Ross Hodge Details How Closed Scrimmage Against Maryland Will Benefit WVU Basketball

The WVU basketball season tips off in less than one month, but the team will soon be in action behind closed doors in a scrimmage against Maryland.

Ross Hodge revealed the opponent for the scrimmage in a press conference Thursday before mentioning what can be gained from these meetings. With some details are up in the air, Hodge explained the benefit of a scrimmage in the final weeks of preparing for a new season.

“We’re going to have a closed-door scrimmage with Maryland, but we haven’t quite discussed exactly how we want to do those things from a parameter standpoint, but the best thing is just getting out there and playing against somebody else,” Hodge said. “And like anything, you anticipate there’s going to be some good, there’s going to be some bad, and there’s going to be some ugly. That’s just the way it is.”

As for his expectations, Hodge said he wants to see his team stick together through adversity, which he expects there to be plenty.

“What I would like to see more than anything for that game specifically is just our team supporting each other, staying together, playing through the negative plays because you know they’re going to happen,” Hodge said. “That would be at the height of what I would like to see, knowing that there’s going to be a lot go wrong the first time out.”

The scrimmage presents the opportunity to have the team in real-game situations. While Hodge tries to replicate that in practice, he says the scrimmage will be better in that aspect.

“You try to create adverse situations in practice. You try to put them in situations where they have to come through adversity together. But there’s nothing like actually being in a game against someone else and finding yourself down or up big or just all the ebbs and flows of games,” Hodge said. “And how can you stay together in those moments and what little types of leadership each guy can exhibit in those type of situations? You just you don’t really get that until you play.”

The date for the scrimmage has not been announced. WVU will play in a separate exhibition game open to the public against Wheeling University on Oct. 26.

Find more coverage of the WVU basketball team at WV Sports Now.

For a related story, WV Sports Now’s Luke Blain explains why WVU basketball has a higher ceiling than last year.