My official game-by-game predictions for WVU Hoops

It’s officially time for basketball. Chris recently released his EerSports Basketball Preview, but now it’s time for me to take a look at the schedule and give my game-by-game predictions. How will the Mountaineers fare this season? Let’s dive right in.

Nov 4 vs. Robert Morris – W (1-0)

Robert is not just a mid-major, they’re a bad mid-major.

Nov 8 vs. UMass – W (2-0)

Unlike UMass, who’s in a multi-bid A10 league and will win some games this year. But WVU will win this one at home. It could absolutely be close.

Nov 15 @ Pittsburgh – W (3-0)

I’m not sold on Pitt this year… the roster has a really good young guard in Jaland Lowe but the overall talent elsewhere is lacking. A bubble team that lost a top-15 draft pick as well as All-ACC guard Blake Hinson might not even replicate that level of success (I still think they might).

Nov 20 vs Iona – W (4-0)

Iona was good under Rick Pitino, but since he left for St. John’s, the Gaels fallen back to mediocrity in the MAAC. Tobin Anderson, the second-year head coach, was the man who lead FDU to the historic win over Purdue, though. Watch out.

Nov 27 – Battle 4 Atlantis – L, W, L (5-2)

Gonzaga will be a tough one to win, and I expect the Mountaineers to look competitive and split the other contests. 0-3 is a possibility here, though, depending on matchups.

Dec 6 vs Georgetown – W (6-2)

Ed Cooley and Georgetown brought in some good transfers this offseason, but I still think they’re a year away from the NCAA tournament. Both teams have a lot of talented guards but questionable frontcourts. Home court advantage wins out.

Dec 10 vs NC Central – W (7-2)

The start of three straight wins over mid-major competition begins on December 10th.

Dec 14 vs. Bethune-Cookman – W (8-2)

Bethune-Cookman’s preseason KenPom rating is No. 304. Not great.

Dec 22 vs Mercyhurst – W (9-2)

But that’s still better than Mercyhurst, who comes in at No. 356. Charleston, the D2 school the Mountaineers played in the exhibition contest, will be better than Mercyhurst this season.

Dec 31 @ Kansas – L (9-3, 0-1)

Welcome to Big 12 play… with a brick wall. One of the toughest games on the schedule ends the way most people think it will.

Jan 4 vs Oklahoma State – W (10-3, 1-1)

Oklahoma State is breaking in a new coach in Steve Lutz, who did a great job with Western Kentucky and Texas A&M-CC, but the roster he’s working with is one of the worst in the league this year.

Jan 7 vs Arizona – L (10-4, 1-2)

A close loss here against a really good, high-powered Arizona squad. This is a winnable game, however.

Jan 12 @ Colorado – L (10-5, 1-3)

I think WVU will be a better team than Colorado this season, but this is a really hard place to play. And Tad Boyle is a great basketball coach. Just a really tough road game.

Jan 15 @ Houston – L (10-6, 1-4)

This might be as hard of a game as the opening contest at Kansas. Houston smothers the Mountaineers in a low-scoring game. WVU struggles to keep it within 10.

Jan 18 vs. Iowa State – L (10-7, 1-5)

Back-to-back games against arguably the two best defenses in college basketball this season. WVU has the home court advantage in this one, but I’ll still play it safe and predict a close loss.

Jan 21 vs Arizona State – W (11-7, 2-5)

Arizona State has a lot of talent but this won’t be a very good basketball team. WVU coasts at home.

Jan 25 @ Kansas State – L (11-8, 2-6)

Kansas State opened up the checkbook for Jerome Tang this offseason, but this is far from an unwinnable game. I’ll still predict a loss.

Jan 29 vs Houston – W (12-8, 3-6)

WVU makes some noise with a home win against one of the nation’s best teams. 

Feb 2 @ Cincinnati – L (12-9, 3-7)

Despite coming off of a huge win, the Mountaineers fail to pick up its first conference road victory of the season here. The Bearcats will be a solid team this year.

Feb 5 @ TCU – W (13-9, 4-7)

But another road game provides the same opportunity, and this time, WVU delivers. TCU doesn’t exactly provide the strongest home advantage and West Virginia has the better team this year.

Feb 8 vs Utah – W (14-9, 5-7)

Utah projects to be one of the bottom four teams in the league in 2024, with a roster that just isn’t up to speed with anyone else’s sans Oklahoma State and Colorado. WVU gets a rare blowout victory in Big 12 play.

Feb 11 vs BYU – W  (15-9, 6-7)

Kevin Young has brought a ton of talent to Provo, including potential lottery pick freshman Egor Demin from Russia. The Cougars have a chance to be a top-25 team yet again, but WVU stays home-cooking to improve to 15-9.

Feb 15 @ Baylor – L (15-10, 6-8)

This is probably the third-hardest game on the schedule, and Waco isn’t exactly a place where WVU is used to winning.

Feb 19 vs. Cincinnati – W (16-10, 7-8)

West Virginia gets its revenge on Cincinnati by defending Morgantown and splitting the series. 

Feb 22 @ Texas Tech – L (16-11, 7-9)

Texas Tech is a good team – and maybe a really good one. This is going to be one of those games that goes south because of the frontcourt issues. JT Toppin feasts on Hansberry, and Andre gets in foul trouble. A blowout loss.

Feb 25 vs. TCU – W (17-11, 8-9)

WVU sweeps the Frogs with a bounceback home win.

Mar 1 @ BYU – L (17-12, 8-10)

The Mountaineers got the best of the Cougars at home – but that’s not happening in the mountains. A close loss, but a loss nevertheless.

Mar 4 @ Utah – W (18-12, 9-10)

Another sweep secured, this time over Utah.

Mar 8 vs. UCF – W (19-12, 10-10)

UCF will probably finish in the bottom six of the league, and a home game vs. the Knights will be one of the easier contests on the schedule.

WVU finishes with a 19-12 record (including 10-10 in league play), which is good enough to get the Mountaineers in the Big Dance as a single-digit seed.

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