LONG, STARNGE TRIP FOR WVU SENIOR GUARD JOE MAZZULLA

Its been a long, and at times, strange trip for Joe Mazzulla through his college basketball career. Looking back to the fall of 2005 when Mazzulla made his commitment to then West Virginia head coach John Beilein, the 6-foot-2 native of Johnston (RI) never imagines how his college basketball career would twist and turn along the way.

"Not at all," replied Mazzulla when asked by NBE's Matt Whitfield Wednesday at the Big East Men's Basketball annual media day gathering at Madison Square Garden if he could imagine his career going this way when he came out of high school, "but it’s obviously been a great experience and I’ve made the best of it."

The 'best of it' was certainly highlighted last season when Mazzulla rose to the challenge of replacing an injuryed Darryl Bryant in the starting line-up down the stretch and into the NCAA Tournament. Mazzulla responded in a big way for coach Bob Huggins and his teammates earning honors as the East Region's Most Outstanding Player as the Mountaineers advanced to last season's Final Four.

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Mazzulla scored a career-high 17 points, his only double-figure scoring effort of the season, in the Mountaineers' 73-66 win over Kentucky in the East Region final at the Carrier Dome. The tough, in body and mind, left guard has had a flair for the spotlight as he narrowly missed a triple-double in a 2008 NCAA Tournament victory over Duke which propelled WVU to the Sweet 16 in 2008. Mazzulla finished that contest with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists, demonstrating often why coach Bob Huggins refers to him as one of the toughest players he has ever coached.

"I guess from the guys he’s had it’s a compliment, but he brings that out in you because of how competitive he is and what he expects from his players," Mazzulla said of the praise. "So you gotta go to him on how he brings that out every day in practice."

There are many differences in the style of play used by the Huggins-led Mountaineers compared to what was used when Coach Beilein called the shots. While Mazzulla, along with Cam Thoroughman, are still the lone holdovers from the Beilein teams, playing for a coach like Huggins seems to be right up his alley.

"Safety in practices and just the pace," answered Mazzulla when asked of the biggest differences in the two coaches he's played for at WVU. "It’s kind of more of a tactical pace to a Beilein practice and we really try and preserve energy and stuff like that. Whereas we just get after it when we’re playing for Huggins."

Mazzulla's career in Morgantown has not always been full of highlights. Injuries and a few off the court incidents has left outsiders questioning his place on the roster. After his big performance in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, Mazzulla was poised to take over a starting backcourt position as a junior in the 2008-2009 season. However his starting role did not even last through seven games as a shoulder injury which would later require surgery cut short his season. Darryl Bryant, a freshman at the time, was inserted into the starting position and held the role until an injury late last season opened the door again for Mazzulla. However, Mazzulla was nearly not there to take advantage of the opportunity.

In April of 2009, while recovering from the shoulder injury, Mazzulla was indefinitely suspended from the basketball program after his arrest on charges of domestic battery. He was involved in an incident at The Lazy Lizard bar in Morgantown in which he allegedly grabbed a woman by the neck.

It was the second arrest for the Bishop Hendricken High School grad. He pleaded guilty to charges of public drunkenness and disorderly conduct after an incident the previous September at a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game in which he had a disagreement with security personnel.

Mazzulla remianed in school, but his suspension carried into late August of 2009 before coach Huggins issued a release that Mazzulla was reinstated to the program.

"Joe has done everything that has been asked of him on all fronts,” said Huggins in the statement. “I believe he deserves to be back on our roster and play for the Mountaineers.”

Mazzulla was granted a medical redshirt because of the shoulder problem that cost him most of the 2008-2009 season, but the shoulder healed slowly. Even upon his reinstatement he was not fully able to compete on the basketball court. A portion of last season was spent shooting right-handed while he continued to work the shoulder back into shape. It was one of the reasons his scoring average and shooting percentages dipped to career lows. However, the belief and support he drew from his coach kept him confident and ready for his late season opportunity.

"Well you can tell by how he carries himself he really knows how to handle situations very well," said Mazzulla of what he has learned from playing under Coach Huggins. "He really instills that passion and competitive spirit in not only me, but the entire team, and I think that’s what helps us play so confidently and be successful."

Through the ups and downs, his coach has been in his corner and that means plenty to Mazzulla, who has already earned an undergraduate degree and has planned to pursue a master's degree in athletic coaching education before finishing at West Virginia, following the footsteps of his father Dan, who played college basketball at Bryant before spending time as a professional in Chile. Joe Mazzulla has been thankful for coach Huggins believing in him as he has persevered his winding trip through his college career.

