MORGANTOWN – It might be a good idea to keep an eye on Robert Sands this year. Opposing offensive coordinators certainly will be looking out for him.

Last year as a sophomore, West Virginia’s 6-foot-5-inch free safety produced five interceptions, broke up eight passes and made 65 tackles. His performance in the Pitt game when he picked off a pass, broke up three more and was in on seven tackles had pro scouts up in the press box writing furiously in their notebooks.

MORGANTOWN - When Da'Sean Butler went crashing to the Lucas Oil Stadium court in a heap Saturday night, chances are he saw his basketball career flash before his eyes.

All that work - the sweat and toil and commitment it took to get to that point - and less than nine minutes from the end of his college career (and thus the beginning of what he still hopes will be a professional career) it was all placed in jeopardy by a blown left knee.

MORGANTOWN - As a general rule, you can probably disregard anything that follows a player or a coach saying, "If the season were to start tomorrow..." because rarely does the season start the next day.

There are exceptions, of course, and occasions when that must be taken into consideration. Sometimes it actually is said on the eve of the regular season. Other times it's just profound enough that it's not to be dismissed, which leads to West Virginia Coach Bill Stewart.

MORGANTOWN - Da'Sean Butler played more basketball for West Virginia than any player in history.

He scored more points than anyone not named Jerry or Hot Rod and might well have had more game-winning shots in the span of just three months than anyone, even the aforementioned West and Hundley, had in their careers.

MORGANTOWN - At some point during West Virginia's four weeks of spring football practice that begin today, someone will no doubt preface a question about personnel to Mountaineer coach Bill Stewart by saying, "If the season were to start today ...''

And if Stewart were entirely truthful, his answer - no matter the specifics of the question - would be succinct.

"We'd be in a world of trouble,'' he would have no alternative but to answer.

INDIANAPOLIS - If the image one takes away from this season's West Virginia team comes from Saturday night's 78-57 Final Four rout at the hands of Duke, it's understandable.

The final image is usually what sticks. In this case, though, allowing that image to override the others would also stink.

For the Mountaineers' climb was one to remember. Yes, Saturday night's performance was one to forget.

INDIANAPOLIS - There could be as many as eight one-and-doners in the first round of the June NBA draft, freshmen who - generally because it is a prerequisite - used the college game as a brief stopover before becoming eligible to play for pay.

There will likely be four upperclassmen - and we use the term loosely to include gray-bearded sophomores in the mix - who will be taken among the Top 10 picks.

INDIANAPOLIS - It's been 18 years since Bob Huggins was in a Final Four and he'll return to his game's greatest stage in Saturday's 8:47 p.m. game against Duke at Lucas Oil Stadium.

A younger man with a sophisticated wardrobe at a different school back then, Huggins insists other things haven't changed dramatically since.

"I don't think I'm a whole lot different," he said. "Obviously I'm older. Hopefully, as you get older and you experience a lot of things, you get smarter. Other than that, I don't know."

BEFORE HEADING off to Indy for the Final Four ...

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - West Virginia is headed to the Final Four. And for that they can thank ...

Joe Mazzulla? Indeed.

The little backup point guard, a virtual non-threat offensively all season, scored 17 points and helped the Mountaineers build an insurmountable second half lead over Kentucky Saturday night. And that was enough to allow No. 6 West Virginia to knock off talent-laden No. 2 Kentucky 73-66 in the East Regional championship in front of 22,497 at the Carrier Dome.