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https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1316465766934425601?s=20 2020 is crazy, so why not make life a living hell on the selection committees of each bowl game?   According to Brett McMurphy of Stadium, the NCAA has voted that all 127 FBS team participating this fall are bowl eligible. Unlike the usual required .500 record requirement, any team with any record can participate in a bowl game. This means that for the first time under Head Coach Neal Brown, the Mountaineers are officially bowl eligible.   Despite this, the Mountaineers still have a lot ahead of them. Beginning with Kansas this weekend, West Virginia has three straight winnable games before traveling to Austin to take on the Longhorns on November 7th. Sitting with only one conference loss, coupled with how chaotic the Big 12 has been in 2020, a conference championship appearance is certainly not out of the cards yet.   Nonetheless, our Mountaineers will be competing in the postseason in 2020.

West Virginia beat Wichita State, 75-63, to win the 2019 Cancun Challenge championship Wednesday night. That's the trees. Here's the forest: If this is the version of Bob Huggins squad we're going to see for most of the remainder of the season, the Mountaineers are back from their one-season nightmare. After a semifinals, 60-55, come-from-behind win over Northern Iowa on Tuesday night that could be described, charitably, as a slog, West Virginia (6-0) put on its best performance of the young season in Wednesday night's championship game. The Mountaineers came out fast and strong, with a spring in their step that was missing the night before. They had a team-wide defensive intensity that suffocated the Shockers through most of the night. WVU's front line owned the glass. The Mountaineers forced turnovers. They sped up Wichita State and the Shockers were visibly uncomfortable on the offensive end all night. It wasn't exactly vintage Press Virginia, as the full-court press of the past is employed more sporadically than during the Jevon Carter-Daxter Miles era. But it was vintage Huggins defense. Tough. Relentless. Physical. Rebounding. Rebounding. And more rebounding. A night after an invisible effort worthy of the Witness Protection Program, freshman Oscar Tshiewbe displayed the kind of domination expected of his five-star pedigree. Tshiewbe was the best player on the floor in the finals. That wasn't disputable. Tshiewbe finished with his third double-double in six career contests, leading the Mountaineers with 19 points and tying a Cancun Challenge rebounding record with 18 boards. When he is on his game, Tshiewbe is West Virginia's best player. He was able to tally those dominating numbers despite finishing with four personal fouls - again. Tshiewbe has a chance to be the Big 12 newcomer of the year. He has a chance to earn all-conference first-team honors. He is just that good. His combination of size, strength, quickness, hops, smooth feet and soft hands haven't been seen by a big man in Morgantown since...ever. He probably won't be a Mountaineer long. But he has a chance to be special in the time he does have. But he has to become more consistent and learn to better avoid picking up fouls. He's young. This should improve as the season goes on. Should. This was the best combination effort with the Mountaineers version of the twin towers - Tshiewbe and sophomore forward Derek Culver. Before Wednesday night, either Tshiewbe or Culver carried the Mountaineers front-line effort alone. Culver added seven points, nine rebounds and two blocks Wednesday. If WVU is going to return to the NCAA Tournament and be a factor in the Big 12, this kind of combined effort has to be the rule - not the exception. Another positive sign for WVU was Huggins decision to play sophomore point guard Jordan McCabe much of the second half and all of crunch time. While Tshiewbe was persona non grata some of the time, McCabe has been all year. Wednesday night was McCabe's sixth start, but his first meaningful contribution. McCabe's numbers weren't spectacular - nine points and just two assists. But Huggins relied on McCabe to handle the defensive pressure the Shockers tried to apply in an effort to get back into the game. This is what McCabe does best. He was brilliant at it Wednesday night. During the Carter run at WVU, the one area the Mountaineers struggled was handling the opponent's press. It led to numerous blown big leads late in games. For all that Carter did well, he wasn't a good ball handler for a point guard. McCabe is. WVU needs him on the floor more than he's off it. Especially for this exact situation. His ability to beat the press is going to be needed again. WVU is a young team that is trying to find itself. The journey didn't end in Mexico Wednesday night. But it took a big step forward.

