Devin Ebanks News

Eds: APNewsNow. No. 8 West Virginia 84, Portland 65. AP Photo CAJH131, CAJH130, CAJH129 ANAHEIM, Calif.

As the highest ranked team in the field, West Virginia was expected to reach the finals of the 76 Classic.

Da'Sean Butler posted 17 points, five rebounds and five assists, leading No. 8 West Virginia to a 73-66 victory over Texas A&M in the semifinals of the 76 Classic at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Happy Thanksgiving to all Butler Insider readers. In the opener of the 76 Classic college basketball tournament, No.

West Virginia University looked like one of the top ten teams in the country in an opening round 85-62 win at the 76 Classic.

It was just like old times at the Civic Center here as the West Virginia University basketball team toyed with Citadel, 69-50. Star forward Devin Ebanks was back in a Mountaineer uniform, after missing the opening game and a whole lot of practice for reasons still yet to be revealed.

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.

Ebanks is warming up for tonight's game against The Citadel. CHARLESTON -- WVU starting forward Devin Ebanks is warming up for tonight's game against The Citadel.

The Mountaineer basketball team pulled into the Charleston Marriott around 5:00 p.m. on Monday evening to rest up for tomorrow's game against Citadel.

Bridgeport hosts George Washington in a state quarterfinal rematch from a year ago.

Devin Ebanks ' unexplained leave of absence for personal reasons is serious enough that West Virginia coach Bob Huggins won't even drop a hint at what his star sophomore player is going through, when he'll return or what the long-term effects are on the 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.

It could be a week or a month or half a season. It could happen overnight or it could take a year or more.

"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.

Damion James had 21 points and 15 rebounds to lead No. 3 Texas to a season-opening 89-42 victory over UC-Irvine on Sunday.

Bob Huggins wouldn't say why star forward Devin Ebanks was absent Sunday when West Virginia opened its basketball season at the Coliseum.

The 2009-10 season gets underway for the eighth-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers as they entertain the Greyhounds of Loyola University Maryland on Sunday afternoon at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown.

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.

The fourth-winningest active college basketball coach in America was here Thursday to address the local civic clubs.

Sporting News college basketball expert Mike DeCourcy makes his predictions on how everything will unfold in the six major conferences.