12 Hours to tip-off, and I am so ready for college basketball. I was listening to a podcast this week which is hosted by 3 former WVU players from the 2010 Final Four team. It is part WVU sports, but mostly current events and stories that would interest WVU fans. Anyway, they had former long time WVU Basketball Assistant Coach Billy Hahn on for an interview and he was talking about going to watch WVU practice recently with former WVU player and current Boston Celtics Assistant Coach Joe Mazzulla. He told the guys that Mazzulla was amazed and kept saying they looked like an NBA team with their size...and he told the hosts that if Bob Huggins cant get a National Championship with this group, then he probably will just never get one.
If this team can be just an average shooting team, they literally have no weaknesses on paper. They kind of remind me of this years Lakers team in that they can go super big, but even when they go small, they are still pretty big and athletic. So many first year players are returning this year that underperformed last season....which is extremely normal on a Bob Huggins team. It does not matter if they are a Freshman, transfer or JUCO player, the jump from 1st year to 2nd year is nearly universal, and the increases in production are often significant.
The Frontcourt
Oscar Tshiebwe (PF/C) - It all starts with former McDonald's All American and 5 Star recruit Oscar Tshiebwe returning for his Sophomore season. The 6'9" hyper athletic big man with the never ending motor will be a force in college basketball this season. Oscar averaged a double double in conference play last season as a true Freshman. He has a soft touch out to 15' and shoots free throws at a solid clip. He can go from baseline to baseline as fast as any player on the roster. He should be in the conversation as the best big man in college basketball this season.
Derek Culver (PF/C) - Joining Oscar in the frontcourt is former Top 100 recruit, fellow bash brother 6'10" Junior Derek Culver. Culver was 1 rebound shy of averaging a double double last season. While he does not have the touch that Oscar possess, he is bigger and stronger than anyone on the team. His one real weakness is his FT% and as someone who has been among the national leaders in FTA's per game each year in college, a slight improvement would make a major impact. Like Oscar, he attacks the offensive boards, and when he gets it the only option is often to allow him to score or foul him.
Emmitt Matthews (SF) - Matthews is a prototypical SF/Wing at the next level, and after having real interest from scouts as a Freshman that came on strong late in the season, he had a disaster of a Sophomore season. Matthews is 6'7" and has a nice shooting stroke (that did not go in often last year), can defend up and down a position, and can take it to the rim and throw it down on a defenders head. Matthews is an X factor for this team as he has to bounce back and provide perimeter shooting and the ability to score off the dribble.
Off the bench - It starts with Gabe Osabuohien (SF/PF) who transferred from Arkansas last season. At 6'7.5" and a motor for days, Osabuohien is an ideal Bob Huggins player. He can defend 4 positions, and does all the little things which never appear in the boxscore. Next is Isaiah Cottrell (PF), a 6'10" Top 100 4 Star incoming Freshman that brings a face up game to the 4 & 5 position. Cottrell is expected to be a real contributor as the season progresses. Then there is Jalen Bridges (SF), a 6'7" Top 100 4 Star Red Shirt Freshman. Yes, a Top 100 recruit decided to Red Shirt last year before the season started. His game is very similar to Matthews, but reports are Bridges is a very high level perimeter shooter. Finally there is incoming Freshman Taj Thweatt (SF), a 6'7" hyper athlete from New Jersey and incoming Freshman Seny Ndiaye (C), a 6'11" athlete from Huntington Prep. There is a solid chance both Thweatt and Ndiaye have a very limited role this season, and Ndiaye is more likely to not play this season
The Frontcourt
Jordan McCabe (PG) - Like Matthews, McCabe closed out his Freshman season much better than he played in his Sophomore season. He was a 4 Star recruit from Wisconsin. He is under 6' and not hyper athletic, but he is a ball handling prodigy and a floor general. Also, when I say prodigy, I legit mean as a kid/teenager he was a Youtube star that performed at NBA Halftime shows, with the Globetrotters as a special guest, and was a guest on the Ellen Show. He can handle the rock. He also spent the offseason in Michigan with one of the elite shooting coaches who rebuilt his shot, and the rumors are he is wearing out the nets.
Miles "Deuce" McBride (PG/SG) - McBride is a 6'3" Sophomore combo guard who was a pure steal for Huggins out of Cincinnati Moeller where he was a two sport star, and rated higher as a QB than he was a basketball player. McBride was easily a high 4 Star, and maybe even a 5 Star talent that broke his leg during his Junior season in football. This caused him the miss his final years of high school basketball which caused many of the Blue Bloods to quit recruiting him...but Huggins did not. He is a 3 level scorer, and plays Huggins style defense. Per Huggins, Deuce is the first name out of the mouths of pro scouts that call...they ask about Deuce before Tshiebwe, Culver and Matthews. Deuce may ascend to being the face of the program this season.
Off the bench - Sean McNeil (SG) is a 6'3.5" Junior that transferred to WVU from JUCO last season. As with every JUCO transfer I can recall with Huggins, he struggled a little his first year, but is expected to make a huge impact this year. He can stroke it from almost anywhere past half court, and can put it on the floor on a hard closeout and drain a perimeter 2 point shot like a pro. McNeil led the country in scoring as a Freshman at the JUCO level at over 30 PPG. Similar in that he was a JUCO transfer last season, Taz Sherman (SG) is a 6'5" Senior that was a prolific scorer at the JUCO level in a good conference. Sherman also took most of the season to find his groove, but unlike McNeil, Sherman is a 3 level scorer. Next is Kedrian Johnson (PG/SG) a 6'4" Junior combo guard JUCO transfer this season. Johnson was the #4 Ranked JUCO Guard in the country last season who averaged 26 PPG. His film is great, but there is the trend of first year JUCO guys taking a few months in Huggins system before they get rolling. The final front court player on the roster is America's Favorite Walkon Sophomore Spencer Macke (SG) who led Kentucky in scoring as a high school senior.
The base depth chart based on last season is below, but I expect Huggins to play a solid amount of 3 guard lineups this season with either McNeil or Sherman on the court.
PG - McCabe, Johnson
SG - McBride, McNeil, Sherman, Macke
SF - Matthews, Bridges, Thweatt
PF - Tshiebwe, Osabuohien, Cottrell
C - Culver, Ndiaye
The last time we saw this team, they were beating down #4 Baylor in Morgantown...the same Baylor team that is ranked #1 (Coaches Poll) and #2 (AP Poll) to begin this season. Get your wagers in before the country realizes this team in on a journey to the Final 4.
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