No. 11 West Virginia looks to get a better run from big man Oscar Tshiebwe against No. 19 Richmond

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — Derek Culver sort of shrugs his shoulders and slightly shakes his head in a telling sort of way that he can’t believe what he’s seeing from teammate Oscar Tshiebwe at the moment, either.

Many would agree. Expectations were high for the 6-foot-9, 260-pound Tshiebwe, ever since he decided to withdraw from the 2020 NBA Draft and build on a freshman year of college that saw him lead West Virginia in both scoring and rebounding.

Yet, the 11th-ranked Mountaineers (5-1) enter Sunday’s 1 p.m. crucial home match-up against No. 19 Richmond (4-0) having navigated through a difficult nonconference schedule mostly without Tshiebwe inflicting his dominance.

This is where Culver is quick to interject to say better times are coming for his teammate.

“Oscar is going to be Oscar,” Culver said. “What you guys are seeing right now isn’t him. Don’t get accustomed to seeing this. It’s just something he’s going through right now, a little funk.”

That funk saw him go scoreless in the Mountaineers’ 62-50 victory on Friday against North Texas.

It was just the second time in Tshiebwe’s career he was held without a point, although he did grab seven rebounds against the Mean Green.

His scoring average is down nearly four points from last season. He shot 55% from the field as a freshman, but is at 44% a year later.

“You have a one-footer and you miss it by two feet you’re having a bad day,” WVU head coach Bob Huggins said. “I don’t care who you are, you’re having a bad day.”

Tshiebwe played just 14 minutes against North Texas, which tied his season low that came in the first game of the season against South Dakota State.

Early foul trouble kept Tshiebwe out against the Jackrabbits, as well as the Crossover Classic title game against Western Kentucky. He fouled out against Gonzaga,

Foul trouble had nothing to do with his limited minutes against North Texas.

“He hasn’t played well. He hasn’t ran,” Huggins said. “He was as good a runner, I think, as any power forward in the country, maybe the best. He hasn’t ran, so he hasn’t got involved in the transition game.

“He hasn’t made perimeter shots, which I thought at the end of the year last year he made perimeter shots. You had to guard him at the foul line. He hasn’t finished around the rim and that was something, as the season wore on, he got better and better at.”

Finishing around the rim is a major concern, because Tshiebwe has generally had some favorable match-ups against WVU’s competition.

Against North Texas, the Mean Green started 6-10 forward Zach Simmons, but their next biggest guy in the starting lineup was just 6-6.

“In this situation, (Tshiebwe) was bigger than all but at least one of their guys,” Huggins said. “He didn’t finish around the rim. Derek didn’t finish around the rim until the second half and I had him sit down to think about it a little bit.

“I love the kid and I’m not trying to say something disrespectful to him, but (Tshiebwe) hasn’t played very well.”

All the blame, Huggins added, does not get thrown at Tshiebwe’s feet. There are other factors, too, like WVU’s inability to throw good passes.

“We haven’t passed it as well,” he said. “We ran a lot of roll and replace with him and Derek a year ago. I can’t do that now, because we’re going to throw it to the wrong team.”

According to the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI), the Mountaineers have played the 20th toughest schedule in the country and are projected to play the seventh-hardest schedule by the end of the regular season.

Games and opponents will not be getting easier for WVU, which will open up its Big 12 schedule after facing the Spiders.

As for Richmond, the Spiders jumped into the national rankings after knocking off Kentucky, 76-64, on Nov. 29.

Richmond, out of the Atlantic 10, has five players scoring in double figures led by 6-10 senior forward Grant Golden, who averages 15.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Richmond also has two 6-7 forwards in Tyler Burton and Nathan Cayo, who combine for 27 points and 13 rebounds per game.

It could certainly be an opportune time for Tshiebwe to break out of his funk.

“I’ve been through it. Anybody who has played basketball at a high level has been through it,” Culver said. “If you think this is Oscar that you’re seeing out there, no, it’s not. Whatever he’s going through right now, it’s going to pass pretty soon.”

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