West Virginia's Bob Huggins Fined $10K for Calling Referees '3 Blind Mice'
Jan 8, 2020
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins reacts to a call during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Nicholls State Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, in Morgantown, W.Va. (AP Photo/Kathleen Batten)
The Big 12 conference fined West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins $10,000 for his comments about the officials after last Saturday's loss to Kansas, per the Associated Press.
"I can't control what those three blind mice running around out there do," Huggins said after the 60-53 loss.
"Coach Huggins' comments following the West Virginia vs. Kansas basketball game violate the Big 12 Conference's sportsmanship policy," Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. "Because this is Coach Huggins' third such incident, a public reprimand and a fine of $10,000 is appropriate."
Fouls were called relatively evenly during the game, with Kansas called for 19 fouls and West Virginia whistled 18 times.
Though the Jayhawks held a 30-22 edge in free-throw attempts, six of those came in the final minute as they attempted to hold onto the lead.
Despite the numbers, Huggins wasn't happy with the officiating after the game.
"What we all would love to see is consistency," he said, perChris Andersonof 247Sports. "Foul there. Foul here. I understand it's a hard job, but they do get paid pretty handsomely for it. Just be consistent. What's a foul here is a foul there."
Huggins has turned things around for the Mountaineers in 2019-20, leading the team to a 12-2 start to the season to put the team No. 17 in the latestAP poll. It comes after a disappointing 15-21 season in 2018-19, ending a stretch of four straight years in the NCAA tournament.
Bob Huggins Slams Referees, Calls Them '3 Blind Mice' After WVU's Loss to Kansas
Jan 4, 2020
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 13: Head coach Bob Huggins of the West Virginia Mountaineers coaches from the bench during the first round game of the Big 12 Basketball Tournament against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Sprint Center on March 13, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
No. 16 West Virginia led late at Allen Fieldhouse as head coach Bob Huggins searched for his first win in the historic building. History just wasn't on his side Saturday as the Mountaineers fell 60-53 to the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks.
Neither were the officials, according to the coach.
Huggins blasted the referees in his team's Big 12 opener, telling reporters he "can't control what those three blind mice running around out there do."
West Virginia finished with 18 fouls, while Kansas was called for 19.
Huggins didn't point to specific calls postgame, and he didn't use the officiating to absolve his team from blowing a 10-point first-half lead—rather it was the consistency of the fouls that drew his ire.
"You got one guy who thinks it's a foul, but another guy that doesn't think it's a foul," Huggins said in his press conference after the loss. "So you say, 'Why are you calling it this way on one end and another way on the other end,' and he says, 'I'm not.' And he's not lying. That's the difficult part, I think."
This isn't the first time Huggins has been critical of the officiating at Allen Fieldhouse. He was publicly reprimanded by the Big 12 for complaining about the referees in 2018 and may get a similar punishment, if not an additional fine, for Saturday's comments.
Making his points more interesting is how much fouling played into WVU's game plan. The Mountaineers were extremely cautious of letting Udoka Azubuike get the ball around the rim and routinely put him on the line, where his free-throw percentage hovers around 30 percent.
It didn't have the desired effect. The senior center went 5-of-10 at the line to go with a perfect 6-of-6 from the field. Azubuike tied for a game-high 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Overall, Kansas shot 30 free throws, while West Virginia attempted 22.
The Jayhawks will travel to Morgantown for a rematch February 12.
5-Star Center Oscar Tshiebwe Commits to West Virginia over Kentucky
Oct 20, 2018
West Virginia added a big piece to its 2019 recruiting class after center Oscar Tshiebwe announced his commitment to the Mountaineers Saturday.
Tshiebwe announced a final four of Kentucky, West Virginia, Baylor and Illinois for his services on Twitter in August.
The standout from Kennedy Catholic High School in Pennsylvania is a 5-star prospect ranked as the No. 8 center and No. 22 overall player in the 2019 recruiting class by 247Sports.
Leading up to his senior year in high school, Brian Snow of 247Sports broke down some of the traits that make the Hermitage, Pennsylvania, native such a special prospect:
"Tshiebwe's combination of athleticism, toughness, motor, and strength make him one of the toughest one-on-one matchups in the class. In fact, when going up against the best of the best in the 2019 class, Tshiebwe seemed to always come out on top, and really excelled during June and July."
Brown also noted the big man improved his ability to score "when running, catching and finishing while on the move."
