New head coach Ross Hodge wants to establish his culture and brand of basketball at West Virginia on both ends.
What better way to expedite that process than bring roster acquisitions into the fold that already understand that all too well after previously playing under him.
Hodge has been able to add a total of six players to the roster since he took over the program and two of those played critical roles for him on North Texas’ 27-9 team last season in forward Brenen Lorient and the most recent addition in guard Jasper Floyd.
Lorient didn’t start a game for the Mean Green but was arguably one of the most important pieces on the roster earning first-team all-American Athletic Conference honors and the league’s Sixth Man of the Year. Lorient, 6-foot-8, played almost 25 minutes per game and was highly productive, averaging 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocks over the course of the year.
The Florida native was active on both ends of the floor and has a developing offensive skill set that still has plenty of room to grow especially with his three-point shooting. Last season Lorient shot 47.8-percent from three on just 23 attempts leaving room for more in that area.
Lorient understands exactly what Hodge wants out of his forwards and there is obvious trust between the two, considering once he entered into the transfer portal he did so with a no-contact tag. The growth that Lorient showed under Hodge in year one was a significant step forward considering what he had done previously over the course of his two seasons on the floor at Florida Atlantic.
As a sophomore, Lorient was at just 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in just 8.4 minutes per game.
And while Lorient can help develop that culture and understanding on the front end, Floyd can certainly handle the back court after serving as the primary ball handler for the Mean Green last season in his first year with the basketball program.
Floyd has been well-traveled during his time at the college level with previous stops at Fairfield, Hillsborough College and Northwest Florida State College prior to his year with North Texas. But the 6-foot-3 guard quickly embraced his role on both ends for the Mean Green.
Floyd started all 36 games and played almost 30 minutes per contest while averaging 9.0 points, 3.9 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in the process. He led the team in both assists and steals while shooting 42.2-percent from the floor and 34.3-percent from three.
The Florida native has already played the role as the primary ball-handler under Hodge and that experience will be critical to helping his teammates understand the expectations. Essentially, Floyd can serve as another coach on the floor that has the added bonus of already having proven success in what Hodge wants to do.
Both players were considered options to be a fit for the roster as soon as Hodge was tabbed for the job and now both are on their way to Morgantown to make the most of their final seasons.
The chemistry is already there with the pair and Hodge as well as the expectations on what he wants out of his players on both ends. That should help the transition with others that are looking at acclimating to what the Mountaineers are trying to accomplish especially on defense with the no-middle approach.
There won’t be a learning period necessary for either and in the end that is only going to help Hodge in the long run when it comes to what the roster is eventually going to look like by helping to reinforce those standards.
That matters perhaps now more than ever with the massive amount of turnover from year to year so having some pieces that understands the expectations is nothing but a benefit for the Mountaineers.
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