Published: March 18, 2008 11:24 pm         

WVU slight favorite over Arizona

MORGANTOWN — Seventh-seeded West Virginia has been installed a two-point favorite over 10th-seeded Arizona by oddsmakers across the board for Thursday night’s first-round game in the 2008 NCAA basketball tournament.

The Mountaineers (24-10) and Wildcats (19-14) clash at about 9:45 p.m. Thursday in the nightcap of the West Regional’s four games at the Verizon Center in Washington.

The winner of that contest will move on to Saturday’s second round against the winner of second-seeded Duke (27-5) and 15th-seeded Belmont (25-8) at 2:10 p.m. Saturday.

WVU coach Bob Huggins, in the NCAA for a 16th time, said the Wildcats “are really talented” and have overcome a series of injuries to become at or near full strength.

“Getting (point guard) Nic Wise back, I think, has really helped them to fortify the backcourt,” he noted. “They run a lot of good things on offense. They’re very quick and score well.”

Huggins said Jerryd Bayless and Chase Budinger, Arizona’s top scorers, are two of the best players the Mountaineers have played against this year. Bayless, a 6-3 freshman, is scoring at a 20.0 clip and Budinger is right behind at 17.0.

Bayless also has a team-high 118 assists, or two more than Wise, a 5-10 sophomore guard. Jordan Hill, 6-10 sophomore, is averaging 13.2 points and 7.8 rebounds.

“I think they’re really good offensively,” Huggins said. “They’re hard to cover, and they shoot the ball well.”

Both teams are averaging in the low 70s.

He and Kevin O’Neill, the Wildcats’ interim head coach this season, have been close friends for some 20 years. Each has said both will have their teams prepared well for a very competitive contest.

“Kevin and I go way back when both were assistants,” Huggins said. “Then he got the Marquette job and I was at Cincinnati, so we were in the same league. A great rivalry developed along with a great friendship.”

O’Neill also has coached in the National Basketball Association, and Huggins said he has incorporated pro-style plays into his bag of tricks. The two have not talked previously this season.

The Mountaineers left Tuesday for the nation’s capital. They will hold a final practice session there today.