WVU Basketball

5 Things to Know Before WVU vs. No. 25 Texas

Published

4 months ago

January 13, 2024

Kelsie LeRose / WVSN

WVU Basketball will host No. 25 Texas on Saturday night for their third Big 12 game of the season. Let’s take a look at five things to know before the game.

Meet the Opponent: Texas

Texas enters this game 1-1 in the Big 12. The Longhorns had a last-second shot to sneak over Cincinnati on Tuesday and lost to Texas Tech last Saturday.

Texas has a similar build to their Elite-8 team from last season. Rodney Terry took the interim tag off of his name and returned Tyrese Hunter, Dyan Disu, Dillon Mitchell, Brock Cunningham and others. Max Abmas, an Oral Roberts transfer guard, has taken the role from Marcus Carr as the Longhorns pair Abmas with Hunter in the backcourt.

UT is top 40 in field goal percentage (48.3%) and assists (16.3 per game).

Can WVU Play Like a Team?

West Virginia has lost three straight games, losing four out of their last five games. The Mountaineers played close with Radford, Ohio State and Kansas State but got clawed by Houston in the Big 12 opener by 34 points. Since returning Kerr Kriisa, Noah Farrakhan and RaeQuan Battle, WVU has struggled to find their team identity as all players need the ball in their hands.

At times, West Virginia looks lost on offense, not knowing who should get the shot for the possession. While on defense, there’s no communication.

WVU has the talent to win games, but can they play like a team for a complete 40 minutes of play?

Wear Gold

West Virginia’s theme for the Texas game is a gold rush. All fans are encouraged to wear gold. The Mountaineers will be wearing gold against the Longhorns as well.