West Virginia Rolls Past Mississippi Valley State, Wraps Nonconference Slate with Convincing Win
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginia closed out its nonconference schedule in emphatic fashion Monday night, cruising to an 86-51 win over Mississippi Valley State at Hope Coliseum. From the opening tip, the Mountaineers set the tone and never looked back.
Senior wing Treysen Eaglestaff led the charge with a season-high-tying 23 points, showcasing the kind of offensive rhythm that makes him a key piece for this team heading into Big 12 play. Eaglestaff was dialed in from the field, hitting 9 of his 16 shots, including 4 triples on 10 attempts. But it wasn’t just his scoring that stood out - he also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out three assists, putting together one of his most complete performances of the season.
Eaglestaff wasn’t alone in lighting up the scoreboard. West Virginia had five players in double figures, a testament to the team’s depth and ball movement. Senior guard Honor Huff poured in 13 points, knocking down four threes of his own, while 7-footer Harlan Obioha added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, controlling the paint on both ends.
The freshmen duo of DJ Thomas and Amir Jenkins made their presence felt off the bench, combining for 21 points - 11 for Thomas and 10 for Jenkins. Their energy and production gave the Mountaineers a noticeable lift in the first half, helping create the kind of separation that allowed West Virginia to control the game comfortably.
“We really settled in midway through the first half,” head coach Ross Hodge said postgame. “Moved the ball well, got good looks, and made shots.
DJ and Amir gave us a huge spark early - that’s where the separation started. It was great to see what those guys are made of.”
From a numbers standpoint, West Virginia was sharp. The Mountaineers scored on nearly 64% of their possessions (37 of 58), a mark that speaks to their efficiency and execution. Defensively, they were just as locked in, holding the Delta Devils to 24 scores on 57 possessions - the eighth time this season WVU has held an opponent to 60 points or fewer.
The Mountaineers shot 53.1% from the field (30-of-56) and connected on 12-of-27 from beyond the arc. That kind of shooting, paired with a season-low five turnovers, made for one of their cleaner performances of the year.
On the other side, Mississippi Valley State struggled to find answers. Michael James was the lone bright spot, finishing with 14 points - the only Delta Devil to reach double figures.
West Virginia played this one without senior Chance Moore, who was held out for precautionary reasons, according to Coach Hodge.
Beyond the box score, Hodge made a point to shout out the home crowd - 10,234 strong - who showed up big despite students being away for the holidays.
“The crowd was tremendous,” Hodge said. “With everything going on and it being Christmas break, that kind of support means a lot. That’s what makes this place special.”
Now sitting at 9-4, West Virginia heads into a brief Christmas break before returning to campus on Dec. 27 to begin preparations for a major early-season test: a Big 12 opener on the road at undefeated, third-ranked Iowa State on Jan. 2. The Cyclones, currently 12-0, have one final nonconference matchup on Dec. 29 against Houston Christian before the conference gauntlet begins.
For West Virginia, the tune-ups are over. The real grind starts in Ames.