Unlike its female counterpart, the WVU Men’s Basketball season has likely come to a close following a second round loss in the Big 12 Tournament to BYU on March 11.
While there are still opportunities to be invited to postseason tournaments like the College Basketball Crown or the National Invitation Tournament, neither are exactly picture perfect for WVU’s long term future. Read more: Season in review: WVU Men’s Basketball.
Instead, there is a good chance head coach Ross Hodge and AD Wren Baker opt to just move on and prepare for next season. Let’s presume that’s what will happen, and take an overall look at what went right and wrong for the Mountaineers this season.
Starting with the good
I’ve never been one to let the negatives outweigh the positives, so let’s start with the bright side. And yes, before you say anything, there were a few positives to take away from this season.
Ross Hodge is still the right guy
I don’t want to talk too much into this because there’s a possibility that we dive deeper into this at WV Sports Nation. But, despite the disappointing first season, Ross Hodge is still the right guy to lead West Virginia.
In his first season, Hodge managed to navigate a roster that saw just one returner from the 2024-25 roster. Who was that sole returner you may ask? That would be center Abraham Oyeadier who played a total of two minutes this season.
Hodge also set the groundwork for what’s to be expected at WVU. A tough, defensive minded team that ranked No. 7 in the nation in points allowed. A squad that refused to lose at home, evident in their 15-3 record at Hope Coliseum.
Related: March Madness retrospective: WVU Women’s Basketball team history
The former North Texas head coach has also proved time and again that he is committed to the long-term success of the program. Mountaineer fans won’t have to worry about another coach using the program as a stepping stone as long as Hodge is in charge.
The outcome may not have been what fans wanted, but you can guarantee that it’s not what Hodge wanted either. That passion and loyalty will outweigh any lone bad season that Hodge encounters during his tenure at WVU.
(Some) transfers panned out
While not every player West Virginia got out of the transfer portal played up to their preseason expectations — we’ll get into that later — there were three that really stood out.
Without a doubt, Honor Huff was everything he was supposed to be and then some for the Mountaineers. The Chattanooga transfer dazzled fans with his endless barrage of threes every game.
He led the team in scoring with 15.8 points per game and minutes with 35.5. The next closest in that department was Treysen Eaglestaff with 28.8 minutes.
Huff also ranked near the top across the NCAA in total three-pointers and made three’s per game. In terms of all the new transfers WVU had, Huff was without a doubt the most impactful.
North Texas transfer Brenen Lorient was another highly successful addition to WVU this season. After following Hodge to Morgantown, Lorient picked up right where he left off with the Mean Green.
Lorient was second on the team in points with 11.6 and rebounds with 5.1. He also proved to be a quality defender in the Power 4 ranks as he averaged over a block per contest.
He represented West Virginia in the right way and will surely be a player that will be missed next season.
The third transfer that really stood out throughout the season was St. Bonaventure transfer Chance Moore. After missing the first five games of the season, Moore immediately became one of the key players for Coach Hodge’s squad.
He immediately bursted onto the scene after scoring 16 points against Clemson in his first game. After that, Moore went on to reach double-figure points 15 more times.
The fifth-year senior also led the team in rebounds with 5.3.
Pair of freshmen to be excited for
While those three players were excellent for the Mountaineers, they won’t be returning for another year. Instead, upcoming sophomores Amir Jenkins and DJ Thomas will now see their roles increase as they look to lead the next wave of West Virginia basketball.
Based on their freshmen campaigns, it would seem they are more than capable of doing that.
Jenkins was especially impressive as he was already counted on many times throughout the season to anchor the point guard position. The former four-star recruit demonstrated countless times his ability to thread the needle, particularly around the paint.
He will have to work on his shooting though, as he shot just 33.6% from the field and 28.6% from behind the arc. However, in terms of having a reliable point guard for years to come, West Virginia should feel just fine with Jenkins manning that role.
Related: WVU Baseball set to open Big 12 campaign against streaking Baylor
As for Thomas, he saw his role increase as the season progressed and it was easy to see his confidence rise as well. While not automatic, he showed the ability to stretch the defense by being a threat from the three-point line.
He’s also a capable post player that with time in the weight room will only get stronger and more effective in that area.
With highly touted recruits like point guard Miles Sadler and center Aliou Dioum joining the program next season, West Virginia should be in a better position in the following years. Pairing those guys with already established Power 4 players like Jenkins and Thomas will also only make the team stronger.
Now for the bad
Well, now it’s time to dive into what went wrong for the Mountaineers this season. There’s no need to harp on this too much as everyone knows an 18-14 overall record with a 9-9 record in conference play is not nearly good enough. However, we will still look at two areas that really stood out.
Disappointing transfers
Without even thinking about it, you probably know exactly who I’m going to mention first: Treysen Eaglestaff.
The North Dakota transfer was not at all the same player he was in his final season with UND. In fact, he saw his points per game cut in half this season with the Mountaineers.
He struggled to consistently find his shot, whether it was from the three-point line or even at the foul line as he shot only 70.7% from the charity stripe.
Eaglestaff also had trouble with turnovers this season, coughing it up three or more times in seven games.
Unfortunately for the Mountaineers he was someone that was supposed to be a key contributor this season, and it just never panned out. His regression was a big reason for WVU’s downside.
Related: WVU goes one-and-done in Big 12 tourney, lose to BYU by 20
Harlan Obioha was another transfer that severely disappointed this season. Coming from UNC Wilmington, the seven-footer was supposed to anchor WVU’s front-court.
Just like Eaglestaff, that just never came to fruition. Too many times Obioha looked timid down low, despite his large stature.
He only mustered 5.1 points per game and 4.7 rebounds.
Both of these players did not live up to expectations heading into the year, proving detrimental to the team.
Not good on the road
The last negative I will touch on is West Virginia’s lack of success on the road this season.
With an overall record of 3-6 on the road, the Mountaineers were just not good enough. This is especially disappointing considering how good they were on their home court.
While neutral site games got better after an early 0-4 start, as a whole WVU disappointed in this category.
If coach Hodge and the Mountaineers want to be better next season, they will have to find a way to win more games that are not in the Mountain State.
It (should) get better
While this season was not what anyone wanted or expected, you have to remember this program has had to deal with a lot of turmoil over the last four years.
With an established coach now at the helm and a great recruiting class on the way, the future should be brighter for the Mountaineers.
Just remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint when it comes to long-term success.
