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WVU Opens Big 12 Play Tonight

West Virginia guard Chase Harler (14) celebrates after making a 3-pointer during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Marist at the AdvoCare Invitational tournament Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. West Virginia won 84-78. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

MORGANTOWN — The non-conference portion of West Virginia’s schedule (except for a Jan. 27 showdown with Kentucky) witnessed the No. 7 Mountaineers come out with only one loss in 12 games.

Now, the conference play gets underway when WVU travels to Stillwater (Okla.) to face a Cowboys’ squad which has tasted defeat twice in its first dozen games.

“If we don’t play with an edge we’re not very good,” WVU coach Bob Huggins said during Wednesday’s teleconference. “The only positive you can take from our last game is, ‘How do you play as bad and score 86 points?'”

Both teams are coming off lopsided victories.

West Virginia got double digit scoring from six players to hand visiting Fordham an 86-69 setback while OSU completely dominated an out-manned UT-Rio Grande Valley team, 102-83.

“They’re talented,” Huggins said. “I think they are better than a year ago.”

A season which included a win and a loss against the Cowboys.

Led by Daxter Miles Jr.’s game-high 22 points the Mountaineers went into the Gallagher-Iba Arena and handed host OSU a 92-75 defeat. Jevon Carter chipped in 15 points and Sagaba Konate added 12.

Less than a month later the Pokes made their annual trek across the Mississippi River and went home with an 82-75 triumph at the Coliseum. Jeffrey Carroll led three players in double figures with 20.

“I think he (Carroll) is playing terrific,” Huggins said. “I think he is playing far and away the best he’s ever played.”

And, his team leading 15 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per contest would attest to Huggins’ concerns as the Cowboys will look to beat their conference rivals for the first time in four years at home.

Joining Carroll in the starting lineup for first year coach Mike Boynton will be senior Kendall Smith (11.1 ppg) and sophomore Lindy Waters (7.8) at guards while senior Mitchell Solomon (8.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and junior Tavarius Shine (10.8) will matchup with the Mountaineers at forward.

Huggins will again go with a starting lineup which includes seniors Carter and Miles Jr. at the guards with sophomores Lamont West, Wesley Harris and Konate at the forwards.

Carter continues to lead the Mountaineers in nearly every category. The senior, who became the school’s 52nd 1,000-point scorer in WVU’s win over Coppin State, follows closely at 14.8 points per outing.

West, who returned from a sprained ankle to score 15 points and pull down nine rebounds against Fordham, is the team’s third leading point producer at 12.2 points per game while Konate and Harris chip in 8.2 and 6.9 points per game respectively.

When Huggins goes to his bench, which he does early and often, look for sophomore James ‘Beetle’ Bolden to add to his 11 points per game norm while freshman Teddy Allen (7.4), sophomores Chase Harler (3.3), Logan Routt (2.0) and Maciej Bender (1.7) will also see plenty of action.

Tonight’s 7 p.m. tipoff, which will be televised on ESPNU, will be the 12th meeting between the two Big 12 members with WVU holding a 6-5 edge.

“They play more aggressive at home,” Huggins said. “They have a lot of guys who can make shots so it makes it harder to help on defense. Which means we will have our hands full.”

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