WVU to Host TCU Tonight
Bolden uncertain, Knapper is expected to play
Trending
MORGANTOWN -- Finding a starting five when West Virginia's opening day starting lineup included the names of Beetle Bolden, Sagaba Konate, Esa Ahmad and Wesley Harris has been a task for veteran coach Bob Huggins and his staff.
Bolden and Konate hace missed multiple games while recovering from injuries while Ahmad and Harris have been dismissed from the team.
That may have changed, however, following the Mountaineers' latest setback - an 82-75 loss at Baylor.
Freshmen Derek Culver, Emmitt Matthews Jr. and Jordan McCabe teamed up with juniors Lamont West and Jermaine Haley to give the host Bears everything they wanted and more in their Saturday afternoon matchup in Waco.
Three of the five finished in double figures, West paced the Mountaineers with 16 points while McCabe netted 14 and Haley secured 13. Culver finished with nine points, six rebounds and one blocked shot in 26 minutes of action.
Only Matthews, who was making only his third career start, struggled from the field as the Tacoma, Washington, recruit tallied two points and hauled down one rebounds in 12 minutes on the floor.
In his place freshman Andrew Gordon had his best outing for the Mountaineers, finishing with a career-high 13 points and pulling down four boards.
And, while the end result of a victory slipped through their hands late in the game, Huggins' squad looked like it was better prepared to finish out the regular season without the services of the four opening day starters.
"They played well," Huggins said. "If we make our free throws, we win the game."
Other than Gordon going four-for-four from the line late, WVU missed six free throws in the second half that helped Baylor get the lead.
Now, the Mountaineers return home to take on a TCU team which had its way early and often in a 98-67 win at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Desmond Bane led six Horned Frogs into double digits with a game-high 26 points. Alex Robinson added 14 points while J.D. Miller (13), Kouat Noi (12), Lat Meyen (12) and Kevin Samuel (10) joined him.
It was TCU's second victory against West Virginia, both coming in Fort Worth during the last two seasons.
Bolden's availability for the 7 p.m. tipoff is still in doubt, but Huggins should have South Charleston native Brandon Knapper, who missed the Baylor game with a sprained neck, back in the rotation.