Huggins Explains Decision to Sit Gabe Osabuohien vs Kansas State

You may have noticed during Monday night's game against Kansas State that senior big man Gabe Osabuohien didn't check into the game at any point in time.

In the two games prior, Osabuohien had been called for three technical fouls and was ejected from the Oklahoma State game after receiving his second. After being ejected, Osabuohien came over to head coach Bob Huggins to explain what had happened. They talked, Osabuohien walked away but then came back and said something else to Huggins provoking him to get up from his stool and yell something back toward Osabuohien prior to him heading to the tunnel.

Following the loss to K-State, Huggins was asked if Osabuohien was suspended or if it was just a coaches decision to not play him.

"He wasn't suspended but we don't have room in our program for Gabe's actions," Huggins said. "If that was a first, then I mean okay you lost it, understand you can't do that anymore. But it wasn't the first time.

"He's not in my bad graces," he continued. "We're going to do things right. I have all the respect and admiration for the basketball program, the people who have played here, the people who have coached here, and the manner of which they played the game. We're not going to vary from that."

One could argue that not playing Osabuohien cost West Virginia the game. Huggins doesn't see it that way.

"No. I thought Isaiah [Cottrell] gave us things that Gabe can't give us. You know, the ability to step out there and shoot it which draws that big out of the lane. Now, obviously, Gabe gives us things that other guys can't give us. But it's about doing the right thing. You don't do things that hurt your teammates and he knows that. He's mature enough to understand that there's consequences when you do the wrong thing. We've all experienced it. I may be at the head of the class."

Cottrell had his best game of the season finishing with 13 points on 5/14 shooting including nailing a couple of threes.

West Virginia will have the next four days off to prepare for Kansas who will come to the WVU Coliseum for a primetime tip of 8 p.m. EST.

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