West Virginia Makes Final Push Before Recruiting Dead Period

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Football:

Lyons: Holgorsen deal strikes balance with market, WVU’s budget | WV MetroNews
Digging into football coach Dana Holgorsen’s five-year, $18.6 million extension, West Virginia athletics director Shane Lyons said the deal struck a balance with the national market while remaining fiscally responsible to the school.

Basketball:

Mitch Vingle: Fans, WVU basketball team seem bored with ‘cupcake row’ | Charleston Gazette-Mail
On Saturday, a crowd of 9,023 paid to watch the Mountaineers wax VMI 90-55 at the WVU Coliseum. The team was ranked No. 347 of 350 teams in the Ratings Percentage Index released before Saturday games. Now, watching such beatdowns might be fun for some fans. The schedule might be understandable to some degree. Yet, um, it’s getting old. As in real. As in real fast

Another Blowout Victory for the Mountaineers | WVU Athletics
West Virginia’s full-court pressure defense eventually wore down VMI and the 15th-ranked Mountaineers cruised to their eighth victory of the season, 90-55, here at the WVU Coliseum Saturday afternoon.

Earning trust key for Bolden | The Exponent Telegram
For West Virginia guard James “Beetle” Bolden, it comes down to earning trust. That can’t be built solely in games, but must also come through the everyday grind of practice, meetings and video review. Coming off a redshirt season last year in which he didn’t get the chance to demonstrate much on the practice court, Bolden has been going through the process of learning what it takes to be competitive at West Virginia — and what it takes to getting the attention of the coaches.

Miles' 20-point effort shows his journey back complete | The Exponent Telegram
The last Mountaineer to play this year was the first to score 20 points in a game. Daxter Miles Jr. reached the 20-point mark in Saturday’s autopsy of VMI, 90-55, as he begins peaking after missing the first four games of the season with illness.

WVU Women’s Hoops Improve to 10-0 | WVU Athletics
The No. 13/14-ranked West Virginia University women’s basketball team shot a season-high 59.7 percent from the field and improved to 10-0 in a 91-33 victory over USC Upstate on Saturday evening at the WVU Coliseum.

Mountaineers make final push before dead period | Charleston Gazette-Mail
There is a bit more of a break in recruiting over the holidays. But with that — and the increased emphasis on early enrollment — there’s been an added chaos to this final week before the dead period. So far, that chaos has been kind to the Mountaineers, who added a commitment from East Mississippi (Mississippi) defensive end Ezekiel Rose on Sunday evening.

Juco defensive end becomes West Virginia’s 16th pledge for 2017 | WV MetroNews
East Mississippi Community College weakside defensive end Ezekial Rose, a late addition to the weekend’s visitor list at West Virginia, became the Mountaineers’ 16th commit for 2017 on Sunday.

Around The NCAA:

College football’s 2016 coaching changes: Who’s in and out at 17 schools so far | SBNation
This list will be updated as the FBS coaching carousel continues. Get caught up!

How Lamar Jackson went from 3-star recruit to Louisville superstar | SBNation
In his Heisman season, the Louisville sophomore surprised lots of us, but not the people who knew him back when.

Army digs deep to end Navy's 14-year winning streak in a beautifully ugly football game | SBNation
The Black Knights have done it at last.

Watch Verne Lundquist’s emotional goodbye from the booth after his final Army-Navy game | SBNation
We’ll miss you on Saturdays, Uncle Verne.

Pitt’s Brian O’Neill wins 2016 Piesman Trophy | SBNation
Honoring the greatest big-guy plays from this season of college football.

The Solid Verbal: It's already (early) bowl preview time! | SBNation
Answering questions like "Who wants to be there?" and "How cold is it in Mt. Pleasant, MI?"

Today's Miss Throwdown is an American model and the daughter of Kim Basinger and Alec Baldwin. CLICK HERE for Ireland Baldwin's Instagram.