WVU Basketball

5 Things to Know Before WVU vs. Ohio State

Published

4 months ago

December 30, 2023

Kelsie LeRose / WVSN

WVU and Ohio State will match up in Cleveland on Saturday night in the Legends of Basketball Showcase event. Let’s take a look at five things to know before the game.

WVU’s Last Non-Conference Game

West Virginia’s game vs. Ohio State will complete their non-conference schedule after 13 games. The Big 12 and SEC will not have their annual challenge in late January so this is it until postseason play. The Mountaineers are 5-7 with a couple of bad home losses as they look to secure their biggest win of the season on Saturday.

Meet the Opponent: Ohio State

Ohio State enters Cleveland 10-2 on a two-game winning streak. The Buckeyes have notable wins over Alabama (92-81), Santa Clara (86-56) and UCLA (67-60). OSU’s two losses come to Texas A&M and Penn State.

OSU is led by guard Bruce Thornton and forward Jamison Battle. Thornton is averaging 17.4 points and 4.1 assists. WVU interim HC Josh Eilert mentioned during his weekly press conference that it will be a constant challenge to keep the ball out of Thornton’s hands.

The Last Time the Two Met…

WVU and then-No. 2 Ohio State last played in 2019 with the Mountaineers taking the win 67-59. WVU freshman guard Miles “Deuce” McBride had a breakout game, scoring 21 points on 50% shooting. McBride’s performance was most known for his shrug after hitting a mid-range floater.