For the first time this season, Oscar Tshiebwe and Derek Culver may not be looking down at their opponents.
The two towering West Virginia forwards have had the size advantage in wins against South Dakota State and Virginia Commonwealth, but that will change in Friday’s 1:30 p.m. Crossover Classic championship game against Western Kentucky.
Hilltoppers center Charles Bassey was once thought of as a one-and-done recruit coming out of high school in 2018.
But the 6-foot-11, 235-pound junior decided to return for his sophomore season, which is when he suffered a tibial plateau fracture in his left leg, which ended his season after just 10 games.
Bassey’s return this season has once again sparked NBA interest. He’s averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds in victories against Northern Iowa and Memphis.
“That’s the kind of level we know he’s capable of playing at every night,” Western Kentucky head coach Rick Stansbury said. “We know it’s been an adjustment for him, because he’s been out of this game for a long time. The more he plays, the better he’ll get.”
WVU lost to Western Kentucky during the semifinals of the 2018 Myrtle Beach Invitational. Bassey had 13 points and 15 rebounds in that 63-57 victory.
Tshiebwe was still a high school senior then and Culver was in the midst of sitting out a 10-game suspension to start his freshman season and missed that game.
The Hilltoppers also have 6-5 forward Carson Williams, who scored 14 points and added nine rebounds while playing down low against Memphis.
“I think they’ve got two really good bigs,” Huggins said. “I think (Williams) kind of put the game away for them today. He was able to post and score around the rim.
“We are what we are. This is Derek’s third year and Oscar’s second. They know what they’ve got to do.”
Dakich dishes
ESPN had former basketball coach Dan Dakich as its analyst during West Virginia’s 78-66 victory against Virginia Commonwealth.
Dakich is best known by WVU fans as the guy who was the head coach of the Mountaineers for a week in 2002.
He was hired to replace Gale Catlett, but left after one week and returned to Bowling Green. WVU eventually hired John Beilein.
During the broadcast, Dakich briefly mentioned a claim he had first made in a New York Times article in 2012 about former WVU President David Hardesty, when he said, “… then the president came after me and my wife.”
In the 2012 article, Dakich claimed former WVU guard Johnathan Hargett had been promised $60,000 to be paid over three years and Hardesty threatened Dakich to keep the information quiet.
Hardesty, who served as WVU President from 1995-2007, has denied the claim many times.
Keep shooting
Through two games, no WVU player has attempted more shots or more 3-pointers than Sean McNeil, who said he is playing with a much higher form of confidence this season.
“Compared to last year, this summer was huge for me,” McNeil said. “I know it hasn’t really shown, yet, but I’ve been a lot more consistent during practice.”
McNeil led the Mountaineers with 29 3-pointers last season, but his rate of getting those deep shots up are coming at a higher pace this season.
“It’s just confidence,” McNeil said. “I know I can do it. I know I can make shots. That’s what Huggs brought me here to do. The only way to make shots is shoot them.”
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