HUGGSTOWN - Make no mistake about it. This is Bob Huggins' town. This is Bob Huggins' school. This is almost Bob Huggins' team.
When he gets it there, watch out.
Both on and off the court, Huggins has put his stamp on West Virginia's men's basketball program in a relatively short amount of time, ratcheting up both the defensive intensity and the rock concert-like feel to the experience of watching a game.
Go to one this season, where they've already eclipsed the school record for season ticket sales (more than 7,000) and you'll feel like you're in a different place. Before the red carpet is rolled out - a rare holdover from years past - a video of some of the great moments in WVU basketball history is played on a scoreboard that is at least twice the size as the one that hovered above the court 12 months ago.
It's bright, loud, and cold-chill inducing. There are clips featuring Jerry West, Hot Rod Hundley, Huggins, Jarrod West's bank shot that beat Huggins' Bearcats in the second round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament, Kevin Pittsnogle and the sign - ''You've been Pittsnogled'' - a jersey-picking Mike Gansey dashing off the court after an upset, and it ends with a thunderous Joe Alexander dunk.
There is also CBS college basketball announcer Clark Kellogg - an Ohio State alum - saying, ''Welcome to Huggstown.''
This guy can get anybody to do anything.
Then the lights go down, the blue and gold spotlights come out, and they bring on the Mountaineers!
''I think (Director of Marketing) Matt Wells and his crew have certainly done a good job with the introductions and things,'' Huggins said. ''And I think everybody understands that it's needed, so we're working at trying to make it that way.
''I looked over at the student section and they were there early. A bunch of them were there at a quarter after 5. And I think that's a great sign. Looking up there, that was a great turnout from our students.''
It wasn't just the students.
More than 10,000 fans showed up to see the differences on the court the second-largest crowd in the history of the building for a November game - as Huggins brought in a recruiting class with the skill levels to match the decibel levels.
''They're not your usual freshmen,'' forward Da'Sean Butler said of Darryl ''Truck'' Bryant, Kevin Jones, and Devin Ebanks.
Bryant called it a good atmosphere, and he's someone who is used to the big stage, having played for the New York City Gauchos on the AAU circuit, where the competition extends nationwide. In high school, he surpassed the totals of Allan Ray and Julius Hodge to become St. Raymond's all-time leading scorer.
Huggins has already signed three studs for next season, including some much-needed bulk down low. Danny Jennings, a 6-foot-8, 255-pound forward out of St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, Conn., has joined Deniz Kilicli, a 6-9, 260-pound forward at Mountain State Academy in Beckley, and Dalton Pepper, a 6-5, 215-pound shooting guard out of Pennsbury High in Pa., as next season's signees.
They're all rated inside the top 30 nationally at their respective positions.
''I think we're starting to get there,'' Huggins said. ''I want this to be if not the premier program in the country, at least one of the premier programs in the country. Think of the premier programs - the ones that stay there year in and year out - they have tremendous support. I think we do have tremendous support. It's great to have a turnout like that this early; it's great to have the students up there. The students make it fun. We've talking about making it fan friendly, and I think we're working at it.''
Earlier in the week, Huggins raised some eyebrows while speaking to some service organizations in Fairmont, commenting on the slow development of the fundraising for a purposed practice facility among other things, including making the experience more fan friendly.
In today's cutthroat recruiting world, that practice facility is a must. Huggins hasn't won 617 career games because he's patient and adjusted to someone else's timetable. There's no reason to think he's going to now. So enjoy the show, it's louder and faster already. Next season, it'll be bigger.
Jim Elliott can be reached via e-mail at: Elliott@theintelligencer.net.