Mountaineer Morning Links: Kansas State Game Day (2/11/15) Edition

K State previews, women beat KU, football & recruiting notes, WVUPros update, Big 12 roundup & more.

By WVUIE97@WVUIE97 Feb 11, 2015, 8:59am EST

Welcome, By-Godders, to the Shotgun/Throwdown, WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions. We're being brought to you today by Labatt's Wildcat Lager, in preparation for tonight's opponent.

What You May Have Missed:

Former Mountaineer Establishes Scholarship - WVU Athletics
The Marc Bulger Foundation Athletic Scholarship has been established.

WVU Survives Scare from Kansas - WVU Athletics
West Virginia University women’s basketball withstood a second half rally from Kansas to collect a 59-56 victory on Tuesday evening at the WVU Coliseum.

WATCH: WVU Women Hold On for 59-56 Win Over Kansas - WVillustrated
WVU women's basketball coaches and players met with the media following Tuesday's 59-56 win over Kansas in Morgantown.

Final Look: Baseball Preseason - BGN
Shaun Wood returns to West Virginia's starting line-up a year after losing his rightfield position midway through last season. Garrett Hope returns to the game itself after beginning his collegiate career as linebacker on the football team. Here, the two sides of experience discuss their individual careers, and their hope for a season which starts Friday at Clemson with a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.

FURFARI: MacDonald wins bowl game after starring as basketball player in 1970s - Times West Virginian
Does Scott MacDonald ring a bell?

News of Note:

Mountaineers, Wildcats to Meet Wednesday - WVU Athletics
Kansas State coach Bruce Weber hopes his team’s second crack at West Virginia’s full-court pressing defense will produce much different results.

WVU men, K-State have little in common - Charleston Daily Mail
No. 21 WVU plays host to Kansas State in a 7 p.m. ESPNU game at the Coliseum.

The problem with solving the problem - WVU Sports with Mike Casazza
Whatever’s plaguing WVU’s basketball team right now — and we’ve covered a list of issues already — there remains one problem with this batch of problem-solving.

Mountaineers, on 2-game slide, host K-State - Charleston Gazette
West Virginia will play its 24th game tonight when the No. 21 Mountaineers (18-5, 6-4 Big 12) host Kansas State (12-12, 5-6).

Fatigue no excuse as No. 21 WVU welcomes shorthanded K-State – WV MetroNews
Preview and a prediction for Wednesday's game as the No. 21 Mountaineers try to end their two-game slide.

Gold & Blue Now: Wednesday, Feb. 11 - WV MetroNews
Juwan Staten talks about what he expects the rematch against K-State to be like. We also hear from Joe Lunardi, ESPN Bracketologist, who said that WVU at least needs to win three games down the stretch to be safe on Selection Sunday.

Mountaineers look to end streak against Kansas State tonight - Beckley Register-Herald
The West Virginia University basketball team is standing at a crossroads.

Losses due to schedule more than tired team - Exponent Telegram
It was clearly obvious through West Virginia’s first 20 games this season that its success was built off its attacking full-court pressure defense.

Mountaineers look to bounce back - Exponent Telegram
After consecutive losses, WVU welcomes Kansas State

West Virginia ‘bigs’ need to improve in order for WVU to win - Daily Athenaeum
Behind Williams, however, there isn’t a whole lot to brag about.

No. 21 WVU looks to stop skid, takes on Kansas State at 7 p.m. - Daily Athenaeum
Two-straight losses in blowout fashion have forced No. 21 West Virginia to take a long look at itself in the mirror.

Mountaineers look to end two-game slide tonight against Kansas State - WVUPros
The 21st-ranked West Virginia University Men’s basketball team will look to put behind them one of the worst weeks any recent team has had to suffer through during coach Bob Huggins’ eight years at the helm of the program.

Preview: WVU vs Kansas State - BGN
West Virginia and Kansas state meet in a crossroads game on Wednesday that will set a major tone for the remainder of the season.

No. 21 WVU Looks to Stop Skid - WVSports.com
Tonight, No. 21 West Virginia (18-5, 6-4) and head coach Bob Huggins will try to stop its only losing streak of the season as Kansas State (12-12, 5-6) and head coach Bruce Weber visits the Coliseum in Morgantown.

Energy Back But Offense Still Needed - EerSports
While he downplayed any concern on Monday, he admitted there was some on Tuesday.

Huggins Previews WVU-Kansas State - BGN
West Virginia ran into a trifecta of misery in its last two defeats, with opponents hitting shots while the Mountaineer press hit the wall and WVU itself failed to hit the proverbial broadside of a barn, even from within the paint. Here, head coach Bob Huggins addresses those issues and more in comments leading up to Wednesday's home contest with Kansas State.

Player Perspective: WVU Versus K-State - BGN
Here, forward Brandon Watkins and guard Juwan Staten examine those problems, and discuss the refocus for the stretch run after a pair of blowout losses.

WVSports.com TV: Basketball Interviews - WVSports.com
Huggs, Paige & Watkins

WATCH: WVU Men Look to Bounce Back Against K-State on Wednesday - WVillustrated
Huggs, Watkins & Staten

NCAA College Basketball Power Rankings - ESPN
23 West Virginia Biggest Drop:-10

March Madness bracket: Kentucky, Virginia, Duke, Gonzaga clear No. 1s - FOX Sports
6 West

Football

Big 12 pre-spring position rankings: RB - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
4. West Virginia

Who should be the West Virginia Mountaineers’ starting quarterback in 2015? - WVUPros
Just when he finds a quarterback to run his offense, West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen must go back to the drawing board to find a starting quarterback in the offseason.

Recruiting:

WVU puts more attention on linebackers in 2016 class - Charleston Gazette
West Virginia signed only one linebacker in its 2015 class, David Long of Winton Woods, Ohio.

On college football recruiting rankings, semantics, and a perfect world - Football Study Hall
Thoughts on college football recruiting rankings, their imperfections, and how they could be improved in the future.

Brock Signs with the Mountaineers - WVU Athletics
The WVU baseball team has announced the signing of Tate Brock.

Re-grading the Big 12 classes of 2011 - ESPN
8. West Virginia Mountaineers

Pro News:

Ladies on the Hardwood Report: updates from Lady Mountaineers overseas - WVUPros
This week’s WVUPros Ladies on the Hardwood Report features updates from France, Poland, Australia and China, as Mountaineer ladies play professionally across the globe.