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Gonzaga vs. West Virginia key matchup: Ryan Nembhard and Javon Small go head-to-head in point guard showdown

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Gonzaga vs. West Virginia key matchup: Ryan Nembhard and Javon Small go head-to-head in point guard showdown


After spending time watching Gonzaga closely, West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries feels like he has a great feel for Bulldogs senior guard Ryan Nembhard as he and the Mountaineers prepare for their matchup in the Battle 4 Atlantis event on Wednesday from The Bahamas.

DeVries, who was an assistant coach at Creighton from 2001-2018, has an idea of what to expect from Mark Few’s bunch based on the first time DeVries saw Few’s program up close in December 2017, when the Bluejays visited Spokane for a nonconference game at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Seven years later, DeVries noted the similarities between that group and the 2024-25 squad helmed by Nembhard.

Still, DeVries knows slowing down the Bob Cousy Award contender is no easy task.

“I mean he’s just a great player,” DeVries said of Nembhard on Tuesday. “He’s so well rounded and just terrific, unselfish and knows how to lead a team.”

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Nembhard has the Bulldogs (5-0) operating at a high level to start the 2024-25 campaign. Gonzaga ranks No. 1 in adjusted offensive efficiency and boasts the lowest turnover rate in the country, according to KenPom.com, while its Canadian point guard ranks top 10 in total assists (47), assists per game (9.4) and assist to turnover ratio (47 to six, 7.83). Nembhard is also 7-of-16 (43.8%) from 3-point range and has excelled at drawing fouls. He’s 18-of-21 (85.7%) from the charity stripe and is on pace to nearly double his free throw rate from last season.

Nembhard’s made a jump from his junior year against some pretty good competition as well, having already diced up three teams that rank in the top 100 in defensive efficiency, including a top-five defense in San Diego State (32 assists to five turnovers against those opponents). The Battle 4 Atlantis will likely be more of the same, starting with a matchup against West Virginia senior guard Javon Small.

Through four games, Small paces the Mountaineers at 15.5 points and 4.0 assists per game. He’s 20-of-47 (42.6%) from the field and 10-of-23 (43.5%) from the 3-point line. After recording five steals in the 43-point win over Iona, Small is top 10 in the country in steals per game (3.0) and ranks top 25 in steal percentage (5.5%) according to KenPom. The South Bend, Indiana, native also finished with 23 points, five rebounds, five assists and one block to lead the Mountaineers to an 86-43 win over Iona.

“Connectivity is really more of a team thing, but Javon certainly is the guy that at both ends of the floor,” DeVries said of Small after the game. “He’s either one of the guys defensively, guarding the ball, dictating talk, or offensively, getting us started into whatever action we’re trying to do.”

Nembhard’s coach expects to see a “very athletic and handsy” West Virginia squad that’s also opportunistic on the defensive end of the floor. Small, along with 6-foot-7 senior Tucker DeVries (2.5 steals per game), helps create that identity with his tendency to overplay passing lanes and come away with steals for breakaway dunks the other way. He might not be up for the national awards that Nembhard is in contention for, though the 6-foot-3 Small could present challenges for the Bulldogs on both ends of the floor if he gets into a rhythm.

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“He’s a good player,” Nembhard said of Small. “He can shoot it, score the ball pretty well … so we got our scout on him and we’ll do our best to take advantage of that.”

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West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted

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West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted


A West Virginia man accused of threatening to attack President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workers was federally indicted this week.

Cody Lee Smith, 20, of Clarksburg was indicted on two counts of threats to murder the president, one count of influencing and retaliating against federal officials by threat of murder and one count of influencing a federal official by threat of murder, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Smith is accused of making a series of public posts on Instagram encouraging and threatening the murder of Trump, those who support him, Israelis and “all government officials,” the news release said.

The indictment also alleges that Smith sent a direct message via Instagram to Donald J. Trump, Jr., stating he would kill his father by cutting his “jugular.”

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In a phone call with the ICE tip line, Smith also threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg and employees staffing the tip line.

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Smith faces up to 5 years for each of the presidential threat charges and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the remaining counts.



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West Virginia falls flat in 65-63 loss to Kansas State – WV MetroNews

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West Virginia falls flat in 65-63 loss to Kansas State – WV MetroNews


West Virginia has said the right things about the need to capitalize on opportunities.

The Mountaineers aren’t following through when they come about.

The latest example came Tuesday night at Kansas State, which scored 21 unanswered points in the second half before holding off a furious West Virginia charge for a 65-53 victory at Bramlage Coliseum.

“The level of urgency and desire to win a game with so much on it wasn’t where it needed to be,” West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge said on postgame radio.

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The Wildcats (12-18, 3-14) played without leading scorer PJ Haggerty, a surprise scratch with an undisclosed injury.

