The West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) opened the Ross Hodge era with a 70-54 win against Mount Saint Mary’s (0-1) on Tuesday inside the newly rebranded Hope Coliseum. Jasper Floyd led the way for WVU with 25 points on the night. Read more: Ross Hodge era begins with a gritty win over Mount Saint Mary’s
WVU overcame countless mistakes and managed to come out of the home opener victorious. It was never pretty, but the Mountaineers put a tally in the win column. The new era of WVU hoops arrived with a statement, albeit in a deeply flawed manner.
First half
Jasper Floyd got the scoring going early, accounting for West Virginia’s first five points of the 2025 campaign. The Florida native scored seven of the team’s first nine notches before being subbed out.
Efficiency was an issue early on, with WVU shooting under 37% through the first seven minutes. Mount St. Mary’s capitalized on West Virginia’s mistakes and took its first lead of the game with just over 12 minutes remaining in the opening frame.
The lead did not last long, however, as a free throw from DJ Thomas knotted the contest at 11, leading into a MSM timeout. WVU could have taken the lead back at the line but Thomas missed the second FTA.
Both teams exchanged leads in the waning minutes of the half, but WVU pulled ahead late.
At the break
WVU overcame its slow start and led The Mount at the break, 35-29. Jasper Floyd was the offensive star of the show for the old gold and blue, racking up 15 points in his first half as a Mountaineer. The guard shot 5-8 from the field and sunk his lone three-point attempt of the half.
MSM only held the advantage for 3:35 despite the eight lead changes. The two squads of Mountaineers tied seven times in the frame, too.
The Mount was led offensively by star guard Xavier Lipscomb through the first 20 minutes. Lipscomb tallied seven points, five rebounds, and two assists.
Notably, WVU guard Treysen Eaglestaff was held scoreless. The UND transfer collected two rebounds in the half, though.
West Virginia went into the break shooting 40% from the field and struggled mightily at the free throw line, going 13-21. Both teams would reset at halftime and hit the ground running in the second.
Second half
Recent history repeated itself when Floyd was the first player to score in a half for the second time in the game. The North Texas transfer stood out throughout the night, immediately translating his chemistry with head coach Hodge from Denton to Morgantown.
Continued struggles on WVU’s end were suppressed by even bigger issues for MSM. The occasional press defense from WVU suffocated a visiting offense that eventually fell stagnant.
WVU had garnered a double digit lead that was cut down in short order. MSM assembled a 7-0 run that lasted just over a minute, a run broken by two Harlan Obioha free throws with six minutes left.
Floyd came up big against with a jumper to restore a 10 point lead. DJ Thomas reentered the conversation with a timely bucket of his own to provide WVU more leeway.
Teams exchanged strikes from the field and the charity stripe in the final minutes, but WVU did just enough to keep it MSM’s reach. WVU hit six of its final eight from the field to seal the deal.
The scoreboard read 70-54 in favor of WVU as the final buzzer rang through Hope Coliseum.
Standouts and concerns
Jasper Floyd was the undisputed standout in Tuesday’s contest. He carried a struggling offense across the finish line in a game that should have never been as close as it was.
WVU shot 43.8% from the field, including 27.8% from behind the arc and went 23-35 from the line.
Mount St. Mary’s was guided by Trey Deveaux in the losing effort. The Nebraska native finished with 15 points and six rebounds.
The biggest concern for WVU is the offense. Coach Hodge’s dismay was on full display as he slapped the table deep into the second half. Amir Jenkins missed a surefire floater, causing the fiery reaction.
WVU’s shooting percentage floated between 35-40% for the majority of the contest, a number that will require quick improvement. Free throw struggles carried over from the previous Mountaineer regime as well, despite the complete roster and staff turnover.
Luckily, a myriad of turnovers caused by Hodge’s stout defense was arguably the biggest difference maker in the second half.
What’s next?
West Virginia will be back in action at 7 p.m. on Thursday against the Campbell Fighting Camels. It will be the second contest in a season-opening homestand.
The Torch 100.9 FM and its nine affiliate stations will serve as the radio home for WVU Men’s Basketball all season long. And for coverage of all things WVU Athletics, stay up to date with WV Sports Nation.
