When the West Virginia men?s basketball team makes the trip to Harrisonburg, Va., tonight to take on James Madison, it better be on upset alert. This game has all the makings for a trap, as the undefeated Mountaineers could be looking past the 1-2 Dukes. Gale Catlett knows it, the team knows it and the 7,000-plus fans who will pack the James Madison University Convocation Center, better known as the ?Electric Zoo,? also know it.
The Dukes? fans will be hoping to add another major conference team to the Electric Zoo?s casualty list. In the 1990s, Florida, Purdue, Penn State, Rutgers and Oregon State have all fallen victim to the intensity of the Electric Zoo.
Add that to the fact that West Virginia has been prone to falter in these potential early-season trap games on the road. Last year, with a 6-1 record, the Mountaineers were blown out at Ohio University. In 1994-95, a 2-0 West Virginia team lost to Towson in Shepherdstown, W.Va.; in 1992-93, after winning at Maryland, the team lost at South Alabama; in 1991-92, a 5-2 West Virginia team lost at Old Dominion; and in 1990-91, the undefeated Mountaineers lost at Marshall after once again defeating Maryland on the road.
The veterans on this year?s team have to keep the young players focused so they do not overlook the Dukes and come back home 3-1. Senior guard Lionel Armstead (14.0 points per game) said, ?We?ve got to make them understand how important every win is, no matter who we?re playing, especially games on the road. It?s going to be important for us to go in and just be focused and play excellent defense.?
THE SCOUTING REPORT
James Madison is coached by Sherman Dillard (60-55), who is in his fifth season at the helm. Dillard returned to his alma mater after serving as the head coach of Indiana State for three years. He is James Madison?s second all-time leading scorer and led the Dukes to a 75-39 record from 1973-78.
Dillard?s squad returns all five starters from the end of last season and is expected to compete with the best of the Colonial Athletic Association. Those high hopes have been set back, however, after the 1-2 start. After losing at North Carolina State in the opener, the Dukes have split home games with Gardner-Webb and Drexel.
Backcourt: C
Junior shooting guard David Fanning has carried James Madison this season. He has averaged 19.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. Fanning is hitting three-pointers at a 40 percent clip (8-for-20).
He is joined in the backcourt by 6-2 sophomore Chris Williams (7.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg). Williams, a native of Wheeling, W.Va., leads the team with 15 assists, but also has 15 turnovers, which bodes well for the Mountaineer press. If Williams begins to get around West Virginia, Catlett may just tell his players to foul him, for the James Madison point guard is only shooting 43.8 percent from the foul line.
Dwayne Broyles (9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg), a 6-5 swingman, adds depth to the backcourt and provides Dillard with the option of inserting a taller guard to create matchup problems for the Mountaineers.
Frontcourt: B-
The Dukes? most complete player is also a West Virginia native. Tim Lyle (8.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), a 6-8 senior, led James Madison in scoring (11.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.2) a year ago. The Poca native not only excels on the court, but also in the classroom and has been selected to numerous all-academic teams. Thus far in the 2001-02 season, Lyle has struggled, connecting on just 35.5 percent of his shots from the floor (6-of-17).
The team?s second-leading scorer starts at the small forward slot. Senior Ron Anderson (11.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg) is a transfer from North Carolina State. Anderson is trying to recover from a 2000-01 season that was hampered by a broken foot.
Dillard starts another transfer at the center position. Junior Kenny Whitehead, a 6-10, 245-pound behemoth who transferred from UNC-Charlotte, is finally getting comfortable playing again after having to sit out one season. Despite averaging just 2.7 points, he is chipping in 3.3 boards per game.
Junior Pat Mitchell (10.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg) is the team?s third-leading scorer and top rebounder, even though he has started only one game. Mitchell is hitting an impressive 53.8 percent of his shots from the field. His contribution has helped the Dukes out-rebound opponents by 1.7 rebounds per contest.
Overall: C
The Dukes could pull the upset, but will have to find a way to break West Virginia?s press in order to do so. The Mountaineers are forcing opponents to commit a whopping 23.5 turnovers per game, which does not bode well for James Madison.
The key for the Mountaineers is to not allow the Dukes to hang around, for the longer they do, the crowd will become more enthused and the players will gain more confidence. As long as West Virginia makes foul shots and stays within the bounds of the offense, then it should return to Morgantown 5-0, with its next three contests in the home confines of the Coliseum.
Prediction: WVU by 7
