WVU C Jesse Edwards Returns to Floor vs. Oklahoma State

WVU C Jesse Edwards checked into the game vs. Oklahoma State with 14 minutes left in the first half. Edwards has been out of action since Dec. 16 with a fractured right wrist that he suffered in the UMass game.

Edwards had surgery on Dec. 20 and had his brace removed last week and has been dressed for emergency situations against Kansas and UCF.

Edwards is averaging 14.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks through the first 10 games of the season. West Virginia is 3-6 without Edwards but has knocked off two ranked opponents in Kansas and Texas.

Eilert showed concern that teams will take notice of Edwards’ recovering wrist and just foul when the Syracuse transfer touches the ball.

“[Edwards] can’t shoot that thing from the free throw line at this point. I don’t think he could do it and even make it look halfway decent,” Eilert said. “So your opponent gets to a point where this is the strategy we’re going to take. We’re just going to foul Jesse intentionally every time he touches it down low and he has to go to the line over and over again, it could be very counterproductive.”

WVU F Pat Suemnick has filled in for Edwards at the five for the past couple of weeks. Suemnick averaged 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in the last seven games.