WVU Basketball

WVU Basketball Position Preview: WVU’s Shooters Need to be Better from Range

Published

3 years ago

November 21, 2020

West Virginia’s biggest weakness last season was its perimeter shooting.

The Mountaineers finished last in the Big 12 with a 28.6% three-point field goal percentage. No other Big 12 team finished under 30%.

Last season, WVU’s shooting guard minutes were dominated by seniors Jermaine Haley and Chase Harler. Haley started 30 games at shooting guard and averaged 24.2 minutes per game. Haley, however, played several positions for the Mountaineers and shooting guard was not his primary spot. Harler was one of WVU’s top bench players, almost exclusively playing shooting guard and averaging 16.4 minutes per game.

This season, WVU coach Bob Huggins has said that he feels very confident in the shooting guard position and expects to use several players at the spot, mainly Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil, but also point guard Miles ‘Deuce’ McBride.

Returners (2019-20 Stats):

Jr. Sean McNeil (14.9 mpg, 5.5 ppg, 36.9 FG%)

Sr. Taz Sherman (13.1 mpg, 5.3 ppg, 38.3 FG%)

These struggles from deep came despite adding two of the best junior college shooters in the nation in Sean McNeil and Taz Sherman. As first-year JUCO transfer, both McNeil (5.5 ppg, 33 3PT%) and Sherman (5.3 ppg, 33.3 3PT%) did little to help.

Entering this season, Huggins has said he expects both McNeil and Sherman to be much improved.

“Sean’s played really well, Taz has played exceptionally well,” Huggins said. “I think that’s a position that we feel pretty secure at.”

WATCH: Bob Huggins Expects WVU to Shoot Much Better from the Perimeter This Season

Huggins’ track record with junior college transfers also suggests the two will be better.

So. Spencer Macke (7 games, 8 points)

Macke walked-on with the Mountaineers last season. He appeared in seven games, all blowout victories. Macke scored his first career points on Dec. 14 against Nicholls and made his first career three-pointer on Jan. 21 against Texas.

Additions:

Fr. Jay Moore (Walk-on)

Moore (6-foot-5) is an in-state recruit from Beckley that will walk-on with the Mountaineers this season. He had scholarship offers from Stetson, North Carolina A&T and Morgan State but committed to WVU in January. Moore played his prep career at Greater Beckley Christian and Beckley Prep.