Youth and versatility define the projected lineup for the West Virginia baseball team

Welcome, By-Godders, to The Shotgun/Throwdown: WVU's best place for sports links, information, sophomoric humor and daily distractions.

Baseball:

Youth, versatility define WVU projected line-up | The Exponent Telegram
The anticipation for West Virginia’s early season line-up is a showcase of versatility.

2017 WVU Baseball Season Preview | WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University baseball team has something to prove in 2017.   Coming off their best season since joining the Big 12 Conference and in the Randy Mazey era, the Mountaineers came agonizingly close to making the NCAA Tournament in 2016 for the first time since 1996.

Basketball:

WVU's Jacobs Recalls Old WVU Field House | WVU Athletics
Last Friday, the West Virginia University Board of Governors announced that a recent $10 million gift from benefactors Bob and Laura Reynolds will help fund a new business educational complex that will reside where Stansbury Hall currently sits.   At some point down the line, aging 89-year-old Stansbury Hall, once known as the WVU Field House, will be razed to make way for a new facility benefitting aspiring West Virginia University students of tomorrow.

Real Bob Huggins a fan of Twitter’s Fake Bob Huggins | Charleston Gazette-Mail
Not too long ago in a season undulating toward the finish, West Virginia built a huge lead and watched it slip away. This may sound like a story you’ve heard before, but it is not. This is the story about how and why Bob Huggins met the man who has parodied him for more than five years on Twitter.

WVU men aim to regroup after agonizing loss at Kansas | Charleston Gazette-Mail
For almost all of the 45 minutes they played Monday night, Kansas and West Virginia were nothing alike. The third-ranked Jayhawks seemed on their way to a defeat of unprecedented scope. The ninth-ranked Mountaineers were doing things opposing teams don’t do at Allen Fieldhouse.

Ray’s double-double helps West Virginia upset K-State | WV MetroNews
Teana Muldrow hit three free throws after West Virginia allowed most of a 19-point lead to evaporate, and point guard Chania Ray recorded her first double-double as the Mountaineers held off No. 24 Kansas State 66-59 on Wednesday night.

West Virginia Knocks Off No. 24 K-State | WVU Athletics
The West Virginia University women’s basketball team staved off a Kansas State fourth quarter rally to knock off the 24th-ranked Wildcats, 66-59, on Wednesday evening at the WVU Coliseum.

West Virginia Athletics:

WVU rifle its own dynasty under Hammond | The Exponent Telegram
While UConn’s women’s basketball’s all-time record stands at 1,070-296 for a .783 percentage, WVU’s rifle record is 623-102 — including 12-0 this year — for a winning percentage of .859.

Around The Big 12:

Former Baylor associate AD not indicted by grand jury for alleged assault of reporter | SBNation
The alleged assault happened after the TCU-Baylor game in November.

Big 12 pre-spring position rankings: DB | ESPN
Led by cornerback D.J. Reed, Kansas State's well-rounded defensive backfield could be the best in the conference.

Around The NCAA:

Exclusive first look: ‘Friday Night Lights’ creator’s doc series on top high school QBs | SBNation
‘QB1’ premieres on go90 on Wednesday.

Will Muschamp is digging out of the recruiting hole Steve Spurrier left him at South Carolina | SBNation
South Carolina’s coach has made progress in cleaning up a mess.

Disney CEO: ESPN and ABC will look at limiting the number of commercial breaks | SBNation
This could be good news for college football game lengths.

UConn, Big East deny report that Huskies might be joining the conference | SBNation
The plot thickens.

SHUTDOWN FULLCAST 4.65: LET’S KICK OUT SOME STATES | Every Day Should Be Saturday
FOR A MORE PERFECT UNION, WE LOSE INDIANA

I watched War Dogs last night, and I have to award the title of today's Miss Throwdown the the smoke show that played the wife of Miles Teller's character. Holy moly. I almost couldn't focus on the rest of the movie because of her. CLICK HERE for Ana de Armas' Instagram.