West Virginia hit with another challenge in a season full of them
If it’s not one thing, it’s something else.
That could be the calling card of the West Virginia basketball team this season as the Mountaineers have been dealt difficult blow after difficult blow since Bob Huggins first resigned in the summer.
First there were the departures of several key pieces to the roster including Tre Mitchell, point guard Joe Toussaint, forward Mohamed Wague and forward James Okonkwo even after interim Josh Eilert was appointed atop the program.
Then the Mountaineers received a rash of bad news with waivers as Omar Silverio request for immediate eligibility and appeal was denied ending his college career followed by the same unfolding for Montana State transfer guard RaeQuan Battle down the line. That one especially hurt as Battle was expected to take on a significant role on this roster.
Forward Jose Perez, a projected starter, was then dismissed from the team after an issue over study hall leaving the roster even thinner than before.
Then the future of transfer forward Akok Akok was in doubt after he experienced a medical emergency that caused him to collapse on the court and hospitalize him. That incident forced him away from basketball all-together as professionals ran a multitude of tests to see if he could even return at all.
Throw on top of all of that, the expected starting point guard and engine to the offense in Kerr Kriisa would be declared ineligible for the first nine games of the season due to receiving impermissible benefits during his time at Arizona.
So effectively, the impressive job that the coaching staff did on the roster in a limited timeframe was boiled down to just eight scholarship players for the first seven games of the season.
Eventually, Akok returned and then Kriisa. But there was potential for much more.
And just when it seemed that things were turning for this team with both Battle and guard Noah Farrakhan being declared eligible following a preliminary injunction in court over the transfer rules another sweeping blow came in to knock the Mountaineers once again off their feet.
Sitting at 4-6, West Virginia will now be without the services of their only true center option in transfer Jesse Edwards for at least the next four weeks after he fractured his right wrist against Massachusetts. It’s a crushing blow any way you slice it, as Edwards has been invaluable for this team starting all 10 games while averaging 14.8 points and 8.7 rebounds in the process.
Yes, there are options to step in and provide minutes for the Mountaineers in the front court such as sliding Akok over to the five and giving more opportunity to Patrick Suemnick. But neither of those can replace what Edwards brings to the table and could force the program to go smaller.
The program could look at possibly adding an addition at the mid-year, but the slam dunk options are already long gone regardless making that a difficult ask.
The one good thing is that through all of this it’s allowed for others to gain experience that might not have been given as many minutes as they did. But with the team on the cusp of finally being as close to full strength as it was going to be at this stage of the year, another cruel blow.
The schedule isn’t going to lighten up after these three remaining non-conference games so the question becomes how well can this team navigate the Big 12 Conference until Edwards returns?
The Mountaineers had dealt with plenty this off-season, but the hits haven’t stopped coming.
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