The Big East Conference Board of Directors announced that it has voted to terminate West Virginia’s membership in the conference, effective June 30.
Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.com previously reported that the Big East would get $20 million in the settlement — $10 million from West Virginia and $10 million from the Big 12, which is loaning West Virginia the money.
“West Virginia University has acknowledged and agreed that the Court in Monongalia County, West Virginia, will enter a judgment that the Big East Conference Bylaws are valid and enforceable, and will dismiss with prejudice all of West Virginia’s claims against the Conference.” said Big East Commissioner John Marinatto. To read more of this story, click here
The news that West Virginia has reached a $20 million settlement to leave the Big East Conference this year means that the school’s basketball team has only six more regular season games left in the conference.
Bob Huggins and the Mountaineers will play Louisville Saturday in the first of their final half dozen games before the school joins the Big 12 July 1.
“This is our third straight year that we have come to West Virginia,” Louisville coach Rick Pitino said last week. “I always request it every year. Generally you would see in the Big East that somebody would come back to you the following year, but [Big East Commissioner] John Marinatto’s a dear friend and I always tell him, ‘Look, don’t let West Virginia come to Louisville. I’d like to visit one more time.’
“And now it adds extra meaning because they’re going into the Big 12 so it will be the last time we play against each other.” To read more of this story, click here
NEWARK — Even Rick Pitino knows West Virginia was robbed.
“Syracuse would’ve been a goal-tend away from having a tie for second place [in the Big East] today,” Pitino said after Louisville beat Seton Hall, 60-51, at the Prudential Center.
Pitino was referring to the missed call in Syracuse’s 63-61 win over West Virginia in which Baye Keita’s obvious goal-tend of a shot by Deniz Kilicli with 10.6 seconds remaining was missed by the officiating crew of Karl Hess, Gene Steratore and Brian O’Connell. To read more of this story, click here
NEW YORK — Kevin Jones tested the NBA waters after his junior season at West Virginia.
After getting feedback from NBA executives, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound Mount Vernon, N.Y., native opted to return for his senior season, and it has turned out to be a wise move.
Jones leads the Big East in both scoring (20.9 ppg) and rebounding (11.6 rpg) and is the odds-on favorite to be named Big East Player of the Year.
“Not once have I really thought about that,” Jones, 22, said after going for 23 points and 14 rebounds Wednesday in the Mountaineers’ 78-62 loss to St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. “I just want to continue to keep on playing well so my team will do well.
NEW YORK — Like every other sports writer, I’ve been to a thousand press conferences where nothing much of interest was said.
The coaches rattle off some trite commentary on the game, and the players utter a few cliches about giving it their all and playing them one game at a time.
Ah, but a Bob Huggins press conference is something else altogether, a refreshing break from the daily grind and a non-stop flow of brutal honesty.
Instead of writing a column off St. John’s 78-62 rout of West Virginia tonight at MSG, I’m just going to give you some highlights from Huggs, who was in rare form. To read more of this story, click here
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins is traveling with a bodyguard after he was heckled by a fan a week ago in Las Vegas.
OK, C.J. Culliton is not being called a “bodyguard,” but rather a “security” person.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a bodyguard. He’s the head of our security,” Bryan Messerly, the school’s sports information director, told the Charleston Gazette. “I think it’s just to have someone here and if he sees something that could get out of control he can talk to the appropriate security people [at the venue].”
West Virginia senior forward Kevin Jones of Mount Vernon, N.Y., was named the Big East player of the week, and UConn freshman Andre Drummond was named Rookie of the Week.
Jones averaged 23 points and 14.7 rebounds in games last week against Tennessee Tech, Missouri State and Baylor in the Las Vegas Classic.
Jones moved past Seton Hall senior forward Herb Pope into the Big East lead in both scoring (21.0 ppg) and rebounding (11.9 rpg) for the season. To read more of this story, click here
West Virginia junior center Aaric Murray was arrested Thursday morning in Philadelphia on a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession, Philadelphia police confirmed to SNY.tv.
“He was arrested today on the 1700 block of South 20th St.,” Officer Jillian Russell said by phone.
Officer Russell said that as of Thursday afternoon, the 6-foot-10 Murray, 22, was still being “processed.” Officer Tanya Little added that “he was most likely in jail.”
“I’ve been alerted about the situation and the matter will be handled internally,” Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said in a statement. To read more of this story, click here
Huntington (West Va.) Prep coach Rob Fulford may be the only high school basketball coach in the country with players committed to both Missouri and West Virginia.
“I think so,” he said.
In 6-foot-9 power forward Stefan Jankovic and 6-6 small forward Negus Webster-Chan, Huntington has two players who will sign with Missouri Thursday during an event at the school.
Maybe West Virginia was distracted by the lawsuits.
Or maybe Division 2 Northern Kentucky is just that good.
Whatever the case, Eshaunte Jones hit a 25-footer with 1.1 seconds remaining to give Northern Kentucky a stunning 77-74 victory over West Virginia on Friday night in Morgantown, West Va.
West Virginia had tied the game at 74-all on a 3-pointer by Darryl “Truck” Bryant with less than 6.3 seconds left. Jones then dribbled the ball up the floor and drained a long 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left, giving NKU the upset in the exhibition game.
“It’s a good win for the kids,” Northern Kentucky coach Dave Bezold told SNY.tv by phone. “To be able to go into a storied program like West Virginia and get a win, that could be the highlight of their careers at any level.”
The Big East Conference Board of Directors announced that it has voted to terminate West Virginia’s membership in the conference, effective June 30.
The news that West Virginia has 
West Virginia junior center Aaric Murray was arrested Thursday morning in Philadelphia on a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession, Philadelphia police confirmed to SNY.tv.