"You know he’s been there every step of the way and we're very grateful for it," said Mazzulla.

Now, Mazzulla is ready for his senior season. The Big East conference coaches picked the Mountaineers to finish 5th this season in their preseason poll, but Mazzulla is confident they can perform sinilar to last season. Even without their talented forwards Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks from a season ago, the mentality of this team is unlikely to change.

"If we play like we did last year with a defensive mentality, control the tempo and rebounding, then we’ll put ourselves in a position to be in many games," Mazzulla said.

That mentality will most likely be born through practice as Huggins will instill that mindset in his teams. After five years in the program, it sounds like an aspect of life that Mazzulla is looking forward to and will miss when it is time to move on.

"Yeah, three hour war, two hours of defense and an hour of offense and the pace is great and we just get after it," Mazzulla said of a Huggins-led practice. "We do a good job of carrying that over in the games."

Toughness and perseverance has allowed Joe Mazzulla to reach this point in his West Virginia career. Now he and the coach that has been by his side throughout the last four years will try and instill those qualities in the team they look to lead in the upcoming 2010-2011 college basketball season.

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WEST VIRGINIA THROTTLES DUQUESNE IN COLLEGE HOOPS

Bob Huggins had his West Virginia club on a mission defensively Wednesday night as they limited the visiting Dukes to 39 points on 32% (14-44) shooting from the floor while forcing 25 turnovers. WVU also dominated the boards with a 45-34 rebounding edge as the Mountaineers Cruised to a Win (Times West Virginia) as WVU Rolls 68-39 (Charleston Gazette) over Duquesne.

Of course, like any coach, even after as impressive of a win as last night was, Huggins is Still Looking for Improvement (Times West Virginia) from his Mountaineers with a long season ahead. Giving Huggs' immediate attention after the game was some reckless three-point shooting and some dismal play by Devin Ebanks, who was just 2-10 from the field with four rebounds and three turnovers in 29 minutes.

Kevin Jones, the do-everything forward, led West Virginia with 16 points and nine rebounds, seven of them off the offensive boards as WVU had a 20-8 edge on the offensive glass.

Despite the Win, Huggins Expects More (Daily Mail) and his team was certain to receive that message from their head coach. Huggins is Seeking Perfection (Wheeling Register) from his sixth ranked club and their next opportunity to provide it for their demanding coach comes Saturday in the Coliseum against Coppin State. A road date with Cleveland State (12/19) and a home game against #25 Ole Miss (12/23) close the pre-conference schedule ahead of the conference opener at Seton Hall December 26th.

Wellington Smith added 11 points and Da'Sean Butler 10 in Wednesday night's victory.

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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.

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THREE MOUNTAINEERS DRAFTED, THREE MORE SIGNED

By Matt Whitfield


Four year starter Pat White led off the day and weekend Saturday for the Mountaineers being selected by Miami as a QB/WR in the second round. Former teammates CB Ellis Lankster and Kicker Pat McAfee were also picked on the second day of the draft by Buffalo and Indianapolis respectively.


The trio also saw three of their former teammates go undrafted, yet get picked up several days after. OG Greg Isdaner, who left the Mountaineers early for the draft was signed by Dallas. Four-year starter OL Ryan Stanchek was picked up by Atlanta. While fan favorite LB Mortty Ivy agreed to a deal with the Carolina Panthers.

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DAN JENNINGS: WEST VIRGINIA'S ANSWER?

By Matt Whitfield

A year ago, West Virginia landed a top recruiting class, headlined by three recruits from the New York City area, Devin Ebanks, Darryl ‘Truck’ Bryant and Kevin Jones. The latest to continue the pipeline is not only is the biggest, but may also be a big key in Morgantown elevating their college basketball odds next season.

Dan Jennings is a 6-foot-8, 250-pound Center, who is a muscled man-child that could be Bob Huggins’s answer down low and Big East opponent’s worst nightmare.

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“Honestly, I’m supposed to come in next year and be a beast down low and be that beast that they need that grabs all the boards, blocks shots, does all the dirty work around the basket and finishes around the basket,” said the 6’8 Staten Island native.

For all the tough talk though it would surprise some that Jennings had a childhood so harsh that it would leave many too traumatized to even pick up a basketball, let alone interact normally with their peers their own age.

