Jackson Fields' return adds versatility to WVU's deep rotation

Dec. 1—MORGANTOWN — It was a moment that may have gone unnoticed, if it weren't for the one who was taking charge.

Jackson Fields had played all of two minutes in the first half during West Virginia's 70-38 victory against Mercyhurst on Sunday.

He didn't play a single second in the Mountaineers' first seven games of the season, a result of working his way back to full health after wrist surgery over the summer.

Now, it was the second half against the overmatched Lakers. A foul was called. The Mountaineers huddled together.

Fields leaned in. The 6-foot-8 and 225-pound forward, a transfer from Troy, wasn't just listening to his teammates' words of wisdom. Rather, Fields was the one leading the discussion.

"He has a very good voice out there, " was the way WVU head coach Ross Hodge described Fields. "A lot of times, your forwards are your middle linebackers of your defense out there. They're at the back of it, so they can kind of see everything going on."

In his first game in a WVU uniform, Fields finished with nine points in 12 minutes of action. He attempted a 3-pointer. It didn't go in, but the form looked good for a linebacker-sized guy who was a 32 % shooter (47 of 145) from behind the arc in three seasons with the Trojans.

Of his three rebounds, two were on the offensive end. Fields also had a nice handle of the ball, finishing with two assists and no turnovers.

"I got the OK from the coaches last week that I was going to be playing, " Fields said. "I had to get my body right to handle the physicality. Once I knew I was playing, it was, 'let's do it.' "

The eventual plan — maybe it's the immediate one, too — is to have Fields become WVU's first big man off the bench, either subbing in for Brenen Lorient at power forward or Harlan Obioha at center.

The track record is there for that amount of responsibility. Fields averaged 7.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game at Troy last season. Over three seasons there, he started 60 of the 95 games he played with the Trojans. In the NCAA tournament last season, Fields had seven points and seven rebounds in a loss against Kentucky.

That all led up to his transfer to WVU and the opportunity to play for a Power Five Conference team for the first time. Then came the wrist injury and a long wait to get back to action.

"I wouldn't say there was any rust, " Fields said. "I just went out there and just played. I've been playing basketball the past four years at the Division I level. I had to take my time and relax and just play. Whatever happens, happens. It's just basketball."

The addition of Fields gives WVU (6-2) another name to an already deep list of rotation players, but one who gives the Mountaineers some versatility around the rim.

"I thought he finished well around the basket for not playing a game and missed a lot of time, " Hodge said. "He stepped up and made some free throws. He gives you some versatility. He's another good rebounder. For his first time out, he was pretty good."