Traditional back-to-the-basket centers can still play a valuable role, but it's not a good way to maximize value when long-distance shooting is crucial to success.
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins has built a reputation in recent years for adapting his style to best suit the players on his roster.
It's a strategy that has paid off, as the Mountaineers have made it to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament three times in the last four years. They have also won at least 25 games in each of those four seasons.
If Tshiebwe is able to turn his newfound shooting skill into production at the college level, West Virginia will put itself among the nation's elite programs during the 2019-20 campaign.
Keeping track of all 351 college basketball teams in Division I can be an exhausting task, and the entire audience doesn't care about every little storyline. Many fans simply want to be entertained...
With just six weeks remaining until Selection Sunday, the Virginia Cavaliers and the Villanova Wildcats are in a heated battle for the No. 1 overall seed in the 2018 men's NCAA tournament...
Wesley Harris Reprimanded by Big 12 After Punching Fan in Loss vs. Texas Tech
Jan 15, 2018
MORGANTOWN, WV - NOVEMBER 15: Wesley Harris #21 of the West Virginia Mountaineers in action against the American University Eagles at the WVU Coliseum on November 15, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
When spectators stormed the court at United Supermarkets Arena after Texas Tech's upset win over West Virginia on Saturday, Mountaineers player Wesley Harris appeared to throw a punch at one of the opposing student fans.
The Big 12 issued Harris a public reprimand Monday for a violation of the league's sportsmanship and ethical conduct rules.
"We must ensure that a safe environment is provided for players, coaches, game officials and fans," Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. "Although the postgame environment did not live up to our expectations, Mr. Harris intentionally striking a fan is contrary to the conference's sportsmanship standards."
The Big 12 also issued a reprimand and $25,000 fine to Texas Tech for its handling of the situation.
Security guards were on the court immediately after the 72-71 finish, but a few Mountaineers players were caught up with opposing fans who were running to celebrate with their team.
This led to some pushing, with Harris seemingly hitting a fan:
A West Virginia player threw a punch at a fan after the Texas Tech crowd stormed the court pic.twitter.com/rVfA0J2uRv
Despite the sophomore's actions, it appears he will not face a suspension. His presence will be key as West Virginia hosts Kansas on Monday night.
The Big 12 has attempted to limit this type of celebration after games,announcing in 2015the addition of fines and possible loss of future home games for those who violate the rules.
There areharsher finesin the SEC, as repeat offenders can see up to a $250,000 penalty. Vanderbilt wasfined $100,000after last year's win over Kentucky.
WVU Player Appears to Throw Punch at Fan After Texas Tech Crowd Stormed Court
Jan 14, 2018
LUBBOCK, TX - JANUARY 13: The Texas Tech Red Raiders fans rush the court after the Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the West Virginia Mountaineers 72-71 on January 13, 2018 at United Supermarket Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
An unidentified West Virginia player appeared to throw a punch at a fan who stormed the court after the Mountaineers were upset by the Texas Tech Red Raiders, 72-71, on Saturday afternoon at United Supermarkets Arena.
The altercation can be viewed below, via Twitter user Matt Embry (h/t Sports Illustrated):
A West Virginia player threw a punch at a fan after the Texas Tech crowd stormed the court pic.twitter.com/rVfA0J2uRv
In 2015, the Big 12 passed measures that, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), gave commissioner Bob Bowlsby "broad authority" to punish schools in the form of fines or the forfeiture of future home games if fans stormed the court.
The decision was facilitated by an incident after Kansas State upset Kansas, and Jayhawks head coach Bill Self expressed concern about fans interacting with players in such close quarters."
"There were several students that hit our players," Self said at the time, according to the Kansas City Star's Rustin Dodd. "I'm not saying like with a fist, but when you storm the court, you run in, you bump everybody, stuff like that. This has got to stop. I think court-storming is fine, but certainly you can get security to the point where players' safety is not involved like it is here the last several times."
Arizona Wildcats head coach Sean Miller has also been outspoken about the dangers of court-storming.
"I have no problem being a great sport," he said in February 2016 following a loss to the Colorado Buffaloes, per ESPN.com news services. "But eventually what's going to happen in the Pac-12 is this: An Arizona player is going to punch a fan, and they are going to punch the fan out of self-defense. And only when it happens will everyone take a deep breath and say, 'We have to do something to protect both teams.'"