According to a story in the Norwich Bulletin, Jennings was raised by a mother battling a crack addiction. After having already been in a homeless shelter in the Bronx as a young child, Jennings was taken by Child Care Services. He then would live in five different foster homes throughout New York City. While living in the foster homes, Jennings was at times neglected, abused, and ignored. When Jennings was eight his case of bad luck finally ended, as Cora Darby adopted him and he finally found a home and a family for good.

Despite being raised by a pastor, Jennings’s high school days mimicked his childhood. Jennings found himself bouncing from high school to high school as he attended four different schools in all, before finally ending up this past year at St. Thomas More for a 5th prep year. Despite all the off court issues, Jennings' size and ability on the basketball court led him to numerous college scholarship offers.

According to Jennings, schools such as Memphis, Louisville, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Marquette, DePaul, Xavier, Seton Hall, St. John’s, and Rutgers all offered scholarships. At first Jennings didn’t even consider West Virginia.

“After my junior year when I played with Kemba [Walker] and them, I didn’t really even look at West Virginia like that," said Jennings. "I didn’t expect to go there. Then at the end of my senior year I found out Ebanks was going there, I knew Truck was there, I knew them, and I knew that they didn’t have any big men at that position.”

Knowing all this, Jennings committed to play for the Mountaineers this past July, much to the delight of Coach Huggins and company.

Jennings knows West Virginia’s primary problem this past season was the lack of a dominant big man. With Jennings arrival, he could perhaps be the key missing piece to the puzzle, and perhaps the key component to bigger, better things. Jennings, who told NBE, he expects to play at around 260 pounds this upcoming season, implied he feels he can be the Mountaineer’s answer down low.

"I’m just trying to be that body down low that they were missing," he said. "I expect to get a good amount of playing time. The only reason I’m not going to play is because of me."

Confident words for a big man that has only stepped foot in Morgantown twice, but Jennings can certainly back it up with his toughness and physical play. Jennings, who once grabbed a chair when a fight broke during a game at the Rumble in the Bronx, told NBE that he can bench press 290 pounds and that, ‘I [just]
love the weight room,’ adding that ‘I’m only going to get bigger, as I just want to get better everyday, and just win.’

Next season Jennings knows the coach he’ll be playing is tough to please even with a win, but Jennings feels he is ready for coach Huggins.

"I’m excited", Jennings told NBE. “I know he’s tough but he can help me get to where I want to be as a player.”

Jennings, who has undoubtedly heard the stories of the chairs being thrown, and the treadmill punishment sprints, still feels he is tough enough to handle Huggins saying, “I’m ready for what he has for me.”

Next year Huggins will definitely push Jennings in practice and press him to work on things, but Jennings feels his game needs improvement now. Jennings, who already has a great inside game and all the physical tools and power to be a dominant Center told NBE he would like to work on, “my handle a little bit, my jumpshot, my 15 foot shot jumpshot, my footwork,” adding that “everything about my game I can work on.”

Despite this, Jennings feels come crunch time he’ll ready to take on the big boys of the Big East. Jennings said he was really looking forward to playing against former Pittsburgh Center Dejuan Blair, but having seen Blair opt for the NBA Draft Jennings told NBE that he now looks forward to playing against Samardo Samuels.

"I’m going be ready for him, I’m going to be in shape for him," said Jennings.

In the coming years Dan Jennings could be one of the best stories to hit college basketball. Jennings told NBE, that this is a new chapter in his life and it is time to mature with it.

"I’m not going to transfer," he said. "I’m going to listen to Coach Huggins and that’s where I want to be for the next four years."

With Jennings size, physicality and toughness also comes comparisons to former Big East greats. Where Jennings will fall amongst these players is anyone’s guess. All that is certain is that if Jennings pans out, not only will he be beloved in Morgantown, but he will be responsible for the New York-Morgantown pipeline continuing, and be indirectly responsible for perhaps decades of great basketball in Morgantown.

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WVU SEASON COMES TO AN END IN ROUND ONE

March 20, 2009


Dayton, from the Atlantic 10, handed the Big East their lone lose in the opening round as the 11th seeded Flyers knocked out West Virginia, 68-60, on Friday afternoon.

Sophomore forward Chris Wright dominated WVU to the tune of 27 points and 10 rebounds while senior forward Charles Little added 18, both more than double their season averages.

