexander added. “It shows more of what we have to offer.”
Jonnie West, redshirt freshman, said he was “really surprised” when Huggins put him into the game with about two minutes left in the first half.
He responded by hitting a pair of three-point shots back-to-back 26 seconds apart.
“Those felt good,” he admitted. “I also had two rebounds and an assist.
“A lot of it is knowing where the ball is coming off the board.”
Rouff said, “We’re definitely playing faster and taking advantage of opportunities for points. We came off screens and hit some threes tonight.”
WVU’s next game is at 1 p.m. Saturday when Winthrop visits the Coliseum.
By Mickey Furfari
For the Times West Virginian
MORGANTOWN— The West Virginia University men’s basketball team won a mighty mismatch Tuesday night at the Coliseum.
Its 110-44 mauling of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore came in the most lopsided game ever played in the Jerry West Boulevard arena.
The 66-point winning margin topped by one the previous high. That was in set in the 106-41 rout of Prairie View A&M on Nov. 18.
In making its record 4-1, WVU saw all 13 players break into the scoring column — five in double figures.
“I thought our shot selection was good until the end,” coach Bob Huggins said. “I think our intensity is getting better.”
West Virginia shot a sizzling 61.6 percent from the field (45-73) — clearly the highest this season — while limiting the Hawks to 25.5 percent (14-55).
The Mountaineers also managed a 45-31 margin in rebounds and had just 11 turnovers to 27.
Joe Alexander scored a game-high 22 points to go with a team-best eight rebounds and four assists.
Alex Ruoff was next with 17 points and three assists, followed by reserve John Flowers with 14 points and Da’Sean Butler and reserve Wellington Smith with 12 points each.
Denzel Jackson tallied 10 points and eight rebounds to lead UMES (1-6). Ed Tyson also chipped in 10 points.
With a crowd of 5,630 looking on, the Mountaineers jumped out to a 16-2 lead at the start and never looked back.
It was 22-9 at the first 10-minute turn, 52-18 at halftime, and 83-27 with 10 minutes left in the blowout.
The biggest bulge was 70 points at 106-36 with 1:56 still on the clock. The record for biggest margin is 81 points against Salem in the 1940s.
“I think we had three or four possessions tonight where we ran offense better than we have all year,” Huggins observed.
“And it had to do with us not holding the ball, us not being tentative or apprehensive with the ball.
“When our guys catch the ball, they make reads. There are three reads that they are supposed to make, and I think early on they were very tentative in what they were supposed to do.
“Hopefully, we are starting to understand our reads a little bit better.”
Alexander said he wishes the winning-margin record were against a team like Marquette.
“I think we are trying to be more aggressive like Coach Huggins wants,” Alexander added. “It shows more of what we have to offer.”
Jonnie West, redshirt freshman, said he was “really surprised” when Huggins put him into the game with about two minutes left in the first half.
He responded by hitting a pair of three-point shots back-to-back 26 seconds apart.
“Those felt good,” he admitted. “I also had two rebounds and an assist.
“A lot of it is knowing where the ball is coming off the board.”
Rouff said, “We’re definitely playing faster and taking advantage of opportunities for points. We came off screens and hit some threes tonight.”
WVU’s next game is at 1 p.m. Saturday when Winthrop visits the Coliseum.