With two weeks remaining until conference play begins in earnest, the ACC , Big 12, Big East and SEC all have a legitimate claim to be the No. 1 conference in men's college basketball...
Gonzaga vs. West Virginia: March Madness Sweet 16 Preview and Prediction
Mar 19, 2017
BR Video
Bleacher Report is your one-stop source for March Madness. From the first round to the final buzzer, Bleacher Report has you covered with the latest news and analysis plus every highlight you can't miss.
WVU vs. Notre Dame: Score and Twitter Reaction from March Madness 2017
Chris Roling
Mar 18, 2017
BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 18: Jevon Carter #2 of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at KeyBank Center on March 18, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
No. 4-seeded West Virginia outlasted No. 5 Notre Dame 83-71 in a battle of opposing strengths to start the second round of NCAA tournament play Saturday at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
Led by an NCAA-best press defense, West Virginia hit timely shots and was led by Jevon Carter's 24 points. Five Mountaineers scored in double digits, as they feasted on a flustered opponent and shot 50 percent from the floor (27-of-54) and 57.1 percent from deep (8-of-14).
Notre Dame entered the game committing just 9.3 turnovers per game, which ranked No. 2 in the NCAA. West Virginia came in forcing 20.3 turnovers per game, which was the best mark by far in the NCAA.
Something had to give. Earning the nickname "Press Virginia," the Mountaineers forced 13 turnovers, flustering a normally composed Fighting Irish side. Bonzie Colson scored a game-high 27 points, even while flirting with foul trouble for most of the game. V.J. Beachem (14.7 points per game) was held to nine points on 2-of-14 shooting, including 1-of-9 from deep.
Unlike Colson, Carter had plenty of help, with Daxter Miles Jr. adding 18 points, Tarik Phillip contributing 12 and Elijah Macon and Esa Ahmad finishing with 11 apiece.
The two teams took similar paths to reach Saturday. West Virginia, ranked 24th in RPI by ESPN.com, didn't get the defensive performance it may have expected in an 86-80 win against 13th-seeded Bucknell, forcing 14 turnovers. Notre Dame, ranked 23rd in RPI by ESPN.com, slowed things down and benefited from bad shooting by 12th-seeded Princeton in a 60-58 win.
Saturday's first half was defined by runs. The Fighting Irish missed their first five shots and fell into a 10-0 hole.
But at the halfway point, Notre Dame seemed to find a groove:
Huggins could rest a bit easier by halftime, though, as his team put together another spurt to make it 42-35. His defense had forced 10 turnovers—already more than the Irish's per-game average. Notre Dame stayed close only because it shot 50 percent from deep (4-of-8) in the first half.
Notre Dame got within four on two occasions early in the second half, but its three-point shooting came back to earth, and West Virginia met each challenge with an immediate answer.
This, of course, didn't hurt and summarized the game up to that point:
Colson picked up his fourth foul with just under 10 minutes left, yet Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey kept him in the game—and the junior rewarded him with five straight points.
Notre Dame didn't look anything like its usual composed self, though, with Temple Gibbs earning a technical foul for slapping the ball out of Phillip's hands after a whistle.
The broadcast picked up another gem of a reaction:
Feels like Notre Dame has to grind for every point. Then West Virginia throws in another 3-pointer just because. Mountaineers up 10.
Even a seven-minute field-goal drought by the Mountaineers didn't alter the course of the game despite the best (but solo) efforts of Colson. He added eight rebounds to his 27 points, but besides Steve Vasturia (11 points), no other member of the Fighting Irish scored in double digits.
West Virginia, in cruise control, topped off the game and punched a ticket to the Sweet 16 in style:
A more loquacious Huggins met the media and praised Buffalo, according to Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News: "I love Buffalo. Any time y'all want to invite us to come back, we will."
No wonder. According to John Wawrow of the Associated Press, Huggins is now 4-0 in NCAA tournament games in Buffalo.
Of course, Huggins also commended his players, according to journalist Jeff Faraudo: "They win. It's never one guy. They compete like crazy."
Phillip, chiming in on a question aimed at Carter, said the Mountaineers have a "big chip" on their shoulder, per Wawrow's colleague Tom Withers.
Brey focused on the future, saying Colson plans to stay in school, per Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune.
Brey also touted the Mountaineers as a team that "could play a long time in this tourney," according to John Antonik, West Virginia director of digital media.
