SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The absence of starting point guard Darryl “Truck” Bryant shouldn’t make West Virginia any less dangerous an opponent tonight in the NCAA tournament’s round of 16.
That’s the Washington Huskies’ story, and they’re sticking to it.
And, really, it’s pretty much West Virginia’s story, too.
The Mountaineers could hardly have seemed looser as they met the media on the eve of tonight’s Sweet 16 matchup at the Carrier Dome … even when the topic was their injured teammate.
“I don’t know what to say,” said Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia’s scoring and assists leader. “We’re just that comfortable with each other. Truck has been hurt before. … He knows what to do and the preparation and knows how to take care of it. I know he has enough faith in us that we can win the game. So, I don’t see where the whole panic about everything will be. I think we’ll be fine.”
The Huskies agreed on that final point.
“It’s not something you wish on anyone,” Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said. “We are aware, though, that they still have a very good basketball team, and there are a lot of components that make up their group. They’re missing a guy that they’ve been counting on all year. But at the same time, they’re still very good.”
Bryant had played in all 35 West Virginia games this season and started 31. His average of 9.3 points per game ranks fourth on the team, and he is second in assists and steals.
He said he felt something wrong with his foot Saturday in the Mountaineers’ second-round win over Missouri. He tried changing shoes at halftime, but the pain persisted.
Still, he didn’t take it seriously until the team’s Tuesday practice when he was backpedaling and felt a pop.
“It was bad,” Bryant said. “I needed an X-ray. I went to the doctor and they said I broke my fifth metatarsal. It’s tough, actually. Of course, I want to play. The lights are on. It’s a big time of year.”
The injury seemed to have a special meaning to Washington sophomore guard Isaiah Thomas, who knows Bryant from AAU games and basketball camps.
“His name explains it: ‘Truck,’ ” Thomas said. “He was just a strong guard from New York City who handled the ball, and he played hard. I’m sad that what happened to him happened. I know he wants to be out there playing with his team. But that’s basketball. Things happen like that. I prayed for him (Tuesday) night.”
On Wednesday, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said he didn’t know if he would simply insert reserve point guard Joe Mazzulla into the starting lineup or go with the five-forward lineup he used against Purdue in January – one of the Mountaineers’ six losses.
The latter option would give West Virginia even more of a height advantage in what projects as a game of contrasts: the Mountaineers’ size vs. the Huskies’ quickness; WVU’s aggressive defense vs. UW’s up-tempo offense; the solid No. 2 seed vs. the surprising No. 11 seed.
Huggins said his team’s unconcerned attitude is just part of who they are.
“They’re just good guys,” he said. “As I said before, I want them to enjoy this experience and have a good time. They know when it’s time to go to work.”
The winner will advance to the Elite Eight for a Saturday meeting with the winner of the East Regional’s nightcap: 12th-seeded Cornell vs. top-seeded Kentucky.
“For them it’s going to be a different guy that’s leading the way,” UW point guard Venoy Overton said. “They’re probably losing a lot in their point guard play, but you know they’ve got a lot of other players that can contribute. (Mazzulla) has played about the same number of minutes, so we have to take the same mind-frame if he was playing or not. We don’t have no advantage whether he’s playing or not. It’s still going to be the same kind of game.”
