MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — Six games into the season, West Virginia’s towering duo of Derek Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe have combined for 39 fouls, an average of 6.5 per game.
The NCAA put in a new point of emphasis this season to clean up the physical play around the rim, but Huggins said he’s been confused to how games are being officiated down low.
“I sat for four days in the rules committee and that is not anything like it’s supposed to be,” Huggins said. “The physicality in the post — I don’t want to say a whole lot, because I don’t want to get in trouble — but that’s not what it’s supposed to be.”
Both players have been asked to go out on the perimeter and guard ball screens, which takes them away from the rim.
“That’s probably been the biggest adjustment for me,” Culver said before the team left for Cancun. “I’m out there basically guarding 6-foot-3 guys who are going to drive the ball. With me and Oscar both on the floor, we’re not both going to be playing inside all the time. That’s been tough to adjust to.”
Huggins’ main concern is how one set of officials will call a game one way, which is entirely different than how the next game will be officiated.
“I don’t know what we’re doing,” Huggins said. “Our game has been about consistency. You go back to the old day, we didn’t like every call that was being made, but they were consistent in that way it was officiated. So, you knew how to play. We’ve got to get back to that somehow in our game.”
The two forwards are also combining for nearly 18 rebounds per game.
Huggins said it would be more if they could stay out of foul trouble.
“I think those are two of the premiere rebounders, certainly in our league, and probably the country,” Huggins said.
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