West Virginia’s fifth-year forward Emmitt Matthews who had missed West Virginia’s final two games of non-conference play due to a bone bruise in his knee will return when the Mountaineers begin conference play on Saturday.
West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins announced the move on Thursday, saying, “He’s going to play. He’s ready to go.”
Matthews has will not have played in a game in three weeks when he takes the court this Saturday against Kansas State. Matthews got injured on Dec. 10 against UAB, then finished the game, before missing West Virginia’s last two matchups.
“He’s fine. Thank goodness it wasn’t a tear, it was a bruise,” Huggins said.
This season, Matthews is averaging 10.8 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game. Matthews is also shooting 47.4% from the field and 48.4% from three-point range.
Matthews adds a level of experience in the Big 12 as well as in the West Virginia system that others don’t have Huggins said.
“I think the one guy that knows what’s going on is [Matthews],” Huggins said.”
Matthews and the Mountaineers officially begin Big 12 play on Saturday against Kansas State, and then play again on Monday against Oklahoma State.
