West Virginia

Nate Smith, a speedy wide receiver and defensive back, is set to become the sixth member of Archbishop Wood's senior class to make an oral commitment to a Division I-A football program. Tuesday, in a 1:30 p.m. conference in the Warminster school's auditorium, the 6-foot, 190-pounder is expected to announce his decision to play for West Virginia, according to sources. Smith, projected as a defensive back in college, also considered Temple, believed to be the runnerup for his services; Michigan State; South Carolina; and Toledo, among others.

Rasheed Marshall rushed for 110 yards and threw a touchdown pass and Mike Lorello had two interceptions, leading West Virginia to a 31-19 victory last night over Connecticut in the Mountaineers' Big East opener. Marshall repeatedly rescued an offense that sputtered for almost three quarters. With leading rusher Kay-Jay Harris sidelined with injuries, Marshall and Jayson Colson kept the 17th-ranked Mountaineers' ground game going, racking up 309 yards rushing. Colson finished with 111 yards and one TD. West Virginia (5-1, 1-0)

Rutgers, which is ranked No. 23 but has some idea of showing up in Atlanta for the NCAA Women's Final Four, maintained its focus last night. The Scarlet Knights handled West Virginia, 65-50, in a Big East Conference basketball game at the Louis Brown Athletic Center. By halftime, Rutgers (15-5 overall, 8-2 Big East) had a solid hold on the game at 33-18. Its lead grew by as many as 23 points in the second half before shrinking to 12 twice. But each time the game got closer in the final five minutes, the Scarlet Knights had answers.

One by one, they took the door marked "Exit" from the Big East tournament. First went Miami and, with it, any hope that the conference would get a fifth team in the NCAA tournament. Then went 22d-ranked West Virginia, now entering the postseason on a three-game skid. As a result, for your television viewing enjoyment this afternoon, the Big East tournament will bring you a quarterfinal game matching its bottom two seeds - No. 12 Rutgers and No. 13 Georgetown. Parity? Mediocrity?

St. Joseph's coach Jim Boyle thought 11th-ranked West Virginia was ripe for an upset last night. But all Boyle got was another loss in this increasingly frustrating season. West Virginia (23-2), the winner of 22 consecutive games, overcame a slow and sloppy first half to beat the Hawks, 65-50. St. Joseph's is now 6-19 overall and 3-13 in the Atlantic 10. The Mountaineers, 16-0 in the conference, clinched the league's regular-season title with the win. "The setting was perfect," Boyle said.

Almost heaven, West Virginia. Those are the words of John Denver, not The Wall Street Journal. The Journal, in a front-page story three weeks ago, painted a decidedly unflattering picture of the state. "State of Despair," one deck of the headline reads. "West Virginia, Mired In Poverty, Corruption, Battles a Deep Gloom . . . Scenic Riches Don't Make Up For Low Pay, Bad Schools, So Its People Flee the Hills. " There is no denying West Virginia's physical beauty. The state's mountains are, as Denver sings, almost heaven.

Dalton Pepper, the Pennsylvania AAAA High School Player of the year in 2008-09, is going to transfer from West Virginia, according to his high school coach. Temple, which was the runner-up to WVU when the Pennsbury High grad picked a college, might well be his destination. But nothing can happen until WVU officially grants Pepper his release. That has not yet happened. "He has to give an official letter requesting [his release] to West Virginia which he will probably do [today]

"Why aren't you doing more?" That's what West Virginia defensive tackle John Thornton asked Randy Moss out on the field, taunting him. That's what Moss will hear a lot now. The Marshall star has been hyped as the best wide receiver to come along in a decade. The best this state ever has produced. The best player not in the NFL. He has caught a touchdown pass in every college game he has played. Now he has played in a game that will be remembered for a long time in West Virginia.

Christal Caldwell scored 16 points and Asya Bussie had a double-double as West Virginia beat another ranked team this week, defeating No. 21 Rutgers, 60-50, on Wednesday night in Morgantown, W.Va. The Mountaineers (19-6, 9-3 Big East Conference) beat No. 2 Notre Dame, 65-63, on Sunday. Bussie finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Rutgers (17-7, 6-6) led by 48-47 with 4 minutes, 41 seconds left but West Virginia closed on a 12-3 run to seal the win. Temple 75, George Washington 54 - Fueled by 64 percent shooting, the Owls (17-8, 10-1 A-10)

Wellington Smith scored 17 of his career-high 19 points in the second half and No. 6 West Virginia used a huge rebounding edge and a big helping of second-half three-pointers to beat No. 15 Mississippi, 76-66, last night. Devin Ebanks added 14 points and 13 rebounds and Kevin Jones had 12 points for host West Virginia (9-0), which is off to its best start since the 2004-05 team started 10-0 under a much softer schedule. Facing a ranked opponent for the first time this season, West Virginia shot 60 percent (18-for- 30)