MORGANTOWN — Welcome back to the WVU Coliseum, where West Virginia returns for what seems like two harmless games against Jacksonville State (today) and Lehigh (Dec. 30) before Big 12 play begins on Jan. 2 against a talented and defensive-minded Texas Tech.
Normally, this would be the time of season where teams begin to lock in on who they are going to be for conference play and the season takes on a different kind of feel. It does not feel like that for the WVU coaching staff.
“I don’t think so, because we’re constantly trying to fix things,” West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. “Our focus has been way more trying to get these guys right than it is trying to ratchet anything up. It’s been a whole lot of trying to do the fundamental things.”
Jacksonville State (7-4) has won seven of its last eight games, but the one loss — a 69-65 setback to Wichita State — may have been the most impressive note during the streak.
Here’s what you need to know:
TV: AT&T SportsNet for the noon tip-off. BETTING LINE: West Virginia is favored by 11 points.
THREE GOOD QUESTIONS
What is Sagaba Konate’s status? This is the ongoing saga that will keep going until a final medical decision is made. Konate (right knee soreness) did not practice Friday, because of a doctor’s appointment. It is not known how much he has practiced in the days following the Mountaineers’ 83-70 loss to Rhode Island last Sunday, in which he sat out. Huggins said he wanted to hear from the doctor before making a decision on today’s game. Ultimately, you would like to see some final decision made to either play and practice or get shut down for the season to rest. Until that happens, he’ll be a will-he or won’t-he question before each game.
Can Derek Culver fill in for Konate? Body-wise, Culver looks the part of being a good option. You have to remember he is a freshman who hasn’t played a college game, yet. Yes, he’s 6-foot-10 and athletic as can be. He can run and jump with the best of them, but it takes a lot more than just a good 40-yard dash time and a strong vertical leap to make it at Division I basketball. He still has to learn the plays, learn his teammates’ tendencies and adjust to the speed of the game and how the college game is officiated. Those are all pretty big hurdles. Konate had a whole year of playing behind and learning from Elijah Macon before he became a shot-blocking star.
What about Beetle Bolden’s left hand? Huggins said he banged it in practice on Thursday and it began to swell up again. This comes at a time when it appeared that Bolden’s hand injury was nearly behind him. He had stopped playing with the taped-up cast on it for a number of weeks, using only a magnetic strip to help keep the blood flowing. He’ll likely have it taped up a little more today, but the junior point guard said he was going to play.
BEETLE AS AN ELF
The team visited children at WVU Medicine Children’s on Thursday with Culver dressing up as Santa Claus and Bolden dressing up as an elf — “He was a willing participant,” Huggins said on the elf costume — as players and coaches and team managers got to share some quality moments with kids who won’t be home for the holidays. The yearly trip means a lot to Bolden.
“It’s bigger than basketball in a lot of ways,” Bolden said. “You get there and show those kids that you care about them and you see the smiles on their face. You hope it takes their mind off what their going through for a second.”
