MORGANTOWN — West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins suspended freshman Derek Culver indefinitely Thursday for a violation of team rules, according to a release from the school.
No additional information was provided, but Culver, a 6-foot-10 forward from Boardman, Ohio, did not travel with the Mountaineers to the Myrtle Beach Invitational, where West Virginia took on Monmouth in first-round action on Thursday.
Culver sat out the team’s exhibition loss against Penn State and also sat out the season-opening loss against Buffalo. Before leaving for the tournament, Huggins expressed his displeasure toward Culver:
“Derek’s situation has been Derek has to do what he’s supposed to do,” Huggins said. “That’s been his case for, pretty much, forever. You’ve got to do what you’re supposed to do. It’s not that hard to go to class. It’s not that hard to be on time. It’s not that hard to be on time for study hall. It’s disrespectful to people when they expect you and you don’t show up.”
Up next
The Mountaineers (1-1) advance to play Western Kentucky, which knocked off Valparaiso, 83-71.
The game will tip at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
The Hilltoppers (2-1) were led by Jared Savage’s 25 points and Taveion Hollingsworth added 23 points.
The two schools haven’t met since the 1987 NCAA tournament, when Western Kentucky pulled out a 64-62 victory in the Carrier Dome.
Western Kentucky’s only setback of the season was a 73-55 loss at then-No. 25 Washington in the season opener. The Hilltoppers also have an 86-71 victory over UT Martin.
The Mountaineers hold a 2-1 lead in the all-time series.
No cast for Bolden
West Virginia point guard Beetle Bolden, who has been dealing with stretched ligaments in his left shooting hand all season, played without the hand and wrist taped up.
He did have some black tape on his middle knuckles, but he seemed to be pain free, that was, until he took a hand to his left eye and hard spill to the floor midway through the first half.
Bolden, who scored 21 points in the season-opening loss to Buffalo, picked up two first-half fouls and finished with nine points and three assists.
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