Bob Huggins: 'Next Time It Happens, He Will No Longer Be a Mountaineer'
In this story:
West Virginia suffered its second Big 12 Conference loss in as many games to begin conference play following the 67-60 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys Monday night. The Mountaineers came back from a 13-point second half deficit to take their first lead with 7:20 remaining in the game.
Senior guard Erik Stevenson hit three consecutive threes to give the Mountaineers the advantage, but he was issued a technical within seconds. At first glance, he didn’t appear to do anything to cause the infraction. However, upon further review, he made a minor gesture to the sidelines involving his groin.
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins said after the game he was told he made the motion toward Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who was in attendance on a night off before the Celtics meet the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday night. Of course, he was sitting across from his head coach, and former West Virginia guard, Joe Mazzulla who was also catching the action.
I’m not sure what prompted Stevenson to aim his antics towards Smart but there must have been a warning to Stevenson from Official Gerry Pollard to warrant staring him down the floor when no Cowboys were around to notice it, and there lies the problem.
“Erik gets incredibly stupid again and basically costs us the game,” said Huggins following the game with WVU play-by-play caller Tony Caridi.
Huggins later added, “We can’t have one guy changing the game the way he’s changed the game, and I love the kid, I do, and I wish him nothing but the best, but he hurts our team when he does that, and you don’t have that right. I don’t care who you are, what you are, or what you think you are, you don’t have that right. To hurt your team, to hurt your teammates, you don’t have the right. For what? Look at me, look at me. Who cares about you? Do what you’re supposed to do.
“I know for sure the next time it happens, he will no longer be a Mountaineer.”
Stevenson leads the team in scoring at 14.1 points per game. He’s having a career year and he’s credited Huggins for letting him be himself, a fiery guard that plays with an edge.
Huggins noted in the postgame press conference two of his former great players at Cincinnati such as former NBA former Kenyon Martin and Pete Mickeal, who went on to have illustrious careers but “didn’t do stupid things to get technical to hurt his team.”
Huggins is justifiably frustrated. West Virginia had just gained momentum and had Oklahoma State on the ropes. Stevenson had the hot hand and picked up his fifth foul on a drive to the basket with over five minutes remaining in the game. He finished with 17 points on the evening.
Oklahoma State took the lead shortly after Stevenson’s departure and the Mountaineers went 1-7 from the field to finish out and lose to the Cowboys.
The loss did not fall squarely on Stevenson’s shoulders. The Mountaineers struggled from the free throw line again, going 17-28, including 1-4 in the final minute, and committed 15 turnovers while also shooting 36.5% (19-52) from the field.
“We had shots. Seth [Wilson] had shots - didn't make them. Keddy [Johnson] had shots - didn't make them. We just didn't make shots, and for the second game in the row we didn't make free throws,” said Huggins.” And for the second in a row, we just take the ball and say hey, do you guys want to play with it for a while? Throw it around, throw it out of bounds. We've had 35 turnovers in two games. How do you call yourself a basketball team when you turn it over 35 times in two games?”
You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on Twitter:
Facebook - @MountaineersNow
Twitter - @MountaineersNow and Christopher Hall @WVHallBilly
