MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — West Virginia’s big men, they’re just not rebounders and inside power players anymore.
That’s what the smile on Gabe Osabuohien’s face said Saturday, following the Mountaineers’ easy 84-53 victory against Austin Peay.
It was not Jordan McCabe or even Miles McBride that led WVU in assists on a night when the Mountaineers had a season high 21 of them.
Instead, it was the 6-foot-7 Osabuohien, who wasn’t even cleared to play by the NCAA until Nov. 22 after transferring from Arkansas.
He finished with five of them, something he will likely use for bragging rights for some time.
“He watches my game too much. He’s trying to take from my bag,” WVU guard Jermaine Haley joked. “Everyone knows Gabe can pass.”
Well, maybe not exactly everyone.
“No, I didn’t know,” WVU head coach Bob Huggins said.
That’s what Osabuohien did against the Governors, and it’s what Derek Culver did, too.
Usually catching the ball around the foul line, the two big men showed patience and allowed their teammates to move around them for open passes.
“It’s vision and also the unselfishness and willingness to pass the ball,” Osabuohien said. “When I’m in the high post, I may be guarded, but I know Sean (McNeil) is in the corner and he’s a great 3-point shooter.”
It also opened the door for guys like Haley and Emmitt Matthews Jr. to make cuts to the basket that opened up back-door opportunities that would have made old Princeton coach Pete Carril extremely proud.
“Anytime you can get a lay-up, that’s one of my favorite plays,” Haley said. “That’s the easiest bucket you can get.”
On this night for the Mountaineers, there were plenty of those.
And sure, there were power moves to the basket for the big guys. Oscar Tshiebwe had plenty of them, as he finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Culver wasn’t quite as aggressive offensively and it’s becoming clear that he is getting frustrated with a lack of calls, as defenders constantly grab, pull and tug on him without a whistle being blown.
He finished with four points and five boards, but his three assists were absolute things of beauty.
“Derek is an extremely gifted passer,” Matthews said. “I think that’s probably his one attribute that is highly underrated. I feel like sometimes he has eyes in the back of his head. He’s made some passes to me sometimes that I wasn’t even ready for. Him and Gabe, when they get in that high post, they kind of turn into point forwards.”
Culver began the game with a back-door assist to Haley. In the second half, Osabuohien found Chase Harler with one of his own.
These are not the easiest of plays for 240-, 250-pound guys, yet they instantly became part of the highlight reel against the Governors.
“We spent on time on it, because I think we had a lot of blown opportunities in the games before that,” Huggins said. “If you can raise people up, you ought to be able to score.
“Particularly with Derek, because he’s a guy you have to guard up there. Gabe, I think teams are trying to figure out what he’s going to do up there. That’ll be tough, because I don’t think he knows what in the hell he’s going to do.”
On this night, Osabuohien was a passer, and he didn’t look bad at doing it, either.
“I take pride in leading the team in unselfish categories,” Osabuohien said. “I attempt to take charges. I wish I would have gotten one of those today, stuff like that.
“We’re getting into a newer offense where the floor is more spaced. Those back-door cuts from the guards are going to be there. That’s going to make things a whole lot easier for everybody.”
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