Goodbye to Mountaineer Seniors

By Heath Bloxton
The 2005-2006 season did not end the way the Mountaineer basketball team would have liked. A crazy buzzer-beater by the Texas Longhorns ended not only a great season, but also ended a career for the five seniors at WVU. However, these players did something that had not been accomplished since Jerry West donned a blue and gold uniform. This Mountaineer team is the first team to make back-to-back appearances in the Sweet 16 since 1959/1960.

This group of seniors will not be forgotten any time soon. When these five players first came to Morgantown, nobody thought that they would achieve what they have. The arrival of Coach John Beilein and his recruits made this success possible by playing together even when times were rough. Senior Kevin Pittsnogle thought the defeat hurt not only because it was a loss, but also because it was the last time he would ever walk onto a basketball court as a Mountaineer.

Some people will grieve over the loss, while others will remember the great memories this group of players gave them. The story began when they were freshmen and defeated a nationally rated Florida Gators team. The dream continued as they reached the NIT Tournament as sophomores. Things kept getting better their junior season, as they made the NCAA Tournament and shocked the nation by making the Elite 8. In their senior season, however, the clock struck twelve and the story was over when West Virginia lost to Texas in the Sweet 16. The legacy of these five players will live on forever in the minds of Mountaineer fans. They truly were a joy to watch. We bid farewell to a fabulous group of individuals who never backed down from a fight.