“We didn't we didn't have an answer for penetration from Wright or Little,” said WVU head coach Bob Huggins. “And Little made some really hard shots at the end of the game. He made hard shots over the top of people.”

While Little made several back-breaking buckets late, the Mountaineers jut never got that big basket themselves. After Dayton stretched a 33-28 halftime lead to 48-40 with 13:27 to go, WVU quickly cut the lead to one at 48-47 with 11:02 remaining as Darryl Bryant capped a 7-0 run with a three-pointer. Over the course of the next 7:14 the spread between the two teams would never be more than four points, but the Mountaineers could never tie or take the lead, despite golden opportunities.

Down 54-52 with 6:56 remaining, Alex Ruoff, a senior and 80% free-thrown shooter, missed two from the foul line that could have tied the game. A few moments later, Da’Sean Butler had a good look for a three-pointer that would have put WVU ahead, but he could not connect.

“You got an 80 some percent free throw shooter (Ruoff) shooting two free throws and he misses both of them,” says Huggins as he recounted some of the missed opportunities. “And Da'Sean (Butler) is maybe our best 3-point shooter and he has a wide open look down by one. And you know, that one had a chance.”

While WVU could not connect on their chances, Dayton finally was able to put some separation between themselves and the Mountaineers on back-to-back buckets by Luttle, giving the Flyers a 65-58 lead in the last minute of play.

Freshmen led the way for WVU as Darryl Bryant had a team-high 21 points and Devin Ebanks scored 14 and grabbed 12 rebounds. Ruoff, the all-time leader in made three’s for WVU, finished with 9 points in his final collegiate contest before fouling out.

Junior Da’Sean Butler finished with 12 points, but was just 5-13 from the floor, missing all six of his three-point attempts and turned it over five times.

“We had a lot of chances to take the lead in the game,” said Butler following the game. “I had a bunch of opportunities to help the team go over the hump and be up by one or two, you know, but we just didn't do it and we lost.”

West Virginia finishes 23-12 in Bob Huggins’ second season at his alma mater.

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WVU TAKES ON DAYTON IN ROUND ONE

March 20, 2009


West Virginia enters the NCAA Tournament as a six-seed and will take on Dayton in first round action. Despite some difficulty traveling, the Mountaineers have made it to Minneapolis and will be ready to take on 26-7 Dayton Friday afternoon.

The Flyers received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament on the strength of their full season of work, which included a November win over Marquette in Chicago.

The Flyers are quite a unique team as they will play hard every second of the full forty minutes, rotating 12 players in and out of the game.

"I think the one thing that really stands out is how hard they work," WVU coach bob Huggins said of the Flyers. "They are a terrific offensive rebounding team because they work so hard at it, and... they don't run in transition, they sprint. If you watch them, they just get out and they get in lanes and sprint. And they really put a lot of pressure on your defense to make sure that you get back and find people."

"And that's, you know I think (Dayton head coach) Brian (Gregory) has done a great job of getting them all to buy in, and he's playing a lot of people. And I think they've responded very well for him."

Chris Wright and Marcus Johnson are the Flyers' leading scorers. Both players were recruiting by schools in the Big East and other top conferences, but opted to play for the Atlantic 10 program with hopes of some day being in the position they are in today, with a chance to knock off a high-major in the NCAA Tournament, but they are taking it one game at a time, no matter who the opponent is.

"You stay up watching films because it is the NCAA tournament and you have to play your best game in March, but it is just motivation to be able to play in the NCAA tournament and playing against a team like, you know, West Virginia is a good test for us, our defense," said Wright, the athletic 6'8 sophomore forward that will remind many of several WVU players.

This game is likely to be an absolute battle. Both teams are tough and really get after it on the glass. Dayton seemed to slump a bit towards the end of the season, losing in the A-10 semifinals to Duquesne, while also losing to Rhode Island, St. Louis and Xavier among their final five regular season games.

West Virginia, on the other hand, has been steadily picking up their level of play, especially with Devin Ebanks emerging as a freshman star down the stretch. Ebanks' play seems to be potentially the kind of versatile production that can carry the Mountaineers, similar to how Joe Alexander led them last season into the Sweet 16.

"In the Big East, he started blossoming and doing the things he does in practice," junior Da'Sean Butler said of Ebanks' improved play down the stretch. "It is a surprise to everybody else, but these are things we have seen him do and his abilities."

