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Photograph offered by BlueGoldNew.com WVU interim coach Josh Eilert offers directions to his staff throughout a latest recreation. The Mountaineers host No. Three Kansas at four p.m. at the moment on the Coliseum in Morgantown.
MORGANTOWN — Let’s get one factor straight proper now, it simply will not be the identical when No. Three Kansas involves the Coliseum to tackle West Virginia at the moment at four:00 PM in a recreation broadcast on what’s rapidly changing into generally known as WWVU -TV, not ESPN+.
With apologies to Mountaineer coach Josh Eilert, what made West Virginia vs. What makes Kansas particular because the Mountaineers jumped from the Massive East to the Massive 12 in 2013 is that it matched two Corridor of Fame coaches in Invoice Self at Kansas and Bob Huggins at WVU.
They’ve coached in opposition to one another in all 27 conferences, with Self successful 21 of them, however then once more Self’s Kansas staff has been nationally ranked in each matchup, whereas Huggins has solely had 14. What’s extra, Self performed its residence video games within the venerable Allen Fieldhouse, the place Kansas virtually by no means wins.
And in opposition to WVU, take away the qualifier “not” for Kansas it’s 11 in “The Mhog” and 5-Zero on impartial courts, if Massive 12 Event play in KANSAS Metropolis can certainly be thought of impartial.
The rivalry was as vigorous appropriately between two nice coaches, so it was solely truthful that Self was requested if he would miss seeing Huggins on this journey.
“Possibly I am going to see Huggs,” It was stated, after all, with the information that Huggins has been within the crowd at a lot of Mountaineer residence video games.
It was evident that Self had ready himself for such a query, for he added this:
“I assure Josh can be higher dressed, little question about it. And it will look higher in the event that they wore the identical factor.”
Huggins, fired as Mountaineer coach this yr after a pair of offseason indiscretions, is accountable, after all, for the teaching fraternity’s willingness to put on coats and ties to teaching video games, beginning with a “Vogue” pattern with sweaters.
Self paid tribute to Huggins and his state of affairs with out being requested.
“I would like him to be remembered and regarded ultimately as a man who introduced an awesome legacy to our career. I want him one of the best, however I am not saying that on the expense of anybody else.” he stated.
This was the proper transition from Reminiscence Lane to Saturday night time’s recreation.
WVU could also be 6-11, however Self would not level the finger at Eilert being accountable for it.
“I feel Josh did a great job in a tough state of affairs. It is not straightforward,” He stated himself.
Take into consideration what it is like to interchange a caption. It is laborious to fill a measurement 14 shoe if you solely have a measurement eight foot.
Eilert, who had by no means been a head coach; who had been a bench assistant for just one yr, was requested to interchange a person who had extra wins than any lively coach; a person who had been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame; a person who was a training legend in his personal hometown and at his alma mater.
Furthermore, he was a person who all the time appeared to have controversy round him, who was all the time within the focus. You may make the argument that he was extra well-known than Invoice Self himself nationally and that he had carried WVU on his again when it comes to making a nationwide picture.
Then you definitely come alongside and ask some unknown in Josh Eilert to not solely take over the staff, however do it on an interim title and a one-year contract.
“And then you definitely say he hasn’t had two or three starters this entire season, no less than.” He stated himself.
Due to that, Self restricted his scouting of the staff to simply the first-year video games, when Eilert introduced RaeQuan Battle, Noah Farrakhan and Kerr Kriisa to his lively roster.
“I’ve solely checked out them since they bought their three gamers again” It was stated, totally conscious that the staff on the ground is nothing just like the solid that began the season.
“I did not wish to recognize the truth that they did not have their full variety of guys … and so they nonetheless did not as a result of Jesse Edwards was damage. If Edwards is able to go, he is a respectable High 5 man within the nation.
“For positive, once they have all their gamers, they are going to be very formidable for anybody. However when you’re enjoying with out guys who’re able to supplying you with a complete of 40 factors a recreation, clearly it appears to be like lots totally different.”
Kansas, which landed maybe the largest switch within the nation when it scooped up Michigan’s Hunter Dickerson within the offseason, is predicted to be a contender, together with Houston of the Massive 12, for the nationwide championship.
Dickerson is averaging 19.Three factors and 11.7 rebounds per recreation, whereas guard Kevin McCullar is averaging 19.Zero and 5.7 per recreation, main the Jayhawks to a 15-2, Three-1 report within the Massive 12 after struggling a shocking loss to Central Florida.
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