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 Tiger Beer, in preparation for this weekend's opening baseball series opponent.
What You May Have Missed:
Fields filling her potential this season - Daily Athenaeum
“She can pass, she can score, she can drive it and she can make decisions,” said WVU head coach Mike Carey.
Women's Basketball Playbook: Baylor - WVU Athletics
Coach Mike Carey and host Jeff Culhane discuss the team's trip to Baylor this weekend on the Women's Basketball Playbook
Terri Howes Named One of Nation's Top SWAs - WVU Athletics
West Virginia University Senior Associate Athletic Director Terri Howes was named one the nation’s top 10 Senior Woman Administrators by College AD earlier this week.
FURFARI: Reaser was 1,000-point scorer in three years at WVU - Times West Virginian
Dave Reaser, of Cross Lanes, West Virginia, was an outstanding basketball player at West Virginia University from 1964-68.
News of Note:
No. 21 West Virginia tries to stay alive in standings, faces No. 14 Iowa State - Daily Athenaeum
No. 21 West Virginia will try to carry momentum from its most recent win into Ames, Iowa, when they take on No. 14 Iowa State Saturday.
Brandon Watkins Injury Update - WVU Athletics
West Virginia University men’s basketball sophomore forward Brandon Watkins suffered a left knee medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in Wednesday night’s 76-72 win over Kansas State. His status is listed as day-to-day.
Foul shooting - WVU Sports with Mike Casazza
Juwan Staten & Co. working on free throws for 20 minutes after going 5 for 10 v. Kansas State.
Shooting woes are a concern - Martinsburg Journal
It wasn't even an hour after No. 21 West Virginia beat Kansas State 76-72 Wednesday at the WVU Coliseum before Juwan Staten was back on the court.
Crunching WVU numbers and Carter - Charleston Gazette
After every WVU men’s basketball game, updated season stats are passed out to the haggard writers left finishing their stories in the empty Coliseum.
NCAA Tournament not a lock for WVU - Beckley Register-Herald
What’s it going to take for West Virginia University to break its two-year drought from the NCAA Tournament?
Staten A Finalist For 2015 Senior CLASS Award - WVU Athletics
Staten one of 10 men's players named for the award
Names in the games: Brandon Watkins, Jerry West, Juwan Staten - Charleston Gazette
The Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award is among four new awards this season established by the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Football
Big 12 pre-spring position rankings: OL - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
9. West Virginia
Barber Wins Second Annual Curtis Jones Jr. Award - WVU Athletics
named in honor of the late Curtis Jones Jr., an associate athletic director for academic support at WVU who died suddenly in September 2013.
A worthy award for a worthy player - Exponent Telegram
"Jared Barber deserves this year’s honor. He represents the same values that Curtis stood for. Jared’s mental toughness and ability to overcome adversity continue to grow, especially over the past year."
Baseball Season Opens
WVU Set for Opener at No. 24 Clemson - WVU Athletics
The season opener is set for Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday’s game begins at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday’s finale is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. Links to a live video, live audio and live stats are available via WVUsports.com.
Mountaineer Insider - WVU Athletics
Lots of inside information on the Mountaineers this week featuring interviews with baseball coach Randy Mazey and Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG radio analyst Jay Jacobs.
WVU opens baseball season with dearth of experienced arms - Charleston Daily Mail
The top three hitters and most of the pitchers and fielders are gone from the team that went 28-26, lost to either graduation or the draft, and yet the Mountaineers were picked sixth in the preseason poll released last week.
Mazey hopes rebuilt Mountaineers can overachieve - WV MetroNews
West Virginia's baseball season begins Friday with three-game set at Clemson.
West Virginia opens 2015 campaign at Clemson - Daily Athenaeum
After a second-straight year of coming close but ultimately falling short of qualifying for an NCAA Regional, the West Virginia baseball team kicks off year No. 3 under head coach Randy Mazey today on the road against No. 24 Clemson.
WVU set to start season - Exponent Telegram
“You have to learn how to win. We have guys who have never pitched in big games, so they are going to take their lumps. They will be better as sophomores because they pitched as freshmen.”
Vance Leads Young Staff into '15 - WVSports.com
West Virginia head baseball coach Randy Mazey has arguably a harder job entering the 2015 season than he had when he first arrived in Morgantown.
Mazey Still Pushing for Change - WVSports.com
"The first six weekends on the road is something that we've become accustomed to," said Mazey. "Until we change the rules to when we play this sport, that's just the nature of the beast."
Big 12 is deep with pitching again - Charleston Daily Mail
"It’s a pitching-rich league. We all got guys who can develop," third-year Texas Tech coach Tim Tadlock said. "Pitching is at the forefront of our league. ... Not enough good can be said about pitching in our league."
Recruiting:
WVU First to Offer WPIAL LB - EerSports
West Virginia has offered 2016 linebacker Tymar Sutton out of McKeesport (PA)
Roundtable: Junior college impact - ESPN
In today's Big 12 roundtable, we're focusing on the junior college transfers
Pro News:
Mel Kiper has Vikings adding surprise receiver - 247Sports
But in Kiper's latest mock draft, he has the Vikings taking West Virginia receiver Kevin White.
Around the League (and Beyond):
Rico Gathers Named to Naismith Trophy Midseason 30 - Our Daily Bears
How Kansas Jayhawks' Brannen Greene developed the prettiest shot in the Big 12 - FOX Sports
Oklahoma State's season has gone from rebuilding to contending - SI.com
Texas' Rick Barnes may be on a very hot seat ... and he's not helping himself - Dallas Morning News
TCU Men's Basketball: Charles Hill Jr. Suspended Indefinitely - Frogs O' War
Kingsbury weighs in on spring QB battle - Lubbock Avalanche Journal
What's On Tap:
(21) West Virginia Mountaineers vs. (14) Iowa State Cyclones - ESPN
4 pm Saturday from the Hilt on ESPN2/3
(16) Baylor Bears vs. (8) Kansas Jayhawks - ESPN
1 pm Saturday from the Phog on CBS
(21) Oklahoma St Cowboys vs. TCU Horned Frogs - ESPN
6 pm Saturday from the WGAC on ESPNU/3
Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. Texas Longhorns - ESPN
8 pm Saturday from the Erwin Center on LHN/ESPN3
(17) Oklahoma Sooners vs. Kansas St Wildcats - ESPN
8 pm Saturday from the Octagon on ESPN2/3
West Virginia Mountaineers vs. (3) Baylor Lady Bears - ESPN
NCAA Women's Basketball, 5 pm Sunday from the Anchorman Center on ESPN2/3
Videos of Interest:
Bob Huggins United Bank Playbook for February 13th, 2015
Video of (Dis)Interest:
Miss Throwdown:
Today's Miss Throwdown is . CLICK HERE for today's gallery of Leila Thomas.