Deniz Kilicli News

West Virginia has not played a basketball game since opening the season nine days ago but, beginning with tonight's game against The Citadel at the Charleston Civic Center, the Mountaineers will play four games in six days.

They are dropping like flies, these talented players who were supposed to - and still may - make West Virginia a legitimate player on college basketball's national scene.

West Virginia begins what could be called a season-defining stretch tonight when the nation's eighth-ranked team takes on The Citadel at the Charleston Civic Center.

West Virginia came out for their opening game of the season without any energy, without their true Mountaineer mascot and without Devin Ebanks.

After a strong freshman year, Devin Ebanks is not practicing with the WVU basketball team.

Back in October, when West Virginia's basketball team was a while away from the start of preseason practice but playing pickup games at the WVU Coliseum, Da'Sean Butler let outsiders in on what the Mountaineers did to pass the time.

The last time they walked off a basketball court in a game that mattered they did so with a shake of the hand and a shake of the head, the West Virginia basketball team.

"I was on the bench and we started losing and Coach Huggins called a timeout and he was screaming and I really took that to heart," Jennings said.

TIME: 04:00 P.M. EST VENUE: As he begins his third season leading West Virginia, Bob Huggins feels like he finally has the players that fit his style of basketball - and his team's conference.

On Sunday, West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins unveiled what he hopes is a masterpiece.

Reserve Kevin Jones scored 21 points to lead No. 8 West Virginia to a 104-82 exhibition victory over Mountain State on Sunday.

There are a whole bunch of people who should be angry as all get out about Deniz Kilicli being forced by the NCAA to sit out the first 20 games of West Virginia's basketball season.

Somehow, somewhere, someday somebody is going to get through to the NCAA. Maybe then college sports will be what it should be.

The Mountaineer Men's Basketball team opened its season Sunday afternoon, at the Coliseum, with an exhibition win over Mountain State University.

The NCAA's decision to issue a 20-game suspension to West Virginia F Deniz Kilicli has had the impact one might expect on the freshman from Turkey.

It is truly the tale of two recruits, two freshmen, and two very different results.

The Big East underwent an incredible amount of plastic surgery during the offseason after the majority of the league's best players graduated or left to play professional basketball.

Kentucky freshman point guard John Wall has been cleared to play by the NCAA. He must sit out two games and repay almost $800 in expenses incurred during unofficial visits to schools during his junior year at Word of God Christian Academy.

According to the university, the new recruit will wait to play for the Mountaineers.

Bob Huggins has made West Virginia an elite team in three seasons. That's what was expected once he arrived at his alma mater after a one-year stint at Kansas State.