Although WVU (17-13, 8-9) defeated Kansas State 59-54 with Haggerty in the lineup during a January matchup in Morgantown, the Mountaineers were unable to capitalize on his absence in the rematch and fell to 1-4 in their last five games.

Both teams were dismal offensively in the opening half, which ended with West Virginia leading, 26-23.

The Mountaineers got 10 points apiece from reserve forwards Chance Moore and DJ Thomas, helping the visitors to at least somewhat overcome a starting lineup that scored six points on 3-for-15 shooting over the first 20 minutes.

“When you’re playing a team that is a little down and out, you can’t give them life and can’t give them hope,” Hodge said. “We had so many opportunities in the first half and at the beginning of the game to make some plays and entice a team that’s been struggling to maybe keep struggling.”

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After a scoreless first half, WVU guard Honor Huff made his 100th three-pointer this season with 18:33 to play, allowing the Mountaineers to lead 31-27.

West Virginia went the next 8-plus minutes without a point, and Wildcats took control during that stretch.

Khamari McGriff scored the Wildcats’ first four points of the extended 21-0 spurt and accounted for four buckets and eight of the first 15 points during that time.

A jumper from CJ Jones with 10:53 remaining left the home team with a 48-31 advantage, before Thomas scored from close range to end his team’s extended drought at the 10:27 mark.

“I’m aware of our shortcomings and I understand when you’re deficient in some areas, your margin for error to win is razor thin,” Hodge said. “I’m disappointed with what was at stake, we got beat to loose balls. Would it have been nice to make more layups and threes? Of course. But when those things aren’t happening, you better do those other things.”

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KSU had separate 19-point leads, the latter of which came at 57-38 when McGriff made two free throws with 7:29 to play.

WVU then increased its aggressiveness offensively and reeled off the next 11 points, while the Wildcats began to play tentative while in possession.

A three-pointer from K-State’s Nate Johnson left the Wildcats with a 60-49 lead with 3:48 left, but the Mountaineers continued to battle and trailed by six when Chance Moore scored in the paint at the 1:24 mark.

Moore’s next basket made it a five-point game, and after a Johnson turnover, Huff made two free throws to bring WVU to within 61-58 with 48 seconds left.

Another KSU turnover gave the visitors the ball back, but after Moore missed a shot that the Mountaineers rebounded, Huff committed a costly turnover. 

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Johnson made two free throws with 17 seconds left, and McGriff added two more with 7 seconds remaining before Huff made a trey at the buzzer.

Moore led WVU with 18 points and made 6-of-7 shots, but again struggled on free throws, finishing 5 for 9. WVU hurts its cause at the charity stripe and made only 9-of-16 attempts.

Brenen Lorient was the Mountaineers’ second-leading scorer with 14 second-half points, while Thomas followed with 12 and Huff added 11 on 3-for-11 shooting.

Treysen Eaglestaff led all players with 11 rebounds in defeat, but made only 3-of-12 shots in a six-point showing.

McGriff led KSU with 18 points and added seven rebounds.

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Johnson finished with 16 points and nine boards.

WVU had nine of its 13 turnovers in the second half. 

“Nine turnovers in the second half creates more busted floors, more cross match opportunities and through that, it makes you vulnerable for paint touch opportunities,” Hodge said. 

K-State played under the guidance of interim head coach Matthew Driscoll. Driscoll replaced Jerome Tang, who was fired in between the team’s first and second matchups with West Virginia this season.

“Sometimes in life you get what you deserve,” Hodge said, “and we deserved to lose tonight.”

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Nitro completes utility deal with West Virginia American Water – WV MetroNews

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Nitro completes utility deal with West Virginia American Water – WV MetroNews


NITRO, W.Va. — It’s a done deal.

Nitro Mayor Dave Casebolt signed an agreement Tuesday with West Virginia American Water Company President Scott Wyman completing the sale of the Nitro Regional Wastewater Utility including the sewer plant for $20 million.

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The water utility will now own and operate the city’s water and wastewater systems. The state Public Service Commission recently approved the deal.

Casebolt said it’s good to get the long-talked-about agreement signed. He said the city can’t afford to make the improvements required at the sewer plant.

“We’re looking at needing between 40 and 50 million dollars of upgrades to our system and expecting our four-thousand customer base to try to offset those costs is not even practical,” Casebolt said.

Casebolt said sewer bills are going to go up but he said they were going to go up regardless. He said the city was facing increasing rates by as much as 50 percent.

West Virgina American is planning $42 million in upgrades to the sewer system over the next five years, Casebolt said.

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“It’s a much-need investment and actually allow the system to handle rainwater much better where it’s not backing up into people’s homes,” Casebolt said.



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