West Virginia Looks to Reset vs. Mississippi Valley State Before Big 12 Gauntlet Begins
After a gut-wrenching 89-88 double-overtime loss to Ohio State, West Virginia is using the brief holiday window to regroup-mentally, physically, and strategically. That loss in Cleveland marked the second time this season the Mountaineers have watched a double-digit second-half lead slip away, the first coming in a narrow defeat to Clemson back in November.
For a team that’s shown flashes of dominance but struggled to close out high-level opponents, this reset couldn’t come at a better time.
Aside from a convincing 71-49 win over rival Pitt, West Virginia hasn’t fared well in non-conference matchups against Power Five competition. Losses to Xavier (78-68), Wake Forest (75-66), and now Ohio State have exposed some cracks that head coach Ross Hodge and his staff are working to seal before Big 12 play kicks off in earnest.
But it’s not all doom and gloom in Morgantown.
Despite surrendering 89 points to the Buckeyes-21 of which came in overtime-the Mountaineers still rank among the nation’s elite in scoring defense, allowing just 60.9 points per game. That puts them fifth nationally, trailing only a handful of defensive juggernauts like Duke and Houston, both top-10 teams in the current AP poll.
Seven times this season, West Virginia has held opponents under 60 points. That’s not just a stat-it’s an identity.
And while the defense has been the team’s backbone, senior guard Honor Huff has been the offensive engine. Huff leads the entire country in both three-pointers made (49) and attempted (117), and he’s second nationally in threes per game (4.08). His efficiency-41.9% from deep-just misses the national top 50, but his volume and impact are undeniable.
Huff is averaging 17.8 points per game and is riding a hot streak, having scored 24 points in three straight contests-including a clutch triple that briefly gave WVU the lead in double OT against Ohio State. He’s hit the 24-point mark four times this season and also poured in 23 in the win over Campbell.
He’s not doing it alone, either.
Chance Moore is averaging 12.3 points per game and added 14 against Ohio State. Brenen Lorient, meanwhile, is quietly becoming one of the Mountaineers’ most efficient weapons.
The big man went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field in the loss to the Buckeyes, finishing with 18 points. That kind of production from the frontcourt gives WVU a much-needed inside-out balance.
Jasper Floyd, a steady senior presence in the backcourt, also chipped in 14 points in that game, while Jackson Fields continues to work his way back into form after missing the first month of the season with a wrist injury. Fields logged a season-high 26 minutes against Ohio State, contributing 7 points and four boards. His return gives West Virginia its full roster for the first time this season-a luxury Hodge hasn’t had until now.
“We’ve tried to do a lot of what we haven’t had a chance to do in the fall, which is practice with our entire team,” Hodge said Thursday. “It’s been finals week, so it’s given us a chance to rest and really focus on ourselves.”
That focus will be put to the test Monday night when West Virginia hosts Mississippi Valley State in its final non-conference tune-up. The Delta Devils, out of the SWAC, are making their third appearance at the Coliseum-the last one coming in 2017 when WVU rolled to an 88-71 win.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET at the WVU Coliseum and will be streamed live on ESPN+. Radio coverage begins an hour earlier on the Mountaineer Sports Network.
After that, it’s straight into the fire. West Virginia opens Big 12 play on Jan. 2 with a road trip to Hilton Coliseum to face undefeated Iowa State, currently ranked No. 4 in the nation.
The Cyclones made headlines earlier this month with a dominant 23-point win over then-No. 1 Purdue in West Lafayette.
That’s the kind of challenge that defines a season. For West Virginia, Monday night is more than just a game-it’s the final dress rehearsal before the curtain rises on conference play. And with the full roster finally intact and Huff shooting the lights out, the Mountaineers are hoping to flip the script as the calendar turns to January.