THE SHOTGUN THROWDOWN: Austin Davis named Big 12 Player of the Week

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PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Senior outfielder Austin Davis of the West Virginia baseball team has been named the Big 12 Conference Player of the Week. This is the first time in his career that Davis has been named the Big 12 POTW. He went 11-for-16 at the plate last week to help the Mountaineers get four wins and move into the top 25 nationally. Davis also scored 10 runs and had two stolen bases. He now leads the team with 40 hits and 32 runs so far this season.

ROSTER REBUILD

Earlier this week, West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins gained another commitment from a power-five transfer. Former Iowa guard Joe Toussaint will be joining the Mountaineers. Toussaint averaged 4.3 points, 3.2 assists, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game this season, while starting in 21 of the 36 games. He also shot 83.9% from the free throw line. The former four-star recruit has two years of eligibility left in his college career and could possibly see significant playing time for WVU next season.

Huggins also added JUCO big man Mohamed Wague. The transfer from Harcum College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, averaged 14.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game last year. At the NJCAA Division I level, he led the country in offensive rebounds and total rebounds, while also being third in the nation in blocked shots. Wague will have three years of eligibility remaining when he joins the Mountaineers.

KPOGBA LOOKS PROMISING

Lee Kpogba has been a popular name for the West Virginia football program this spring. The redshirt junior linebacker has been impressing his coaches, teammates, and the media, and could be gearing up to have a breakout season for the Mountaineers this fall. After an unpleasant experience at Syracuse after decommitting from WVU in 2018, and then spending time at the JUCO level in 2021, Kpogba is looking to make the most out of his opportunity to return to the Division I level and finally play for the Mountaineers.

WEST VIRGINIA ROUNDUP

• West Virginia University will now pay its student-athletes up to $5,980 for “academic success.”
• Four Mountaineers finished in first place individually when the WVU track and field team competed in the George Mason Spring Invitational. West Virginia will compete again tomorrow and Saturday at the Bison Outdoor Classic.
• The West Virginia rowing team earned two silver medals and one bronze at the Knecht Cup Regatta in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, on Saturday.

AROUND THE BIG 12

• The Texas football program could have a culture problem on its hands, but instead of fixing it, head coach Steve Sarkisian is choosing to punish players who want to address it.
• Kansas men’s basketball players Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack, Christian Braun, Jalen Wilson, and DaJuan Harris Jr. will be going on a “Barnstorming Tour” to make some money after winning the national championship.

AROUND THE NCAA

• The American Athletic Conference men’s basketball Player of the Year, point guard Kendric Davis, has entered the transfer portal to leave SMU.
• Former LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron thinks that Notre Dame is going to win the National Championship.

ODDS AND ENDS

• The Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves are moving on to the real NBA Playoffs after winning their opening Play-In games.

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