WVU Steals a Gutsy Road Win in Orlando: Defense, Grit, and a Late Surge Save the Day
Every season has a few of these - games where one team looks completely out of sync for long stretches, yet somehow walks away with the win. West Virginia just pulled off one of those rare, head-scratching, how-did-they-do-that victories on the road against UCF. Down double digits in the second half, shooting ice-cold for most of the game, and struggling to find any rhythm offensively, the Mountaineers still found a way to leave Orlando with a Quad One win that could have real implications come Selection Sunday.
This wasn’t just any road win. This was a gut-check, dig-deep, claw-your-way-back kind of performance - the type that sticks in a team’s memory and locker room culture.
For long stretches, WVU looked lost offensively. But the defense?
The defense kept fighting, kept grinding, and gave the offense just enough time to wake up. And when it did, it caught fire.
A team that couldn’t buy a bucket for 30 minutes suddenly couldn’t miss.
Make no mistake - this was a big one. UCF is hovering around the NCAA Tournament bubble, and WVU just walked into their house and stole a win they had no business pulling off. That’s the kind of result that can swing momentum in a season.
Offensive Identity Still a Work in Progress
Now, let’s not pretend the offensive issues are solved. They’re not.
And they’ve been lingering for a while. What’s striking is the difference between how this team looks during set plays - especially out of timeouts or inbounds - versus the flow of the regular halfcourt offense.
When Ross Hodge and the coaching staff have a chance to draw something up, the results are often crisp, well-executed, and effective. We saw it again in this one: a few beautifully designed plays out of breaks that led to clean looks.
One even resulted in a wide-open layup - only to be wiped out by a questionable illegal screen call. Still, the design and execution were there.
But once the game returns to live action and WVU settles into its regular offensive sets, the movement stalls. There’s too much standing around, too much isolation, and not nearly enough ball movement.
Through the first 26 minutes of the game, WVU had just one assist on 16 made baskets. One.
That’s not just low - that’s historically low. For comparison, UCF had 11 assists on their first 16 makes.
WVU finished with just four assists total, the program’s fewest in a game since 1979.
Even during the late-game surge, it wasn’t about crisp passing or finding the open man. It was players making tough, contested shots in isolation.
Credit to them for hitting those, but that’s not a sustainable offensive model - especially in March. There’s clearly work to do on that end, and don’t be surprised if we see some retooling of the offensive scheme in the offseason.
The Case for More Chance Moore
If there’s one player who brought consistent energy and aggression to the floor, it was Chance Moore. His game isn’t flawless, but he brings a dynamic edge that this team sorely needs - especially on offense.
Moore attacks the rim with purpose, forcing defenses to collapse and opening up potential opportunities for shooters. He’s relentless on the glass, flying in from the perimeter to crash the boards and create second-chance opportunities.
Yes, there are trade-offs. When Moore plays the four or five, WVU sacrifices size.
When he’s at the three, spacing can become an issue. And defensively, he’s still learning - not always the most disciplined, but his length and motor help cover some of that ground.
But when you look at what he brings in transition - which, frankly, has been nearly nonexistent for WVU - it’s hard not to want him out there more. The Mountaineers had just one fast break bucket in this game.
One. And who created it?
Chance Moore, grabbing a rebound and pushing the pace for the only transition score of the night.
In a game where the offense sputtered for most of the afternoon, Moore’s energy and aggression stood out. He’s not a perfect player, but he might be exactly the kind of spark this team needs more of down the stretch.
Bottom Line
This was one of those wins that doesn’t make a ton of sense on paper - and that’s exactly why it matters. WVU showed resilience, grit, and just enough shot-making late to walk away with a signature road win.
The offense still has real issues, and they’re not going away overnight. But for now, the Mountaineers can celebrate a victory that could carry real weight in March.
Sometimes, it’s not about how you start - or even how you play for most of the game. It’s about how you finish. And WVU finished like a team that believes it can still make noise.