Don Ruiz, 253-597-8808
blog.thenewstribune.com/uwsports
WASHINGTON HUSKIES (26-9)
vs. Wright State-xW, 74-69
vs. Belmont-xW, 96-78
vs. Portland State-x W, 111-55
vs. San Jose State W, 80-70
vs. Montana W, 63-59
at Texas Tech L, 99-92 (OT)
vs. Cal State Northridge W, 88-76
vs. Georgetown-y L, 74-66
vs. Portland W, 89-54
vs. Texas A&M W, 73-64
vs. San Francisco W, 86-71
vs. Oregon StateW, 76-70
vs. Oregon L, 90-79
at Arizona State L, 68-51
at Arizona L, 87-70
vs. Stanford W, 94-61
vs. California W, 84-69
at UCLA L, 62-61
at USC L, 87-61
vs. Seattle University W, 123-76
vs. Washington State W, 92-64
vs. ArizonaW, 81-75
vs. Arizona State W, 79-56
at California L, 93-81
at Stanford W, 78-61
vs. USC L, 67-64
vs. UCLA W, 97-68
at Washington State W, 59-52
at Oregon W, 86-72
at Oregon StateW, 82-70
Pac-10 tournament
vs. Oregon State W, 59-52
vs. StanfordW, 79-64
vs. CaliforniaW, 79-75
NCAA tournament
vs. MarquetteW, 80-78
vs. New Mexico W, 82-64
x-Athletes In Action Basketball Classic
y-John Wooden Classic
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (29-6)
vs. Loyola, MDW, 83-60
vs. CitadelW, 69-50
vs. Long Beach State-xW, 85-62
vs. Texas A&M-xW, 73-66
vs. Portland-xW, 84-66
vs. DuquesneW, 68-39
vs. Coppin StateW, 69-43
at Cleveland StateW, 80-78
vs. Mississippi W, 76-66
at Seton Hall W, 90-84 (OT)
vs. Marquette W, 63-62
at Purdue L, 77-62
vs. Rutgers W, 86-52
at Notre Dame L, 70-68
at South Florida W, 69-50
vs. SyracuseL, 72-71
vs. MarshallW, 68-60
vs. Ohio StateW, 71-65
at DePaul W, 62-46
vs. Louisville W, 77-74
vs. PittW, 70-51
at St. John’s W, 79-60
vs. VillanovaL, 82-75
at PittL, 98-95 (3OT)
at Providence W, 88-74
vs. Seton Hall W, 75-63
at Connecticut L, 73-62
vs. Cincinnati W, 74-68
vs. GeorgetownW, 81-68
at Villanova W, 68-66 (OT)
Big East tournament
vs. Cincinnati W, 54-51
vs. Notre DameW, 53-51
vs. GeorgetownW, 60-58
NCAA tournament
vs. Morgan State W, 77-50
vs. MissouriW, 68-59
x-76 Classic HUSKIES GAMEDAY
NCAA tournament, Sweet 16
No. 11 seed WASHINGTON (26-9) vs. No. 2 seed
West Virginia (29-6)
When: Approximately 4:27 p.m., Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
TV: Channel 7. Radio: 950-AM.
Region: East.
Series: Washington won the only previous meeting, 96-79, in the 1993 Far West Classic in Portland. UW is 10-18 against Big East teams and 1-1 this season with a loss to Georgetown and a win over Marquette.
Scouting report: West Virginia will be without starting point guard Darryl Bryant, who broke his right foot in practice Tuesday and is done for the season. He may be replaced in the lineup by Joe Mazzulla, a redshirt junior who has 15 assists over his past three games. Or coach Bob Huggins indicated he might go with a five-forward lineup. … WVU’s other four starters are 6-foot-7 or taller – that is, taller than any UW starter except 6-foot-9 Matthew Bryan-Amaning. … The Huskies average 79.9 points a game, while West Virginia has allowed that many points only three times this season, going 1-2 in those games. … The Mountaineers were ranked sixth in the final Associated Press poll, their highest final ranking since 1960. … West Virginia has won eight games in a row and 10 of its past 11. Washington has won nine in a row and 14 of its past 16. … West Virginia led the Big East in rebounding margin and offensive rebounding percentage, and was second in scoring defense. … Individually, Da’Sean Butler was named to the all-Big East first team, and Devin Ebanks to the third team. … Butler is third on the school’s career scoring list. … Three of Washington’s past six NCAA tournament appearances have been ended by Big East teams: UConn in 1998 and 2006, and Louisville in 2005.
The stakes: The winner advances to the Elite Eight, meeting the winner of tonight’s Cornell-Kentucky match on Saturday. The loser’s season ends.
The pick: West Virginia 68, Washington 65. Big guards gave UW trouble this season, and the Mountaineers look like a more aggressive, more talented USC.
West Virginia starters
No.Pos.Ht.Yr.Key stat
1Da’Sean ButlerG6-7Sr.17.5 ppg
3Devin EbanksF6-9So.8.3 rpg
5Kevin JonesF6-8So.13.6 ppg
21Joe MazzullaG6-2Jr.2.2 ppg
35Wellington SmithF6-7Sr.6.5 ppg
WASHINGTON starters
No.Pos.Ht.Yr.Key stat
2 Isaiah ThomasG5-8So.17.1 ppg
10Abdul GaddyG6-3Fr.3.9 ppg
11Matthew F6-9Jr.8.8 ppg Bryan-Amaning
20Quincy PondexterF6-6Sr.19.7 ppg
22Justin HollidayF6-6Jr.5.7 ppg
Don Ruiz, staff writer
