Murray Puts Together A Pair Of Solid Games - WVU Football, WVU Basketball, News - Mountaineer Sports

West Virginia University Center Aaric Murray had a great week. It began with him sitting back in Morgantown while his team returned from a loss to then No. 3 Michigan in Brooklyn, New York.

Murray was late to practice, which led to his absence in Brooklyn.

"I definitely learned my lesson from a mistake," Murray said. "I wouldn't want to do that again."

Murray made the choice not to let that happen again. He became a better listener in practice and started executing more consistently.

It carried over into the game against Oakland where Murray racked up a double-double. He scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked five shots and dished out four assists.

Murray backed up that performance with another solid outing against Radford. Murray scored 23 points, grabbed eight rebounds and once again dished our four assists.

"I think it just comes with being in shape and just being physically and mentally ready when you come out there on the court," Murray stated. "I think it translated from working hard in practice."

"Aaric has been great for us," Guard Juwan Staten said. "As long as he continues to be hungry, he's been in the gym early every day shooting the ball. He has been real enthusiastic in practice. As long as he continues to do that, the sky is the limit for him."

Murray's boxscore certainly looks more appealing than it did prior to the incident that kept him home against Michigan. His teammates have also noticed a difference in his attitude in the past week.

"I hang around Aaric a lot on the court and off of it," Staten stated. "I have seen a difference. I think it was a wake-up call to let him know Huggs was not playing. Since then he has changed his whole attitude and his whole work ethic and that has worked for the best."

Murray is letting the flow of the game find him and it is working well. That includes defensively, where he is using his 6-foot-10 frame and the corresponding wingspan to be a key contributor in the success of the 1-3-1 defense.

Murray has averaged 17 points, nine rebounds and four assists over the past two games. The Mountaineers will need that kind of contribution to continue if they hope to keep the winning feeling going into next week's games against Eastern Kentucky and Oklahoma.