Breakdown of the 2022-23 WVU Hoops Roster
LEFT VIA Transfer Portal - Sean McNeil (Ohio State), Jalen Bridges (Baylor), Isaiah Cottrell (UNLV), Seny N'diaye (SC Upstate)
The odds were very slim that Sean McNeil would return to West Virginia for one more season. The feeling was that he would test the NBA Draft waters and if he went undrafted, he would look to play somewhere overseas. Instead, he entered the portal and landed at Ohio State. He was without a doubt the Mountaineers' best three-point shooter but really struggled to create his own shot and it became a big problem as the season grew older.
Everyone inside the WVU program felt like this was going to be a big year for Jalen Bridges. Unfortunately, he never developed into that third scorer behind McNeil and Taz Sherman. Much of his lack of production could be due to playing out of position, which he mentioned on the Final Fourcast when asked why he decided to leave. He has a world of talent, but now, he will look to develop his game with a conference rival, Baylor.
Isaiah Cottrell struggled early on in all facets of the game which could be attributed to the Achilles injury he suffered a year prior. He felt more comfortable as the year went but his style of play was never really a fit for Bob Huggins who needs his bigs to be able to score it close, protect the rim, and be able to absorb contact in the painted area.
As for Seny N'diaye, he rarely sniffed the floor and was always seen as a project from the day he stepped foot on campus. Now, he will have the opportunity to get more playing time at a lower level.
RETURNERS - G Kedrian Johnson, G Kobe Johnson, G Seth Wilson, F Jamel King, F James Okonkwo
Of the five returning players, only Kedrian Johnson has starting experience and has seen serious minutes throughout his career. Johnson is a tenacious defender who is arguably the fastest player on the court in every game WVU plays. He grew his offensive game this past season, but still has to do a better job of taking care of the ball and becoming a consistent shot maker.
Kobe Johnson and Seth Wilson each had some bright spots as true freshmen and it's easy to see why Huggins believes these two could help turn the program around. With the additions the team made through the portal, I wouldn't expect them to automatically be in the starting five, however, they'll see a significant increase in minutes.
Jamel King appeared in just eight games last season, but really stood out in practices and intrasquad scrimmages according to Huggins. The staff loves the effort he provides on the defensive end and has the ability to step out and knock down shots as well.
NEWCOMERS - F Emmitt Matthews Jr. (Washington), G Erik Stevenson (South Carolina), G Joe Toussaint (Iowa), Jimmy Bell Jr. (Moberly Area), F Mohamed Wague (Harcum), F Pat Suemnick (Triton)
Emmitt Matthews Jr. left WVU following the 2020-21 season after three seasons with the men's basketball program. In his final year in Morgantown, he averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds before transferring to his home state of Washington and playing for the University of Washington Huskies where he averaged 11.7 and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Erik Stevenson averaged 11.6 points per game on 36.9% shooting from the field, including 33.3% from three-point range to go with 4.7 rebounds per game last season for the Gamecocks after transferring from Washington where he averaged 9.3 points per game. The 6'4" guard spent his first two seasons at Wichita State. As a sophomore he averaged 11.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
Joe Toussaint averaged 4.3 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals in 36 games played at Iowa in 2021-22. His offensive numbers don't jump off the chart, especially his shooting percentages of 42% FG and 25.7% 3FG, but that's not where his value lies. He is a lockdown defender that would automatically be the best perimeter defender on WVU's roster. After all of the defensive issues the Mountaineers had this past season, it's clear that Huggins and his staff want to get back to having a team that is more aligned with their style of play being physical and aggressive on the glass.
After starting his career at Saint Louis, Jimmy Bell Jr. went down to Moberly to refine his game where he would become one of the best rebounders in the country. He finished the season as the third-best offensive rebounder in JUCO (146 rebounds) and 11th in total rebounds. Huggins told Bell that they hope for him to become the team's primary five and let him play his game down on the block.
As a freshman at Harcum College, Mohamed Wague averaged 14.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. He led the nation in offensive rebounds (170), total rebounds (417) and was also third in blocked shots (102). At the end of the season, he was named a JUCO First Team All-American.
The 6-8 230-lb forward, Pat Suemnick, began his Collegiate career at Robert Morris, where he averaged 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds his freshman year before landing In River Grove, IL, and attending Triton College. In his lone year at Triton, Suemnick averaged 12 points and six rebounds per game and led his team to the JUCO Final Four. Despite his size, he is extremely athletic and has a lot of bounce to him. He will be someone the Mountaineers will run their offense through as he gets more comfortable.
INCOMING FRESHMEN - G Josiah Davis, F Josiah Harris
Davis, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, played his high school ball at Teays Valley Christian School in Scott Depot, West Virginia. In his senior season, Davis averaged 19.7 points, 7.4 assists, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. He has the complete package and brings tremendous effort to both ends of the floor. His strength on the offensive end is taking it hard at the rim which will be sorely needed with Malik Curry graduating.
As for Harris, he averaged 17.9 points, 11.1 rebounds. 2.9 assists and 1.6 blocks per game, leading Richmond Heights to a 17-5 record and the Ohio Division IV state semifinals as a junior. He has the ability to guard 1-4 due to his length and versatility and will be a consistent shot maker on the offensive end.
Given the veteran presence the team brought in this offseason, we will likely see limited action for both Davis and Harris.
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