SAN DIEGO — Receiving a scholarship last summer no longer represents the highlight of Logan Routt’s college career. It was usurped Friday by his fast-beak dunk that punctuated West Virginia’s NCAA tournament win over Murray State.
The former walk-on, not exactly revered for his mobility, became a 6-foot-11 target for Jevon Carter, who eschewed his own layup opportunity to feed Routt for the flush.
As his teammates erupted, Routt celebrated with a raise-the-roof gesture that he mimicked from Larry Nance Jr.
“That’s my guy, one of my best friends, and seeing him hoop like that is awesome,” said freshman Teddy Allen.
Routt was trailing the play after Carter swiped a steal from Jonathan Stark.
“I thought JC was gonna shoot, so I was running to rebound,” he said.
Carter had six assists and enjoyed this one most: “He was running hard so I had to reward him.”
Routt played 16 minutes, finishing 3-of-3 from the floor for a career-best seven points. He also had four rebounds, complementing the 14 points and seven rebounds rom starting center Sagaba Konate.
“We’ve already got a top-tier center in the country, so if our backup center is balling like that, we’re tough to beat,” Allen said.
Assistant Erik Martin, who works with the Mountaineers’ big men, mentioned after last season that Routt could move in line for meaningful minutes. After the staff placed Routt on scholarship last summer, he has gained trust and a spot in the rotation.
“Hell, he should be improved, because he’s got to go against Sags every day,” said Martin. In the dunk’s aftermath, he tried to calm the players on the bench, all the while tempering his own excitement. “It’s one thing to sprint to the middle of the floor, but It’s another thing to catch the ball and be able to finish.”
Routt has appeared in 28 games, averaging nearly 9 minutes and shooting 62 percent. He played double-digit minutes for the 11th time this season.
“My role is not really to score, so if I do, it’s definitely a bonus to the team,” the sophomore from Cameron, W.Va. said. “And if I can bring energy like I did tonight, it’s a big plus.”
West Virginia finished plus-14 with Routt on the floor.
“Even when I get frustrated with him, I know he’s giving me everything he has,” Martin said. “He never says anything back. You’re happy for that kid to have a game like this on national TV.”
Mum on Hunter
West Virginia coach Bob Huggins declined to update the status of junior forward D’Angelo Hunter, who did not accompany the team to the NCAA tournament.
“He’s not here,” Huggins said.
Asked about the potential for Hunter’s reinstatement, Huggins repeated, “He’s not here.”
MetroNews confirmed Thursday that Hunter did not make the flight to San Diego, a day after a series of tweets lambasting the coaching staff appeared on his father’s Twitter account.
With the Mountaineers facing personnel moves in order to meet next season’s scholarship limit, Hunter already was a candidate for attrition.