MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Nathan Adrian will have to be West Virginias best player if the Mountaineers are going to make a deep March Madness run this season.So far, so good.Adrian had 15 points and 14 rebounds for his first career double-double, helping No. 19 West Virginia cruise past Mississippi Valley State 107-66 on Monday night.Nate just cant get hurt, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said. I dont know what wed do without him. We run everything through him. You watch him and then you watch everybody else, it looks like everybody else has their feet in cement. He wants to win, he wants to do things right.Adrian set a career high for rebounds in this one, and his point total was his highest since getting 16 on Dec. 29, 2013 against William & Mary.Im just listening to coach and what he has to teach me and doing the best I can, the 6-foot-9 forward said. I dont expect to be the leading scorer on the team. It doesnt matter who does. Whoever can score points to help us win the game.The Mountaineers (2-0) were sluggish at first, but after four lead changes in the first two minutes, Adrian and Jevon Carter fueled a 17-0 run that put West Virginia ahead 21-5 at the first media timeout.West Virginia shot 72.7 percent from the free-throw line, a spike from when they made 58.6 percent in their game against Mount St. Marys last Friday. The Mountaineers also scored 34 points off of 26 turnovers Monday.Teyvon Myers and Lamont West scored 12 points for West Virginia, and Carter and Esa Ahmad had 10.For the second straight game, Daxter Miles, Jr. did not see any time on the court.Marcus Romain had 13 points for the Delta Devils (0-2). Its his eleventh straight game in double figures.Him scoring in double figures is a given, Mississippi Valley State coach Andre Payne said. What were concerned about with him is his turnovers. Its two bad games back to back where hes had six turnovers and thats where we got to get him, from turning the ball over so much, because if youre going to have the ball in your hand that much, you got to make good decisions.POLL IMPLICATIONSWest Virginia went up one spot in the AP Top 25 on Monday due to Connecticuts loss to Wagner on Friday. If the Mountaineers can handle New Hampshire on Sunday, they will likely remain at 19 or move up a spot or two depending on what happens above.THE BIG TWELVEA dozen players scored for the Mountaineers, and nine of them got more than 10 minutes on the court. Huggins is showing, once again, how deep West Virginia can be.PRESS VIRGINIAIn the first 20 minutes, the Mountaineers took advantage of the Delta Devils miscues by scoring 26 points off 18 turnovers. They continued that dominance in the second half with another eight points off eight turnovers.BIG PICTUREMississippi Valley State: After losses to two Power 5 schools, the Delta Devils continue their 15-game season-opening road trip which includes stops at No. 13 Michigan State, No. 6 Indiana, No. 14 Gonzaga and No. 20 Iowa State.West Virginia: The Mountaineers start the NIT Season Tip-Off on campus against New Hampshire before going to Brooklyn, New York to face Illinois on Thanksgiving Day.UP NEXTMississippi Valley State plays at Kent State on Wednesday.West Virginia hosts New Hampshire on Sunday. Swell Trinkflasche . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Hydro Flask Schweiz . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. http://www.swellflascheschweiz.ch/ . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Swell Flasche Marmor . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. Swell Flasche Blumen . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. INDIANAPOLIS -- Jeff Gordon always expected to be at this weekends Brickyard 400.The tricky part was figuring out his role.One week after Gordon asked his publicist to delay a long-planned announcement that he would drive the pace car before a race he won five times, the four-time Cup champion returned to the 2.5-mile oval as Dale Earnhardt Jr.s replacement and the top attraction in Sundays race.When (team owner) Rick (Hendrick) said to me, `Are you coming to Indianapolis? I said `Yes I am. I am coming on Saturday, Gordon said. He said, `Well, you better bring your uniform.The improbable comeback takes place just a short drive away from his childhood home of Pittsboro, Indiana, and eight months after his official retirement.Hes back for only one reason: Earnhardt continues to battle concussion-like symptoms and has not yet been cleared by doctors to climb back into the car.When Earnhardt took himself out of the No. 88 last weekend, Hendrick contacted his long-time star who was vacationing in France. Gordon agreed to pinch-hit when he returned. Gordon then texted publicist Jon Edwards, who contacted the speedway 15 minutes before the scheduled announcement.For the Rainbow Warrior, this weeks pace has been every bit as frantic.He flew to New York on Tuesday, then hopped on Hendricks plane, bound for North Carolina as Earnhardt was seeing doctors in Pittsburgh.After landing in Charlotte, Gordon was whisked to team headquarters for a seat fitting. On Wednesday, the day it was announced Earnhardt would miss two more races, Gordon had a physical, applied for drivers credentials and met with crew chief Greg Ives. Gordon spent the rest of the week watching Go-Pro videos, researching data and working in the simulator before practicing Friday. Qualifying will be held Saturday.When he arrived at the track Friday, throngs of fans lined up to catch one more glimpse of Gordon.This is certainly the last thing I thought was going to happen, but I knew it was Indianapolis, Gordon said. I didnt think about it. I felt like if there was one place that I was capable of doing it, it would be here.How much can be expected from a 44-year-old driver who will make his season debut at one of the series fastest tracks and on one of the seasons hottest weekeends? The heat index is expected to hit triple digits Sunday.ddddddddddddAll I can tell you is that I have done everything I possibly can over the last three days to get ready for this race the best way that I can, he said.Gordon is the only five-time Brickyard winner and can become the first driver to ever win six times at Indy.Hes not eligible to make the Chase -- even with a win -- because he hasnt competed in enough races. But if the No. 88 car makes NASCARs playoffs and Earnhardt is not cleared to drive, Hendrick could keep Gordon, who kept the door open to running more races if needed.Earnhardts recovery appears to be progressing, though.Today is the 1st day in many that I sensed improvement, he wrote Friday on Twitter. Seen small gains during my physical therapy as well. Light at the end of the tunnel.Earnhardt also missed two races in 2012 with a concussion, causing some concern about the future plans of the series most popular driver. Hendrick said he has discussed a contract extension beyond next season but would rather see Earnhardt focus on getting healthy right now.Until then, other drivers expect Gordon to be an immediate factor.He could win it (Sunday) and surprise us, defending winner Kyle Busch said. I think realistically, hell be top 10.Its not the first time Gordon was approached this season about making a return, either.He also said he was asked to fill in for the injured Tony Stewart in February at Daytona. Gordon, who was with Stewart when he was injured riding an off-road vehicle, declined the invite because of his commitment to work on Fox Sports broadcast.I would have been all for it, Stewart said with a smile. I mean the least he could have done is, he broke my back, the least he could have done is drive for me.Gordon also acknowledged it will be strange to race against Chase Elliott, who took over in Gordons familiar No. 24 car after the 2015 season finale at Homestead.But for now, hell put the pace-car driving duties on hold as he tries to win for the 94th time in his career.Really, this is just me helping out the organization, Gordon said. We will see what happens on Sunday. ' ' '