WVU Men’s Basketball (18-14) exceeded many people’s expectations in year one under head coach Ross Hodge. The Mountaineers face Stanford (20-12) for a spot in the College Basketball Crown semifinal round, a tournament with NIL rewards for winners. Read more: WVU starts quest for NIL reward in College Basketball Crown, faces Stanford.
WVU will be without Amir Jenkins (torn labrum), but takes a relatively healthy squad to Las Vegas, Nevada, to play in the tournament. The eight-team field is set to fight for bragging rights across the weekend.
Whoever comes out on top Friday secures a minimum of $50,000 in NIL money, with the chance to win $100,000 for second place or $300,000 for first.
On the court
Friday’s contest between WVU and Stanford marks only the second time the two teams have faced off. The Mountaineers tallied a 66-47 win on December 28, 1959, on neutral grounds in Los Angeles, California.
WVU is led on the court by Honor Huff, who created magic on several occasions throughout the season. The Chattanooga transfer averages 15.8 points per game, pairing well with Brenen Lorient.
Lorient is second on the team in scoring, but made his name known defensively by blocking 39 shots this season. The pair needs help from the likes of Treysen Eaglestaff and Chance Moore, though.
Related: No. 13 WVU Baseball rolls past Arizona in Tucson
The Mountaineers go toe-to-toe with Ebuka Okorie and company donning the Cardinal.
Okorie averages an impressive 22.8 PPG and leads the team in assists (106). Stanford’s offensive production is rounded out at the top by Chisom Okpara (13.9) and Benny Gealer (11.1).
WVU’s elite defense, which ranked near the top of national leaderboards in the regular season, has a test. Stanford comes in averaging 76.0 PPG, compared to a lackluster Mountaineer offense (69.2).
On paper, it feels like a relatively even matchup across the board.
Calling the shots
In what could turn into a chess match of a game, the focus turns to the benches. Stanford Director of Men’s Basketball Kyle Smith and coach Hodge are relatively new to their respective programs, but they carry a wealth of knowledge.
Smith took over the Cardinal in 2024, leading them to a 41-26 record since his arrival. He’s not a new kid on the college basketball block, however, as a victory Friday would be his 300th career win. The 2024 Pac 12 Coach of the Year and 2016 CIT champion is a proven leader.
Hodge, as mentioned, is wrapping up his first year in the Mountain State.
The Dallas, Texas, native left his first head coaching job at North Texas to take the gig. Hodge is 4-1 in postseason games, leading UNT on an improbable NIT run in 2024-25.
Despite the varying levels of experience between the two, look for small details Friday to make a difference.
Tune in
The quest for (much needed) NIL money and bragging rights starts Friday against Stanford. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. EST.
Tune in to 100.9 FM The Torch or any of its nine affiliate stations across the John Fredericks Media Network for play-by-play coverage. FS1 has the quarterfinals coverage on the TV side.
Stay up to date with WV Sports Nation for more WVU Athletics coverage.
