West Virginia’s basketball stock is climbing before the season even tips.
The Mountaineers landed at No. 41 in KenPom’s preseason ratings, a sign that Ross Hodge’s first roster at WVU has drawn real respect nationally. That number comes after a busy offseason in the transfer portal and the arrival of the highest-rated freshman class in program history, giving the Mountaineers a much different look heading into the new year.
For comparison, West Virginia opened last season at No. 67 in KenPom and finished at No. 55. This preseason ranking marks a 26-spot jump from that starting point, and it reflects the expectation that this group has more to work with on both ends of the floor.
KenPom’s Big 12 numbers put WVU in a crowded middle tier behind programs like Houston, Arizona, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech, Cincinnati, BYU and Baylor. The Mountaineers slot in at No. 41, ahead of Oklahoma State, TCU, UCF, Arizona State, Utah, Colorado and Kansas State.
Hodge hasn’t hidden the fact that he likes the balance of this team, especially when it comes to depth.
“Could (have more depth)," he stated. "I have a lot of confidence in everybody on the roster, so you certainly could.
Not so much a straight line from depth to that, but I think it’s just the strengths of this group; it doesn’t take long to see the differences in that regard. Some of it is natural.
It wasn’t something that you set out to do, but I do like our depth. I do think we have multiple ways to play, and the more ways you can play to win games, the better it is for you.”
That depth starts to show in the backcourt, where Amir Jenkins is still coming back. Once he’s available, WVU expects to have three point guards it trusts: Jenkins, Sadler and Florida State transfer Martin Somerville.
The front line looks deeper too. Brenen Lorient handled a heavy load a year ago, and now Javan Buchanan gives the Mountaineers another option - one who could have started in plenty of places. At center, West Virginia had mostly relied on Harlan Obioha last season, but that role now appears to be spread across Mo Sylla, Amadou Seini and Aliou Dioum.
West Virginia will get its first exhibition test on Sunday against Maryland, and that will offer the first real look at how all of these pieces fit together. For now, though, the early signs are clear: there’s plenty of belief around this team.
In Other News...
Rich Rodriguez Sends A Clear Message To WVU's Struggling Defense
West Virginias defense has put Rich Rodriguez in a familiar spot lately, and not in a good way. After the Mountaineers gave up too much yardage and too many points in recent conference games, Rodriguez made it clear he expects more, saying the unit has to get better as the season goes on through coaching, adjustments in personnel and a sharper attention to fundamentals.
Rodriguez and his staff have already spent plenty of time digging through game film, and the next step looks like changes in the defensive backfield. For a team trying to steady itself in conference play, the message is less about panic than urgency, with the Mountaineers coaching staff looking for answers before the problems on that side of the ball become even harder to fix. [Read more 🡒]
WVU Fans Can Now Lock In Seats Before Key Games Fill Up
West Virginia fans who have been waiting to plan their winter around basketball now have a fresh chance to get in early. Single-game tickets for all WVU womens home games are on sale to the general public, and mens basketball has opened up nonconference single-game options along with Big 12 mini packs, giving supporters a few different ways to lock in seats before the busiest dates arrive.
The mens Pick Your Own mini packages let fans choose from a set of specified opponents, with pricing starting at $90 for a three-game package and $125 for a five-game plan. On the womens side, general admission begins at $12, with additional pricing tiers and Coca-Cola Family Day ticket packages also available, making this a practical entry point for fans who want more than just one marquee night on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia Faces A Tough Mirror Matchup Against Cincinnati
Saturdays matchup has the feel of a stylistic test as much as a Big 12 game, with Cincinnati and West Virginia both leaning into the run. Scott Satterfield pointed to the overlap between the two offenses this week, noting how much both teams want to establish the ground game and use mobility at quarterback to stress defenses. He also singled out Cam Cook and West Virginias quarterback as part of a group that can make a defense work for every stop.
For the Mountaineers, the challenge is being on the other side of the same kind of pressure they try to create. Satterfield described West Virginias offensive line as physical and said defending a team built around a mobile quarterback and a strong run game is never simple. In a game with two teams so similar in approach, small edges up front and in open-field tackling could end up deciding which side gets to dictate the pace. [Read more 🡒]