WVU?to entertain Coppin State today
Huggins may shuffle lineup to allow some injured players to healBy JOHN WICKLINE Staff Writer
MORGANTOWN - West Virginia University basketball coach Bob Huggins said he may shuffle around his lineup for today's game against Coppin State to allow some injured players to heal.
Huggins said Friday that Devin Ebanks' hand needs time to mend, and Casey Mitchell's knee is again proving to be an aggravation.
"I don't think Devin's hand is going to heal up as long as it keeps getting banged around," Huggins said. "Casey's knee is bothering him again. I think we would be better off to give them time off so they don't have to play with nagging injuries all year."
The Mountaineers take their perfect 6-0 mark, into the game with Coppin State, 5-3. The game will be televised on the Big East Network, and tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Coppin State is led by guard Lenny Young, who averages 13 points per game.
WVU enters the game ranked sixth in the country, its highest ranking since February 1982. It comes into the contest fresh from a 68-39 thrashing of Duquesne. Despite the lopsided score, Huggins was not overly thrilled with his team following the contest.
"I'm running out of patience with a few guys," he said after Wednesday's game. "They have to get with us, or they can go stand over there and be a cheerleader. I'm tired of being patient."
Huggins said his team's offense "will come around," because "those guys who keep screwing it up won't have a chance to screw it up.
"You can't put guys in the game that stop your offense," he said. "Either that, or I come up with an offense where they stand in the corner and keep out of it."
Huggins praised the play of sophomore forward Kevin Jones, who scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win over Duquesne. He said Jones is a joy to coach and to be around, calling him "a poster child for doing what's right.
"He's getting better because he wants to," Huggins said. "He doesn't blame his deficiencies on other people."
Jones has scored in double figures in all six of WVU's games this season, and is averaging 13.2 points per game and a team-high 7.3 rebounds.
