WEST VIRGINIA ROLLS PAST MOUNTAIN STATE IN EXHIBITION

Courtest of NBE Basketball Report


It is going to be an exciting season in Morgantown for followers of West Virginia basketball and fans might have gotten a little preview on Sunday as WVU Whips Mountain State in a Hoops Exhibition (Daily Mail) 104-82.

Kevin Jones came off the bench to score 21 points and grab 10 rebounds with Devin Ebanks adding 19 points and 10 rebounds and Da'Sean Butler filled the stat sheet with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists before 7,114 at the Coliseum in the contest.

A pair of names familiar to Big East fans suited up for Mountain State as former Cincinnati Bearcats Alvin Mitchell (33 points) and Nick Aldridge (29 pts, 11 rebs) put up big numbers in the contest. Englishman Paul Sturgess, who measures in at 7-foot-8, also plays for Mountain State. Sturgess had one rebound in four minutes of action.

WVU freshman Deniz Kilicli played 19 minutes on Sunday. The 6-foot-9 freshman who is suspended for the first 20 games because he played on a team with professionals in his native Turkey before coming to the United States and attending Mountain State Academy last year made a solid impression in his last game action until February. Kilicli Shows Skills in Exhibition (Times of West Virginia) scoring eight points on 4 for 6 shooting, grabbing six rebounds, registering a pair of assists, blocking two shots and making a steal.

Junior guard Joe Mazzulla sat out the exhibition due to inflammation in the shoulder that caused him to miss most of last season. Coach Bob Huggins said Mazzulla could have played and should see the court in Sunday's opener against Loyola Maryland at the Coliseum.

JUCO transfer Casey Mitchell showed off his scoring prowess with 19 points in 22 minutes for the Mountaineers.