West Virginia left little doubt in its final tune-up before the regular season, rolling past Wheeling 98-55 on Wednesday night in the Mountaineers’ third and final exhibition game ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
The early story belonged to Joson Sanon. The St.
John’s transfer guard came out firing, burying three straight 3-pointers to give WVU an immediate cushion. That was an encouraging sign for Ross Hodge, especially with Sanon back on the floor after missing the previous exhibition against Glenville State because of a thigh bruise.
He had a couple of other clean looks that didn’t fall, but his shot and movement both looked like themselves.
Wheeling managed to keep things from getting out of hand in the first half for a stretch, helped in part by a West Virginia shooting slump that saw the Mountaineers miss nine consecutive shots before Finley Bizjack finally knocked down a 3 to snap an almost eight-minute drought. Even so, WVU still carried a 45-28 lead into halftime.
The Cardinals briefly pushed back after the Mountaineers opened with a 6-0 run, responding with a 7-2 burst that prompted Hodge to use a timeout. That pause settled West Virginia in fast. Miles Sadler and Bizjack each scored seven points during the stretch that fueled a 29-9 run and put the game firmly under control.
West Virginia turned heavily to its bench around the 8-minute mark, with center Aliou Dioum and guards Alex Olejasz and Keonte Greybear entering the game. Dioum threw down a dunk around the 5:30 mark, then picked up a technical for hanging on the rim. Hodge immediately came onto the court and got in Dioum’s face to make his displeasure clear, a scene that brought to mind Bob Huggins going after Daxter Miles Jr. a decade ago for the same thing.
Greybear also made his presence felt, drilling a pair of 3s and converting an and-1 chance from the top of the key. If he keeps making the most of his opportunities in non-conference play, he could work his way into the rotation later this season.
Five Mountaineers finished in double figures, with Miles Sadler leading the way with 15 points. Finley Bizjack added 14, while Mouhamed Sylla, Joson Sanon and Keonte Greybear each scored 11.
West Virginia opens the regular season on Monday, November 2nd, at 7 p.m. against Niagara.
In Other News...
WVUs Offense Has Two Stars But One Big Stretch-Run Concern
West Virginias offense has leaned heavily on a pair of stars through the bye week, and the numbers help explain why the unit has looked so dangerous at times. Quarterback Mike Hawkins Jr. has played at an elite level, while running back Cam Cook has been one of the most productive backs in the country, ranking third nationally in rushing yards. The rest of the offense has been a mixed bag by comparison, with the articles grades and snap counts showing a group that has delivered enough support to keep the Mountaineers moving, but not always with the same week-to-week consistency.
The stretch run will be about whether West Virginia can get more from the pieces around those two difference-makers. The bye week gives the staff a chance to reset, evaluate where the offense has been strong and where the weak spots have shown up, and then decide what changes might help as the season resumes. For a team with obvious firepower at quarterback and running back, the bigger question is whether the supporting cast can rise enough to keep the offense from becoming too dependent on Hawkins and Cook. [Read more 🡒]
WVUs November Gauntlet Will Decide Whether This Season Becomes More
West Virginias path to a bigger finish this season is about to get a lot clearer, and a lot harder. At 5-3, the Mountaineers have put themselves in position to make the final month matter, but the schedule ahead brings three ranked opponents into the mix and leaves little room for a slip if they want to turn a solid season into something more meaningful.
ESPNs FPI matchup predictor does not exactly make the road look inviting in the final four games, and the numbers reflect what the eye test already suggests about the challenges ahead. The good news for West Virginia is that the season is still sitting on a knifes edge, which means November can still push this group toward a strong finish. The bad news is that the margin for error shrinks quickly when the opposition gets this steep. [Read more 🡒]
West Virginia May Have A Star QB It Can't Take For Granted
Mike Hawkins Jr. has been one of the biggest reasons West Virginias offense has looked dangerous this fall. The Mountaineers quarterback is drawing national attention for production that goes well beyond the box score, sitting ninth among quarterbacks in PFF grades while piling up efficiency marks that separate the truly productive passers from the merely busy ones.
Hawkins has also given West Virginia a rare blend of explosiveness and restraint, leading the nation in rushing touchdowns while ranking near the top in yards per completion and adjusted yards per pass attempt. The deeper concern for the Mountaineers is how much of that growth has come from a quarterback who is making difficult throws, creating chunk plays and limiting mistakes despite a completion rate shaped by aggressive downfield attempts and a few too many drops around him. [Read more 🡒]