No. 24 WVU Women’s Basketball (0-0) opens the 2026-27 season at home against the Rhode Island Rams (0-0) Tuesday. This marks the first meeting between the programs in nearly two decades, with West Virginia leading the all-time series 17-7. Read more: WVU Mountaineers vs Rhode Island Rams Preview – November 3, 2026.
Tipoff
When: Tuesday, November 3, 2026 @ 7:00 PM EST
Where: Hope Coliseum, Morgantown, WV
TV: ESPN+
New-look WVU squad seeks yet another tournament berth
The Mountaineers finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 28-6 record. Their season concluded with a heartbreaking 74-73 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats in the second round of the postseason tournament.
Fast forward to the fall — West Virginia looked solid in its lone preseason outing, soundly defeating Frostburg State 111-41. Gia Cooke, who is the only starter returning from last season’s Big 12 championship team, put up 16 points.
Several transfers also made an impact. Divine Tumba — who was sidelined last season with an injury — finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Nylah Wilson added 13 points and four steals. Zahirah Walton had a solid all-around game, compiling 12 points, four assists, and four steals. Kennedy Harris added eight points, two assists, and two steals.
With a roster comprised of 10 newcomers, the biggest storyline will be how quickly the pieces can come together against quality competition.
Rhode Island will prove to be a solid season-opening opponent
On the other side, the Rams finished last season with a 28-5 record, earning their first postseason appearance in 30 years. Their run ended in the opening round with a 68-55 loss to Alabama. Rhode Island shot 33% overall (19-for-58) and just 26% from beyond the arc.
Like West Virginia, the Rams have also lost multiple key contributors from last season, but they enter this matchup with a ton of confidence after a 28-win campaign that featured the team capture the Atlantic-10 championship, establishing itself as one of the conference’s better teams.
While Rhode Island is not an overly athletic group, they bolster a roster that plays a physical brand of basketball and excels at the defensive end of the floor. That said, the Rams’ ability to execute their half-court offense will be critical.
WVU vs. Rhode Island: Who has the edge?
Although season openers do not typically feature top-level competition, Rhode Island could play spoiler against a West Virginia squad still developing chemistry. Look for a competitive start before the Mountaineers pull away with a strong second-half push.
Prediction: West VirginiaÂ
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