WVU rolls past Penguins
Huggins picks up career win 850
James “Beetle” Bolden and Esa Ahmad each scored 15 points to lead West Virginia past Youngstown State, 106-72, Saturday at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va.
The offense got started fast for the Mountaineers (52), as Bolden scored 11 points in the first five minutes, leading West Virginia on a 16-5 opening run.
“Our ball movement and our movement in general is a lot better,” West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said.
While Youngstown State (3-6) remained solid shooting the ball at times, it relied too much on pulling up beyond the arc. Of 69 shot attempts, 36 were of the 3-point variety. The Penguins made just nine.
“Too much,” Youngstown State coach Jerrod Calhoun said of YSU’s reliance on the 3-point shot.
Sagaba Konate returned to the Mountaineers lineup — after missing their 92-78 win Wednesday against Rider — with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks.
Lamont West, Wesley Harris and Brandon Knapper all scored 10 points for WVU.
“Most of the time we have been shooting it off of one pass and it hasn’t been a good percentage,” Ahmad said. “So, we’ve just tried to emphasize moving the ball.”
Huggins earned his 850th career victory with the win.
More men
Drexel 82, Robert Morris 69: Robert Morris opened a two-game road trip Saturday with a loss at Drexel (4-4). Senior guard Josh Williams paced RMU (4-4) with 15 points and five rebounds. Charles Bain and senior guard Matty McConnell each finished with 14 points. “Our defense was the problem today,” coach Andrew Toole. “I think in some aspects, it came too easy on the first couple of possessions, and then guys let down their guard. That’s where the game was lost.”
Maryland 66, Penn State 59: Freshman Jalen Smith scored 16 points and No. 24ranked Maryland (7-1, 1-0) opened Big Ten Conference play by slipping past visiting Penn State (4-3, 0-1). Lamar Stevens scored 19 for Penn State and Josh Reaves had all 17 of his points in the first half. Coming off a 63-62 upset Tuesday of No. 13 Virginia Tech, the Nittany Lions (4-3) nearly knocked off another ranked team. They led, 31-30, at halftime, erased an eight-point deficit in the second half and gave Maryland all it could handle on its floor.