West Virginia pulled off a gutsy comeback on Thursday night, rallying from 14 points down to edge Cincinnati 59-54 and complete the regular-season sweep over the Bearcats. It wasn’t pretty early, but the Mountaineers found their fight in the second half-and a few key players stepped up when it mattered most.
Head coach Ross Hodge didn’t sugarcoat things when he spoke postgame. “Everything, if we’re being honest,” he said about the first half.
And he wasn’t wrong-WVU came out flat, struggled to execute the scouting report, and looked out of sync offensively. It was a sluggish start that’s become a bit too familiar for this squad, and Hodge admitted as much.
“We’ve talked a lot about our starts… maybe I don’t need to talk about it,” he added, hinting at some frustration with the recurring issue.
But the second half told a different story.
Honor Huff’s shot-making lit the spark. He found his rhythm when WVU needed it most, knocking down key buckets that helped swing momentum back in the Mountaineers’ favor. Huff’s performance will grab the headlines-and rightfully so-but he wasn’t the only one who made a difference.
Amir Jenkins turned in what Hodge called his “best defensive game in a West Virginia uniform.” That’s no small praise.
Jenkins stepped up in a big way on the defensive end, especially down the stretch, taking over some of the tough assignments usually handled by Jasper Floyd. Jenkins’ grit and energy helped WVU lock down a Bearcats offense that had been rolling early.
And Hodge didn’t shy away from owning a past mistake when it came to Jenkins. “He should’ve been in the game more in the second half [against Baylor].
That’s a coaching mistake and nobody’s fault but mine,” Hodge admitted. But what impressed him most was Jenkins’ response.
“He never complained about it. And then he got in and made plays [tonight].”
That kind of resilience and buy-in from a player speaks volumes-not just about Jenkins, but about the culture Hodge is trying to build.
Before the game, Hodge told his team it was going to be a battle. Cincinnati came in 11-2 at home for a reason-the Bearcats defend, they’re physical, and they make you earn everything.
“You have to embrace that,” Hodge said. And West Virginia did.
They didn’t back down, even when the game looked like it might slip away in the first half.
This win wasn’t just about erasing a double-digit deficit or sweeping a conference opponent. It was about toughness, accountability, and finding answers in the middle of the storm. It’s the kind of win that can galvanize a team down the stretch-and with performances like this, WVU is showing it’s not done fighting yet.