Ebanks certainly can be the x-factor. In the Big East Tournament win over Notre Dame, Ebanks grabbed 18 rebounds. The next night in an upset of Pittsburgh, Ebanks went for a career-high 20 points, only to better the mark in the loss to Syracuse the next night with 22.

With Ebanks emerging as the star he always had the potential to be, there is less pressure on Alex Ruoff and Da'Sean Butler to carry the load. They also have less attention on them from opposing defenses.

Look for the Mountaineers to be a very, very dangerous team in this tournament. Bob Huggins knows the kind of player and team he likes and he has continued to mold this squad to have the make-up he prefers. The Flyers are tough, but WVU is 'Big East-tough'.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 73
Dayton 62

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WEST VIRGINIA LOOKS TO END ORANGE RUN IN NYC

March 13, 2009



WOW!




WOW!!


That pretty much sums up Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. First, Pittsburgh fell to West Virginia, spoiling everyone's hope for a third match-up, and second in less than a week, between Pitt and Connecticut. Now, that game seems to have happened days ago because it was upstaged as the story in NYC this week by the incredible game that followed between Syracuse and Connecticut.

The Orange let a seven-point lead slip away in the final three minutes and change and then saw a potential buzzer-beating three-pointer from Eric Devendorf that would have won the game come a fraction of a second too late and were forced to go to overtime against the more-rested Huskies. Afterall, SU played a pretty emotionally charged game the night before against Seton Hall. Through FIVE, yes, count them FIVE, overtimes, the Orange seemed to battle uphill, never leading for a single second in any of the overtimes. Yet, they made their foul shots, got timely buckets from the three-point line from Andy Rautins and, kept knotting the score to force another extra session. Finally, in the sixth overtime, a Andy Rautins three and Paul Harris (finally) converted a couple shots in close and SU took an eight-point lead and this one would stand as SU upset UConn 127-117 in a six overtime CLASSIC.

Wow!


Will the Orange have ANYTHING left tonight?


Here are some pregame previews and stories on tonight's match-up:

Six Overtimes (Syracuse Post-Standard)
Special Freshman Give Huggins' Game Plan a Boost (Times West Virginian)
WVU Upsets Rival Pitt, Advances to BE Quarterfinals (Daily Mail)
WVU's 1-3-1 Zone Stymies Panthers (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

By the time 9:30 tonight rolls around, Syracuse and West Virginia both would need to put Thursday night behind them. Each team probably has accomplished what they set out to do in NYC this week, win their opener and knock off their top rival, now they both have a real shot at staying in Madison Square Garden for the duration of the 2009 Big East Tournament.

Of course, the question on everyone's mind, will Syracuse have anything left?

This is not a real deep team, usually playing a seven-man rotation with a cameo appearance here and there from an 8th player. In two nights, they have played 110 minutes of basketball, completing a 3-hour, 40-minute plus epic showdown after 1 AM on Friday morning against the Huskies. Now, they need to pick back up and go after the Mountaineers, a team they cruised past in the regular season, 74-61, at the Carrier Dome.

Bob Huggins' team got through their first two days with toughness and tenacity. Despite shooting just 36% in their opening win over Notre Dame, WVU dominated the boards and their athletic ability and speed buried the Irish early. The ultimate test of toughness came Thursday night when WWVU out-toughed the big, bad Panthers and shocked their rival 74-60.

In their first meeting, the SU zone caused the young Mountaineers a lot of trouble. Freshman Darryl 'Truck' Bryant will be in the spotlight once again as he will need to do a much better job of attacking the zone to hit the seams and spot shooter Alex Ruoff open for a wing jumper. Also, look for WVU to get the ball in the high-post area, likely with Devin Ebanks, and use their versatility to attack SU from inside. Ebanks and Da'Sean Butler are very capable scorers.

For Syracuse, they have size in Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson and they will need to use it and try to get easy baskets near the hoop. They will also need to attack the boards with some intensity because WVU will go after rebounds from every angle and position.

Both SU and WVU also need to avoid falling into a trap that might have hirt both Pitt and UConn, they need to focus on there here and now...not what happened last night. Whichever team is able to do that, I think will be the winner. In this case, since they did not have to grind through 70 minutes of basketball into the wee hours of the morning, look for the Mountaineers to have a bit more in the tank and follow the lead of the exploding Devin Ebanks and get another impressive win.

NBE Blogger Prediction:

West Virginia 74
Syracuse 68

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