West Virginia has opened the season the way it wanted, and now the Mountaineers get another chance to keep that roll going Thursday night at home against Mercer in Morgantown, W.Va.
The Mountaineers are 2-0 after hammering Stetson 91-53 at home last Friday, a game in which four West Virginia players finished in double figures. That kind of balance has been the early story for Ross Hodge’s group, and he expects it to keep showing up.
"This is going to be a strength-in-numbers type of team," coach Ross Hodge said. "You know, it really is. It can be a different guy, a lot of different nights, and that's just that's where the heart has to be centered of the group is around that, and it is."
Miles Sadler has been at the center of plenty already. He enters the matchup ranked fourth in the Big 12 in assists at 7.5 per game, seventh in scoring at 20.5 points per game, and tied for 10th in steals at 2.0 per game.
Finley Bizjack, a transfer guard, is also giving West Virginia a steady scoring punch as the team’s third-leading scorer at 12 points per game.
Mercer arrives after a wild one of its own, a 97-91 overtime win at Georgia Southern on Tuesday. Quinton Perkins II led the Bears with 23 points in that game, helping Mercer improve to 2-2 and to 1-2 on its five-game road trip.
The Bears have spread the scoring around, with five players averaging double figures. Perkins leads that group at 16.3 points per game.
Makoi Mabor Makoi also turned in a big night against Georgia Southern, recording the first double-double of his college career. He finished with career highs of 15 points and 12 rebounds and matched his career best with two blocks.
In Other News...
West Virginia Has One Lineup Call That Still Matters Vs Kansas
West Virginias weekly availability report leaves the Mountaineers with a little more clarity heading into Kansas, even if the picture is not completely clean. Tight end Cam Ball and offensive lineman Lamarcus Dillard are out, while quarterback Jyron Hughley and safety Jacob Bradford are expected to be available, giving the staff a better sense of what it can count on as it finalizes the game plan.
Kansas has its own issues to manage, with offensive lineman Connor Stroh and quarterback Cole Ballard unavailable. Amir Herring and Chase Jenkins are the names to watch as potential replacements, and that kind of shuffle can ripple through both protection and execution, which is why West Virginias remaining lineup decision still carries some weight as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Former Mountaineer Trey Lathan Is Still Giving WVU Fans A Reason To Smile
Trey Lathan may be wearing Kansas colors now, but the former West Virginia linebacker is still finding a way to connect with Mountaineer fans through something bigger than football. This season, he pledged to donate $50 for every tackle he makes to Miami Childrens Hospital and WVU Medicine Golisano Childrens Hospital, a gesture rooted in his familys experiences and one he has already taken beyond the checkbook by visiting the hospitals with teammates.
Coming into the game against West Virginia, Lathan has piled up 62 tackles, which has translated into $6,200 for Miami Childrens Hospital and $3,100 for WVU Medicine Golisano Childrens Hospital. It is the kind of off-field story that resonates in Morgantown, where Lathans time in the program still matters and where his latest chapter has given fans another reason to pull for him, even if the jersey has changed. [Read more 🡒]
Bachmeiers Holy War Slide Just Raised A Bigger BYU Question
Week 10 in the Big 12 kept the quarterback conversation moving fast, with Noah Fifita rescuing Arizona late and Thomas Castellanos turning in a strong outing for Texas Tech. The weekend also helped set the table for a busy Week 11 slate, where several notable matchups will put more pressure on the leagues passers, including Michael Hawkins Jr., Isaiah Marshall and Devon Dampier.
For West Virginia fans, the bigger picture is the conference-wide pecking order at quarterback, and the latest rankings reflect how quickly that can shift from one week to the next. The top eight entering Week 11 are being shaped by recent production and overall impact, which means every snap in the coming games matters for anyone trying to climb the list or hold position. [Read more 🡒]