Huggins has already signed 5* recruit 6'9" Oscar Tshiebwe out of Kennedy Catholic in Hermitage, PA. I look for Konate to get a medical redshirt and return next year.(No way he is ready for the NBA yet) With 6'10" freshman Derek Culver continuing to improve by the game this would give WV a formidable front court next year.
Huggins has also signed point guard Miles McBride from Moeller HS in Cincinnati.
This past week WV extended an offer to Tajzmel Sherman, a 6'4" combo guard who is the #3 scorer in Juco D1. Two years of eligibility left.
They also offered a scholarship to 6'4" shooting guard Sean McNiel out of Sinclair CC in Dayton, OH. He visited the campus last weekend. He leads Juco D2 in scoring at 31 ppg, shooting at a 41.3% clip from deep, 89% from the ft line. He has 3 years of eligibility left.
WV also offered a full ride to Clarence Nadolny a 6'3" combo guard at Scotland Prep who came over from Paris, France to the US in 2017. Four years of eligibility left.
Not offered yet but on the radar screen for WV is a high schooler, a 6'5" shooting guard from EL Paso who leads the state of Texas in scoring at 39 ppg.
Why do I bring all this up today? Something has to give. Huggins still has 11 players on scholarship that could return next year.
Four are freshman guards Jordan MCabe, Brandon Knapper, Emmitt Matthews, and Trey Doomes. Jermain Haley is a junior guard. Throw in Beetle Bolden and starter Chase Harler and that's 7 guards on the team already who are eligible to return next year. With one guard already signed for next year and 3 other offers already made there has to be attrition from somewhere. You can't field a P5 team with all guards.
I don't know the ins and outs and legalities of players already on scholarship but there is not room for all these guards(or maybe current other players) next year. I don't know if Huggins sits them down and flat out tells them they won't be playing next year and they transfer or what.
In my mind these kids have to already see the handwriting on the wall. I would think it now weighs heavily on their minds. That's why I don't see a big rallying "next man up" effort here today. But even if this is somehow a motivating factor I still think WV is in big trouble at the Phog today.
I lost count after Huggins has used 11 different lineups and 12 different starters so far. Who knows who he he starts today.
WV has never won at Allen Field house since they joined the Big 12 and that was when WV had some pretty good teams. Kansas has annually had some "home cooking" for the Mountaineers because WV has won in Morgantown 4 of the last 5 games and has always played them tough at the Coliseum.
I like the way Kansas is playing the last two games with the 4 freshman starters and Lawson. 5* point guard recruit Devon Dotson is really improving fast now that he has been starting for a while. He had 25 points and 10 rebounds vs TCU. He is a big upgrade from Grimes.
Some sources say the absence of Lagerald Vick is a positive for the team. I just know they played with more enthusiasm in their last 2 wins
over OK St and TCU and their offense ran a lot smoother as they returned to their uptempo game scoring 84 and 82 points in back to back games.
KU needs this game to remain in the hunt for a 15th straight Big 12 Championship and to also add to their Big Dance resume with a convincing win.
With Kansas in revenge mode after their embarrassing loss in Morgantown this year I look for the Jayhawks to respond with an inspired effort on National TV. Lay it.
Bolta
If you can't close you can't cover.