In further response to the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA suspended both on- and off-campus recruiting for all sports until April 15. This move is another in the continuing disruption of college athletics in response to the coronavirus threat. The NCAA earlier canceled all of its winter and spring championships, including the men's and women's basketball tournaments and the College World Series in baseball. The Big 12 had implemented a recruiting ban through March 29. The nationwide ban will extend that into mid-April. The Big 12 also had suspended all conference competition through at least March 29. The Big Ten announced it has canceled all remaining athletic competition for the 2019-20 season. The earliest the conference will resume intercollegiate athletic competitions will be for sports in the fall 2020 season.

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- The West Virginia Mountaineers were projected to finish 14th out of 14 teams in the Big 12 Conference (dead last) and used the mantra "14" as a motivational tool to prove the nation wrong, and they did. The Mountaineers finished 8-4 overall and 6-3 in the conference, and more than that, they represented the state of West Virginia is such a terrific way this year. West Virginia put their heads down, ignored the outside noise and defied the odds. They won and they exceeded expecations and they did it in a way that made the whole state of West Virginia proud. I don't remember a time throughout the season that a member of the West Virginia football program behaved inappropriately or disrespectfully during the 2023 season. They worked hard, they never gave up and they silenced the critics. If that isn't quintessential West Virginia, I don't know what is. Players like Zach Frazier, Sean Martin, Wyatt Milum, Doug Nester and Nick Malone, among other West Virginia natives on the team, were such class, fine examples of what young men from the state can accomplish at the highest level of college football. Zach Frazier, who was playing in what is likely his final game with the Mountaineers, broke his ankle late in the 4th quarter against Baylor. Frazier recognized the 10-second run off rule and selflessly hobbled off the field to save the few remaining seconds left in the game. This was truly one of the most memorable moments in West Virginia football history. Check out the play below: https://twitter.com/EerRational/status/1728845329494344063?s=20 But it's more than just native West Virginians that have made the state proud. Garrett Greene, who sat patiently on the bench and waited his turn for the past 2 years, has proven to be one of the best teammates for the Mountaineers ever. Greene recently said the following in an interview: "I never thought about leaving the program. This state means so much to me and my family. I was a little boy from Florida and they welcomed me with open arms. My dad always wanted me to stick it out, saying good things come to those who wait. I always tell everyone I was born and raised in Florida, but I grew up in West Virginia.” This is a West Virginia football team that the state can be proud of and not just because of the 8-4 record and proving everyone wrong. They exemplified the spirit of the state of West Virginia in doing so.

Brad Paisley is a beloved West Virginia native. Known for being an avid fan of the Mountaineers (and yes, sadly, the Tennessee Volunteers), Paisley is someone that everyone in the Mountain State associates with the Old Gold and Blue. He even had the opportunity to sing Take Me Home, Country Roads at Milan Puskar Stadium in 2015 prior to the Mountaineers' 45-6 win over Maryland. Making him only the second person to do so at Mountaineer Field.   https://youtu.be/hgOhr0W_a0g   Today, the legendary Paisley celebrates his 48th birthday.   https://twitter.com/BradPaisley/status/1321428766527283205?s=20 If you have the opportunity, be sure to wish Paisley a very happy birthday on Twitter, as well as his other social media outlets. Celebrate his day by listening to his adored songs Mud on the Tires and I'm Gonna Miss Her.   And then of course, there is my personal favorite... https://youtu.be/B9mpDAJOPac

The West Virginia Mountaineers moved to 8-1 by beating the Austin Peay Governors by a score of 84-53. The Mountaineers were led by Emmitt Matthews, Jr, who had 16 points (7-9 from the field and 2-3 from 3 point range) and 10 rebounds.  Oscar Tshiebwe got his fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. https://twitter.com/WVUhoops/status/1205297276698025984?s=20 https://twitter.com/WVUhoops/status/1205299235941257216?s=20 Derek Culver struggled again, finishing with 4 points (2-5 FG) and 4 rebounds in 22 minutes.  The Mountaineers outrebounded the Governors 48-25.  Terry Taylor, Austin Peay's outstanding junior guard, paced the Governors with 19 points and 5 rebounds. The Mountaineers next play Nicholls State Saturday at 2:00PM at the WVU Coliseum.  The game will be televised on ATSN.

