Published: October 28, 2008 12:49 am      

Huggins: WVU men way ahead

MORGANTOWN — Coach Bob Huggins said Monday after that the West Virginia University men’s basketball team is “way ahead” in preseason preparations than it was a year ago.

“Our guys have done a really good job of trying to help the young guys,” he explained in giving reporters an update at the Coliseum. “They’re still lost, but (the newcomers) have got an idea if what they have to do.

“If we played today, we could put them in a game. A year ago I don’t think we put anybody in there at this time. So I think we’re ahead.”

Huggins, a Mountaineer standout in the mid-1970s, took over the WVU reins for 2007-08. He guided his first team to a 26-11 record, a tie for fifth place in the Big East, and an advance to the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16.

With three starters back and four highly rated recruits, he’s hopeful of producing another highly successful team. But the Mountaineers are ranked ninth in the Big East preseason poll of coaches.

Huggins said Da’Sean Butler, Alex Ruoff and Joe Mazzulla have been great in helping the rookies learn the system. That has enabled the coaches to keep moving at a fairly good teaching pace.

“It’s hard (picking up defense),” he stated.. “There are a lot of things that we try to teach them and show them what we’re doing. Then we try to break it down and they try understand it all..

“Then when you go back and add more things to it, they get lost. Most guys do. But they’re getting better. They’re getting better all the time.”

He said all of the talented freshmen were big scorers in high school. But there is much more than that to learn once they get into college competition.

“We’re putting in more things,” Huggins revealed. “We’re trying to see where we’re ahead of where we were a year ago. We’re going to have to be because our schedule is so much better (stronger) this year.

“So we’re going to have to be prepared for more things. We’re going to see zone (defense). They’re going to press us early. There are a lot of things to put in.

“You don’t want to try to get everything in and then not do anything right either.”

NOTES: The Mountaineers have scheduled a scrimmage against Virginia on Saturday at Charlottesvlle. The Cavaliers scrimmaged WVU here a year ago. WVU will play its only exhibition at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, against Mountain State University at the Coliseum. ... Season tickets and individual game tickets remain on sale at 1-800-WVU GAME or online at WVUGAME.com