The West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0, 0-0) will square off against the Kent State Golden Flashes (0-1, 0-0) on Friday night. Let’s look at which squad has the edge. Read more: WVU Mountaineers vs. Kent State Golden Flashes Preview – Nov. 7, 2025.
Tipoff
When: Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 @ 7:00 PM EST
Where: Hope Coliseum, Morgantown, WV
TV: ESPN+
WVU opens the season with a defensive gem
The Mountaineers were a formidable defensive group last season, and they carried that momentum into the new season. WVU opened its 2025-26 campaign with an 83-47 victory against Purdue Fort Wayne.
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The home team led by a sizeable 40-25 margin at the break. And the second half was more of the same, as the Mountaineers outscored their opponent 43-22, including a 23-11 advantage in the final frame en route to a 36-point victory.
While neither team shot the ball particularly well, WVU’s defensive prowess was on full display. They held Purdue to 36.5 percent shooting overall and 29.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Additionally, the Mountaineers won the rebounding battle 51-31. They outscored the Mastodons in the paint by a 42-24 margin. Furthermore, they converted 31 turnovers into 30 points.
Simply put, this team is tough to beat when they play at an elite level defensively.
Kent State was overwhelmed in its opener against James Madison
On the other side of this matchup, Kent State opened its season with an 80-48 loss to the James Madison Dukes. This game got out of hand early, to put it nicely.
JMU raced out to a 22-8 lead after the opening stanza and held a 45-18 advantage at the break. Although the second half was somewhat more competitive, James Madison managed to cruise to an easy 32-point victory.
Kent State struggled to generate offense, with only two players finishing in double figures. The team shot an abysmal 25.4 percent from the field and converted just one of its 16 attempts from 3-point range.
The Golden Flashes committed 25 turnovers, which led to 35 points for James Madison. Lastly, they were outscored in the paint by a 40-24 margin.
WVU vs. Kent State Prediction: Who has the edge?
WVU has the edge solely based on how each performed in their previous outings. Not only that, but the Mountaineers are 22-1 in non-conference games over the past three seasons, and they have won 18 straight on their home court.
Prediction: West Virginia by at least 10 points
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