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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 8-20;
1-15 in Big East (7th/West)
Postseason: None. Last NCAA appearance was in 1998.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Schifino 9.7
Rebs: Briggs 5.0
Assists: Yeager 1.7
FG: Briggs 57.1%
3pt: Yeager 40.5%
FT: Briggs 53.1%
01-02 Stats:
West Virginia | Big East
KEY LOSSES
Jon. Hargett | 13.8 ppg
Chris Moss | 17.5 ppg
Lionel Armstead | 10.7 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | Tim Lyles | Junior
G | Drew Schifino | Soph
F | Tyrone Sally | Soph
F | Josh Yeager | Senior
C | K. Pittsnogle | Fresh
Player to Watch
Kevin Pittsnogle
Freshman Center
In time, the state's top prep player could be anchor for Beilein's rebuilding project. He starts helping right away.
DATE TO REMEMBER
The Mountaineers won't have a lot to crow about in league play this season, but on this day they'll have the chance to beat in-state rival Marshall. Expect West Virginia to be pumped up.
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WEST VIRGINIA
MOUNTAINEERS
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Good luck to new coach John Beilein. He'll need it. West Virginia was the worst team in the Big East last season, and the Mountaineers have lost their best two players, the inside-outside tandem of Chris Moss (17.5 ppg, 8 rpg) and Jonathan Hargett (13.8 ppg, 4.6 apg), not to mention No. 3 scorer Lionel Armstead (10.7 ppg). The only returning player with more than 10 starts is 6-8 senior Josh Yeager (7.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg), although 6-3 Drew Schifino (9.7 ppg) and 6-7 Chaz Briggs (7.0 ppg) contributed heavily last season and Tim Lyles returns after a medical redshirt year last season. Lyles, who averaged 11.5 points and 5.5 assists in 2000-01, will get every opportunity to increase his scoring average this season. So will 6-7 sophomore Tyrone Sally (4.4 ppg). Beilein won 20 games per season at Richmond with a defensive bent, which will come in handy for a program last season that was out shot inside and outside the three-point arc, and which committed more turnovers than it forced.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
The Mountaineers have a promising front line, and West Virginia fans must be especially curious to see what kind of player 6-10 freshman Kevin Pittsnogle becomes. Pittsnogle was the West Virginia schoolboy player of the year last year, and is touted as one of the state's best big-man prospects in years. He'll anchor a front line that has returning talent in Sally and Briggs.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
Nice pieces are here, but Lyles is the only returning player who has averaged double-figure scoring, and that was before he blew out his knee. Where will the points come from? More than one player might have to double his scoring output from last season for West Virginia to survive a rugged Big East schedule.
BOTTOM LINE..............................
Don't bet against Beilein doing for West Virginia what he did for Richmond. But don't bet on him doing it overnight. He'll need a few years to recruit and coach his players to play his style of ball before the Mountaineers can become a factor in the Big East, or a candidate to reach the postseason.
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