The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

College Sports

January 28, 2013

West Virginia to host possible No. 1 Kansas on Big Monday

By Cam Huffman Sports Editor

West Virginia has faced an Associated Press No. 1 nine times in its basketball history, five of those games in Morgantown. An AP No. 2 has visited the WVU Coliseum twice, the last time when UCLA made the trip in 2007.

One of those numbers will change tonight when Kansas (18-1, 6-0 Big 12) comes to the Coliseum for a Big Monday showdown with West Virginia (9-10, 2-4 Big 12), scheduled for a 9 p.m. start on ESPN.

The Jayhawks, whose only loss came to No. 21 Michigan State on Nov. 13, were No. 3 in the AP Top 25 and No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches Poll last week, but the action on the court is sure to change those positions when the new polls come out today.

Duke, No. 1 in both polls last week, was blown out at Miami on Wednesday, while the Jayhawks won on the road against No. 11 Kansas State and at home against Oklahoma. When the bus rolls up to the Coliseum this evening, KU will likely step off ranked No. 1 by the coaches and No. 2 by the writers.

History gives the Mountaineers a decent shot. In 19 games against an AP No. 1 or No. 2, WVU has won seven, including an 87-78 upset of No. 1 UNLV in the Coliseum in 1983 and a 70-65 victory over No. 2 UCLA at home in 2007.

But the statistics tell a very different story.

Losers of five of their last seven games, the Mountaineers are last in the Big 12 in field goal percentage (.395), while the Jayhawks (.480) lead the 10-team league. Kansas (.349) also leads the way in field goal percentage defense, while WVU (.433) is next to last.

Freshman guard Ben McLemore leads Kansas in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game, to go along with 5.5 rebounds. Seven-foot senior center Jeff Withey is averaging 13 points and 8.4 rebounds per contest.

Tonight’s game will be the first all-time meeting between the Mountaineers and the Jayhawks.

n n n

Tonight’s game will also be WVU’s first-ever “Stripe the Coliseum” night. Fans are asked to wear either gold or blue, depending on where their seats are located. A detailed map can be found at www.wvusports.com/content/StripetheColiseum.jpg.

WVU successfully pulled off a similar promotion for its first-ever Big 12 football game against Baylor.

Tickets for tonight’s game are still available and can be purchased at www.wvugame.com.

Text Only
College Sports
  • 1MUSGRAVE1.jpg Musgrave, WVU teammates see tornado devastation up close

    West Virginia University pitcher Harrison Musgrave has spent his entire life in the hills of West Virginia. He didn’t know what a tornado siren was — let alone the damage that can be done by swirling winds.
    “I didn’t even know that they were going off,” Musgrave said. “I didn’t even know that they had sirens. I know I feel like a total idiot, but I heard them go off and I just thought it was an alarm going off.”

    May 22, 2013 1 Photo 6 Stories

  • WVU’s Musgrave wins Pitcher of the Year honors

    Six months ago, West Virginia University sophomore left-hander Harrison Musgrave was questioning his future with the WVU baseball program and first-year head coach Randy Mazey.

    May 21, 2013

  • Big 12 shifts tourney format

    The Big 12 Conference will still play the 2013 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship this week at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Okla., but in the wake of the devastating storm that blew through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on Monday, there will be some major changes to the format.

    May 21, 2013

  • WVU baseball team helps tornado victims

    West Virginia University head baseball coach Randy Mazey was having lunch at an Oklahoma City restaurant Monday afternoon, keeping a close watch on the television set.
    With every passing minute, the tornado that devastated the Oklahoma town of Moore, was moving closer and closer to his location and its path was being documented by a local television station. At one point, the coach even looked out the window to see if he could see the approaching funnel.

    May 21, 2013

  • College Roundup

    May 21, 2013

  • WVU should reinstate men’s track — not golf

    West Virginia University has not had a men’s golf team since 1982.
    But Oliver Luck, who’s been the school’s athletic director going on three years, reportedly is talking about bringing back that sport “because it’s cheap.”

    May 21, 2013

  • Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship Format Changed

    In the wake of this week’s devastating storm in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, the Big 12 Conference is postponing the start of the 2013 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship. No. 3 seeded WVU scheduled to take on Kansas at 4 p.m. (Central) on Thursday.

    May 21, 2013

  • Misled West Virginia students deprived of Big 12 baseball games

    It now appears to be a fact that West Virginia University athletic officials misled students and the general public in not playing any Big 12 Conference baseball games at Hawley Field in Morgantown this season.

    May 21, 2013

  • Cleveland St. hires Oak Hill alumnus

    When Cornelius Jackson was dominating the Mid-American Conference as Marshall’s starting point guard, coaches around the league took notice.

    May 20, 2013

  • West Virginia to meet Kansas in Big 12 baseball tournament

    Third-seeded West Virginia will take on No. 6 Kansas on the first day of the 2013 Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Championship, set for Wednesday through Sunday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.

    May 19, 2013