West Virginia first-year coach Ross Hodge says a specific type of player is the most challenging to defend: smaller, creative guards who can shoot.
There will be players like that on both sides on Sunday afternoon when his Mountaineers (2-0) host Lehigh (1-1) in Morgantown, W.Va.
In a 91-52 win over Valley Forge on Thursday, Lehigh freshman Andrew Urosevic led the Mountain Hawks with 23 points off the bench and connected on 5 of 10 3-point attempts. He racked up 16 points in the second half.
Nasir Whitlock tallied 12 points and seven rebounds, and Edouard Benoit also chipped in 12 points for Lehigh.
Guards Urosevic and Whitlock have the skill set Hodge said can put loads of pressure on a defense.
“All great players are very difficult to defend,” Hodge said. “But in my opinion some of the most unique and hardest ones to defend are smaller guards with the ball in their hands and the ability to make 3s off the bounce.
“If it’s a really good post player you can double them, you can dig down or deny some other players. But those little guys up top are tough when they have the ball.”
In a 73-65 home victory against Campbell on Thursday, West Virginia’s own shifty, small guard put on an offensive performance as well. Honor Huff scored a game-high 23 points and connected on 4 of 9 three-point attempts. Five Mountaineers scored in double figures and West Virginia never trailed.
The way West Virginia shared the ball (12 assists) is something Lehigh coach Brett Reed said he’d like his team to focus on in the early going. He wants the Mountain Hawks to be unselfish and work for the open shot.
“We have a team that has an element of toughness,” Reed said. “We are really together and willing to share the basketball. With those two ingredients you have an opportunity for success.”
