A Rematch Against Northern Iowa Replaces Texas A&M as WVU’s Season-Opener

As reported earlier this morning, West Virginia will no longer open its season against the Texas A&M Aggies, and will instead play Northern Iowa, the University officially announced Wednesday afternoon.

🚨 Schedule Change 🚨

West Virginia will open the season vs. Northern Iowa in the first game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic in Sioux Falls, S.D.

📅Wednesday, Nov. 25
🕑 2 p.m. ET
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/BfCwrHXppB

— WVU Men's Basketball (@WVUhoops) November 18, 2020

WVU was scheduled to face Texas A&M in the first round of the Crossover Classic held in South Dakota, but the Aggies withdrew from the event earlier this week, one of four teams to withdraw so far.

It was reported early Wednesday, and officially confirmed later in the day, that Norther Iowa would be replacing Texas A&M in the event and as WVU’s first opponent. It will be an MTE rematch between the two teams, as they also played in last season’s Cancun Challenge with WVU winning 60-55 en route to its eventual tournament victory.

That game against the Panthers was the first real challenge of the season for the Mountaineers, who trailed by as many as 15 points at times in the second half. WVU came back and won the game, however, fueled by freshman Miles ‘Deuce’ McBride’s 18 points off the bench.

UNI finished last season with a 15-6 record, 14-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Panthers lost in the first round of the MVC Tournament to Drake, despite having won their final three games of the regular season.

UNI’s top returner is junior guard AJ Green. Green averaged a team-leading 19.7 points and 2.9 assists last season. Also returning are guard Trae Berhow and forward Austin Phyfe. Berhow finished second on the team in both scoring (12.5) and rebounding (5.7). Phyfe led the team with 8.2 rebounds per game and averaged 11.2 points.

Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Nov. 25 and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.