WVU Basketball Reveals Opponent for 2026-27 Season Opener

The 2026-27 WVU basketball team will open the season on Monday, Nov. 2 against Niagara at Hope Coliseum, as announced by the program on Friday.

It will be the seventh meeting between the two schools and the first since 1952. Previously, all six meetings in the series took place in Buffalo, New York. The first meeting in the series was on Feb. 20, 1918.

Fans can take part in the 2026-27 seat selection in June for a chance to be in the lower level of Hope Coliseum this season.

The upcoming seat and parking adjustment, taking place from June 1-10, is a great opportunity to welcome new season ticket holders to game day at Hope Coliseum. Seating and parking selections are made based on Mountaineer Athletic Club priority point ranking.

Once priority points are finalized on May 1, each fan will receive a designated appointment time, assigned in priority order, to select from available seats and parking options.

In Ross Hodge’s first season, West Virginia finished the season 21-14 overall with a 9-10 Big 12 record, including 0-1 in the conference tournament.

Hodge capped off his first year in Morgantown by leading West Virginia to a College Basketball Crown title on Easter Sunday. WVU defeated Oklahoma 89-82 in overtime to secure the championship.

Despite falling shy of the goal of making the NCAA Tournament, Hodge explained why winning the Crown will lay a foundation for future success.

Ross Hodge Puts Final Bow on First WVU Season, Hypes Up Future

“Nothing ever comes bad from winning. Winning can be contagious in a lot of ways, and use these experiences to hopefully put you in position to one day be playing in the game tomorrow night (the National Championship Game),” Hodge said.

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

For a related story, West Virginia cracks Andy Katz’s Way-Too-Early Power 36 list.