Former Cowboy Javon Small Leads WVU Basketball Against Oklahoma State

It’s happening more and more frequently in the current era of college sports, two players will be facing their former teams when WVU basketball hosts Oklahoma State.

Former Cowboys Javon Small and West Virginia (10-2, 1-0 Big 12) will take on former Mountaineer Pat Suemnick and Oklahoma State (8-4, 0-1) inside the WVU Coliseum at noon (CBS Sports).

WVU is coming off of a game where the same thing happened as former Jayhawk Joseph Yesufu scored six points to help WVU top No. 7 Kansas 62-61 on Tuesday.

“I’m sure it has a little added significance for them individually,” WVU coach Darian DeVries said. “But I think Joe and Javon are both just ready to go out and play. I’m sure it means a little more because it’s a school you previously attended, but outside of that, there are not a lot of guys, from both squads, that they’ve played with.”

There aren’t many faces on the OSU roster that Small will recognize, as only three of his teammates form last season — Jamyron Keller, Conner Dow and Bryce Thompson — stayed with first-year head coach Steve Lutz.

“There are a few guys on the Oklahoma State team that Javon’s still friends with, but outside of that, I know he’s just about trying to win the game,” DeVries said.

Small averaged 15.1 points per game last season, his only in Stillwater.

“I learned a lot from Javon, whether it was talking off the court or guarding him on the court,” said Keller who has started the last three games. “I think he allowed me to expand my game a little bit.”

There are even fewer people Suemnick will recognize in Morgantown, as Ofri Naveh, who is redshirting, is the only one of his former teammates still with the Mountaineers.

“It is a different staff and all new guys, but something about playing in that gym and seeing everybody I know from my years of being there, I’m excited for it,” Suemnick said.

Suemnick played two seasons for the Mountaineers, appearing in all 32 games last year. Fans will remember his career-high 20-point outing in the team’s upset win over Kansas on Jan. 20.

“Pat’s an even-keeled person,” OSU coach Steve Lutz said. “While he has some special memories there, most of those people that he was fond of and spent his time with are no longer there. While that’ll be sentimental for him, I’m sure he’ll be focused on beating West Virginia.”

Even DeVries and Lutz, both in their first season with their respective teams, have a connection, being on staff together under Doug McDermott at Creighton.

“There’s a few things that he does (from Creighton,)” DeVries said of his counterpart. “He’s also picked some things up from his time at Purdue, and then he’s picked up some things and is running on his own. I think the biggest thing is he tries to play with pace. That’s a huge part of how Coach McDermott likes to play, so you can see that imprint there.”

Oklahoma State lost its Big 12 opener 60-47 against Houston on Monday and has dropped two of its last four games, also losing to rival Oklahoma on Dec. 14.

“They’re very aggressive, especially defensively,” DeVries said of the Cowboys. “They create a lot of turnovers because of their aggressiveness and then they do a great job getting to the rim and drawing fouls. They play to those strengths and attack in transition on every possession make or miss.”

A pair of fifth-year forwards lead OSU in scoring as Marshelus Avery is averaging 12.3 points per game and Abou Ousmane is just behind at 11.5.

For a related story, WVU basketball jumps up NET Rankings after Kansas win.