Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's nationally recognized best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Brew Dog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin.
What You May Have Missed:
2014 Smoking Musket Bracket Challenge - The Smoking Musket
Don't forget to get your picks in by tonight....1 AM Thursday is the cutoff
WVU seeks company to sell excess ticket inventory - Charleston Daily Mail
Partnering with an outbound ticket sales company lets the company take control of the unsold tickets for games. The company directly contacts patrons, be they individuals, groups or organizations, to make sales.
Mountaineers could have career season in 2013-14 - Daily Athenaeum
Despite falling short to Baylor in the Big 12 Conference championship, WVU earned its highest seed in program history and will enter the 2014 NCAA Tournament as a 2-seed.
WVU baseball headed to UNC after weather wipes out game with Marshall - Register-Herald
The snow that fell over much of West Virginia Sunday night canceled the scheduled state showdown between West Virginia and Marshall universities, scheduled for Tuesday at Charleston’s Appalachian Power Park.
Seven Gymnasts Earn Big 12 Academic Award - WVU Athletics
The seven honors is a program-best mark, as five gymnasts scored a spot on the team in the Mountaineers’ inaugural season in 2013.
FURFARI COLUMN: Wil Robinson owns WVU record West doesn’t have - Times West Virginian
The sharp-shooting 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard ranked third among the school’s all-time leading scorers as a three-year varsity star in 1970-71-72 right behind Jerry (WVU’s best ever) West and Hot Rod (Crown Prince) Hundley in the 1950s and 60s.
NIT/Georgetown Hangover:
Georgetown tops West Virginia 77-65 in NIT 1st rd - ESPN
Recap, stats, video, photos, etc
WVU Falls in 1st Round of NIT - WVU Athletics
Frigid second half dooms West Virginia.
Georgetown eliminates Mountaineers from NIT - Charleston Daily Mail
"If we can't outscore you, we're not going to win, which is a terrible way to be. It's been a yearly thing. We've done it all year."
WVU ends season with loss to Georgetown - Charleston Gazette
The resulting 77-65 loss in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament left WVU with a final 17-16 record.
Hoyas put an end to WVU’s season - Times West Virginian
What West Virginia hoped would be a lively run to Madison Square Garden, one of the cathedrals of college basketball and home to the Final Four of the NIT, became instead a screeching end to the Mountaineers’ season with an ugly 77-65 loss to Georgetown in a dilapidated bandbox of a gymnasium on the Hoyas’ Washington, D.C., campus.
All frowns in Georgetown - Register-Herald
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera had a season-high 32 points and 10 rebounds, and Georgetown topped West Virginia 77-65 Tuesday night in a cozy matchup of former conference rivals in the first round of the NIT.
Georgetown Tops West Virginia in NIT First Round - Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register
If nothing else, Georgetown's first-round NIT victory over West Virginia shows yet again that it's just too bad the Hoyas don't have a Goldilocks-size arena.
Guards Lead Georgetown to 77-65 NIT Win Over West Virginia - Casual Hoya
Back-court trio powers second-half surge as Hoyas run away from Mountaineers.
‘Unbelievable’ shooting or ‘lazy’ defense was only debate after Hoyas win - WV MetroNews
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera's 32-point night was the latest—and last—lowlight for a Mountaineers defense.
Henderson: ‘We weren’t hungry as a team, and we should have been’ - WV MetroNews
Sophomore guard didn't see enough fire out of his team during West Virginia's second-half collapse at Georgetown.
Hoyas Romp WVU - BGN
West Virginia lived by the three. In the opening round of the NIT, its season died by it in a 77-65 loss at Georgetown.
Georgetown knocks WVU out of NIT - WVSports.com
D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera had 32 points and 11 rebounds to lead Georgetown to a 77-65 victory over West Virginia on Tuesday Night at McDonough Arena in the opening round of the NIT.
Hoyas End WVU's Season - EerSports
Georgetown pulled away in the second half, coming from behind to beat West Virginia, 77-65, in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday evening.
GAME RECAP: WVU Loses to Georgetown - WVillustrated
Much like the Big 12 Tournament, West Virginia fell short in the National Invitation Tournament. Georgetown downed West Virginia 77-65 Tuesday Night.
Frustrated by loss, Staten stays mum on draft status - WV MetroNews
"I’ll make a decision and talk more about that later," Staten said
Inconsistent play led to WVU demise in 2013-14 - Daily Athenaeum
While the Mountaineers finished .500 in arguably the best college basketball conference in all of the country, losses to Virginia Tech and Purdue, among others, didn’t help the Mountaineers’ cause for the NCAA tournament.
BGN Video: Mountaineers Fall to Hoyas - BGN
Like any postseason game during this month in college basketball, the emotions of the two teams - and their head coaches - will likely be much different.
BGN Video: Player Reactions - BGN
Harris, Staten, Henderson & Noreen
WATCH: WVU Men's Basketball Postgame Interviews - WVillustrated
Huggs, Staten & Henderson
The bandbox, Huggins and Shocking the bracket world - Charleston Gazette
When this column was being put together, the outcome of West Virginia's NIT game with Georgetown was unknown.
News of Note:
HERTZEL COLUMN: OL Pankey raring to go for WVU " WVU Sports " The Times West Virginian
You have to put yourself in Adam Pankey’s place, which is a very big place to be considering he stands 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 323 pounds.
Buie ready to play again following year off - Daily Athenaeum
With 7:56 minutes to go in the first quarter of the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl, West Virginia true freshman running back Andrew Buie made the first of many great plays for the Mountaineers on the night.
Season Ticket Renewals Now Being Accepted - WVU Athletics
WVU football season ticket holders can now renew their 2014 season tickets online at WVUGAME.com.
Recruiting:
WVU recruiting: Signees diving into workout programs - Charleston Gazette
College programs mail out workout programs to every signee, each designed for the specific recruit.
Pro News:
On Joe Alexander: Resurrecting his career - WVU Pros
A lot changes in two years, but for Joe Alexander, his world stood still.
Around the League (and Beyond):
WhatIfSports simulations have Baylor in the Final Four - Our Daily Bears
Bear Hunting in Hilton - Wide Right & Natty Lite
Awesome House of Cards Themed KU Fan Pictures Are Awesome - Rock Chalk Talk
Kansan Cauley-Stein excels at clogging up Kentucky middle - Wichita Eagle
Marcus Smart's chance at redemption - Oklahoman (autoplay)
Texas WR Bryant Jackson retires, LB Aaron Benson gives up football - Burnt Orange Nation
TCU Set For Midweek Tilt at Oklahoma - Frogs O' War
It's Not Just a Moment, but a Culmination of Hours of Work - Viva The Matadors
What's On Tap:
Baseball Adds Game at No. 12 North Carolina - WVU Athletics
The West Virginia baseball team has added a game at No. 12 North Carolina on Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Video of Interest:
Press Conference for WVU's 16th National Championship in Rifle.
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Hump Day Video of the Week:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is a Greek born Irish model. CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Georgia Salpa.