Morgantown, West Virginia - Next season, the new Big 12 teams - Houston, UCF, Cincinnati and BYU - will join the conference and Bob Huggins believes that they are going to have a really hard time adjusting to the competition. Huggins joined The Field of 68 Media Network in Houston last night and when asked about how he thinks the new teams will do in their first season in the Big 12, Huggins went on a bit a rant, saying the following: "You want my honest answer? I feel sorry for them. They have absolutely no idea what they’re getting into. I've been in a lot of leagues with the best coaches in America, with the best players in America...the fan support, the coaching in this league, I’m telling you, the hardest league that I’ve ever coached in was this past Big 12. And I'm telling you, they aren't ready for that." Huggins, who has a 345-203 record in 16 seasons with the Mountaineers, will have to rebuild a large part of his roster again this season after Erik Stevenson, Kedrian Johnson and Emmitt Matthews, Jr. have graduated. See Huggins' full statement on future Big 12 teams joining the conference below: https://twitter.com/voicemorgantown/status/1641759751515111424?s=20

Bob Huggins deserves to remain as the Head Coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers for as long as he wishes.  One of the very best to ever roam the sidelines, Huggins will be given the power to make the decision to retire when he's ready to step down. With that said, Huggins' current coaching staff is aging and desperately in need of an injection of youth and a breath of fresh air.  While Larry Harrison (65 years old), Ron Everhart (58) and Erik Martin (48) are outstanding, experienced assistant coaches, student athletes often relate and respond to coaches closer to their own age.  In addition, it would be far easier for a younger coach to form relationships with high school players and recruit them to West Virginia. I'm certainly not suggesting that any of the assistant coaches be fired, but a younger presence is needed and should be immediately hired.  While there are many outstanding young coaches in the country, none would be a better fit for the Mountaineers than former West Virginia point guard Joe Mazzulla. Mazzulla, the former Fairmont State Head Coach and current assistant for the Boston Celtics, is exactly what the West Virginia basketball program needs.  During his two seasons at Fairmont State, Mazzulla led the Falcons to a 43-17 overall record and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Mazzulla serving as an assistant in Boston couldn't be a better situation for a young coach to earn experience.  There simply aren’t many better coaches to learn from than Celtics’ Head Coach Brad Stevens.  Stevens is one of the most intelligent, respected young coaches in the NBA and he’s a winner.  Mazzulla has a history of being around outstanding coaches.  Remember, Mazzulla played for West Virginia under John Beilein, another basketball mastermind. An ideal situation for the basketball program would be to hire Mazzulla in the offseason with the idea being that he would eventually take over as the Head Coach when Bob Huggins decides he wants to retire.  No promises should be made to Mazzulla and he should not be given a "coach-in-waiting" tag, but certainly the suggestion could be made that he is joining the staff with the idea of him eventually replacing Huggins. Mazzulla is passionate, he's young (30), energetic, smart (named to the Big East Academic All Star team three consecutive years) and, most importantly, he loves the West Virginia Mountaineers.  While all West Virginia fans wish that Bob Huggins could coach the team forever, that simply cannot happen, and planning for the future right now makes sense.  Joe Mazzulla is the future of the West Virginia basketball program.

COVER PHOTO: WVU Athletics MORGANTOWN, West Virginia -- Without starting center Jesse Edwards, the West Virginia Mountaineers had some Mountaineer Magic tonight and upset one of the very best teams in the nation, the #3 ranked Kansas Jayhawks, 91-85! West Virginia was led by senior guard RaeQuan Battle, who finished finished the game with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Pat Suemnick had a career high 20 points and 6 rebounds, and Kerr Kriisa added 13 points and 3 assists. Seth Wilson hit three huge three pointers to finish with 9 points. https://twitter.com/WVUhoops/status/1748822180412956902?s=20 The Mountaineers are now 7-11 overall and 2-3 in the Big 12 Conference, and are back in action Tuesday, January 23 against the UCF Knights in Orlando, Florida.