West Virginia

West Virginia Enters Final Home Game of 2024 Season as Underdogs to a 4-6 UCF Team

Published

1 year ago

November 18, 2024

West Virginia Enters Final Home Game of 2024 Season as Underdogs to a 4-6 UCF Team

West Virginia (5-5, 4-3) will close out the home portion of their 2024 campaign next Saturday when they play host to the UCF Knights (4-6, 2-5).

Although the Mountaineers appear to be the better team on paper, the sportsbooks don’t like their chances in this matchup with one of the newer members of the Big 12.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, UCF is currently a 2.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 64.5.

I always say they don’t build those massive, fancy buildings in the desert for nothing. However, I struggle to see how the Mountaineers are the underdog in this game. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be shocked if this eventually flips to WVU as the favorite, or at least down to a pick’em.

The Knights are going to rely on its ground game, and that’s the one thing the Mountaineers have done well all year on the defensive side of the ball. UCF doesn’t throw the ball a whole lot, and I expect that even against a soft pass defense, Gus Malzahn will be stubborn and rely on the ground game to get the job done.

Plus, it’s also senior day for West Virginia. The season has not gone the way anyone had anticipated it, but they still have a chance to end the year on a strong note by winning these final two games and taking whichever bowl game they get invited to play in.

Quarterback Garrett Greene has gone through on-field struggles and injuries all year long, causing the fanbase to want redshirt sophomore Nicco Marchiol to take over the reins of the offense, who has won each of his two starts. Even if West Virginia’s last two games were on the road, I don’t believe Neal Brown would make a switch. He seems content with riding out the rest of the season with his senior.

With it being Greene’s final game, you’d have to think he’s going to go out a winner. Whether he actually does or not remains to be seen, but when you stack these two teams side by side and look at the situation, I think it favors the Mountaineers.

West Virginia is 4-6 against the spread this season.

The total has gone OVER in four of West Virginia’s last five games.

The Mountaineers are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games played at home.

Eight of West Virginia’s last 10 Big 12 Conference game have gone OVER the total.

The total has gone OVER in each of West Virginia’s last five games played in the month of November.

UCF is 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games played.

The total has gone OVER in eight of UCF’s last ten games.

The Knights have won nine of their last twelve games played in the month of November.

UCF has lost four of its last five games played on the road.

UCF has lost six of its last seven games straight up.

West Virginia

Weir High senior Hailey Hans named 2026 West Virginia student journalist of the year

Published

11 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Weir High senior Hailey Hans named 2026 West Virginia student journalist of the year

Hancock County, WV — A Weir High School senior has been recognized as the 2026 West Virginia Student Journalist of the Year.

Hailey Hans was selected for the statewide honor after building a journalism portfolio since her freshman year. She also serves as the staff manager of Weir Student Media, where she oversees articles and is in charge of deadlines.

“When I was a freshman I was placed in the journalism one class, and I actually tried to get pulled from the class. But, then after I sat in the class and I learned a little bit, that’s where my love grew and then from there I continued to take classes, I helped pass a law, and I got to these national conventions. Where it just lit a fire inside me,” Hans said.

Hans is planning to attend West Liberty University in the fall to study education with a minor in journalism, with the goal of becoming a journalism teacher. She will now submit her portfolio for the national-level contest.

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West Virginia

Big 12 Conference Bracket Matchups, Dates, and Start Times

Published

23 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Big 12 Conference Bracket Matchups, Dates, and Start Times

The regular season is now behind us, and we are moving on to the next chapter of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season, the week of conference tournaments.

With their win on Friday over UCF and thanks to TCU taking care of business against Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon, the West Virginia Mountaineers have locked up the No. 7 seed in the Big 12 tournament, meaning they will receive a first-round bye. Ross Hodge’s squad will await the winner of No. 10 BYU and No. 15 Kansas State.

While most may think it’s best to pull for K-State to spring the upset, it’s actually probably better if BYU wins. Why? Well, simply because beating Kansas State isn’t going to boost your resume. If there’s any chance at an at-large bid for the Mountaineers, they need to beat more quality teams. Beating BYU a second time would go a long way, and then springing the upset against Houston in the quarterfinals would really open some eyes.

Anyways, here is a look at all of the matchups and the entire bracket.

First round byes: Iowa State, TCU, West Virginia, UCF

Double byes: Arizona, Houston, Kansas, Texas Tech

Tuesday (First Round)

Game 1: No. 12 Arizona State vs. No. 13 Baylor, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 2: No. 9 Cincinnati vs. No. 16 Utah, 3 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 3: No. 10 BYU vs. No. 15 Kansas State, 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Game 4: No. 11 Colorado vs. No. 14 Oklahoma State, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN+

Wednesday (Second Round)

Game 5: No. 5 Iowa State vs. winner of No. 12 Arizona State/No. 13 Baylor, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 6: No. 8 UCF vs. winner of No. 9 Cincinnati/No. 16 Utah, 3 p.m. on ESPNU

Game 7: No. 7 West Virginia vs. winner of No. 10 BYU/No. 15 Kansas State, 7 p.m. on ESPNU

Game 8: No. 6 TCU vs. winner of No. 11 Colorado/No. 14 Oklahoma State, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2/U

Thursday (Quarterfinals)

Game 9: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. Game 5 winner, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 10: No. 1 Arizona vs. Game 6 winner, 3 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 11: No. 2 Houston vs. Game 7 winner, 7 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 12: No. 3 Kansas vs. Game 8 winner, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Friday (Semifinals)

Game 13: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 7 p.m. on ESPN/2

Game 14: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN/2

Saturday (Championship)

Game 15: Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 6 p.m. on ESPN

Full Bracket

Big 12

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West Virginia

Gia Cooke hits clutch 3-pointer and No. 15 West Virginia women land in Big 12 Tournament title game

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Gia Cooke hits clutch 3-pointer and No. 15 West Virginia women land in Big 12 Tournament title game

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gia Cooke scored 14 points and her go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute helped No. 15 West Virginia escape with a 48-47 victory over Colorado in a Big 12 Tournament semifinal on Saturday night.

A 3-pointer by Desiree Wooten gave sixth-seeded Colorado a 45-43 lead with 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. On West Virginia’s next possession, Cooke’s offensive rebound led to her clutch 3-pointer that gave the second-seeded Mountaineers a 46-45 lead with 38 seconds remaining.

After a miss by Colorado, Jordan Harrison made two free throws for a three-point West Virginia lead at 16 seconds. Wooten was then fouled on a 3-point try with two seconds left but made only two free throws. Cooke was fouled immediately but missed both free throws, leaving Colorado one last chance. Instead, a steal by Harrison preserved the win for West Virginia.

The sluggish performance was not indicative of two teams that came into the matchup on a roll. Colorado had won seven of nine games and the Mountaineers had won eight of nine.

Harrison led West Virginia (26-6) with 15 points and Kierra Wheeler contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Zyanna Walker scored 16 points and Wooten 12 off the bench for Colorado (22-11).

West Virginia led 13-12 after one quarter, then neither team made a shot in the final six minutes of a dismal second quarter. The Mountaineers missed their last 10 attempts, the Buffaloes their last six, and the score was 17-17 at halftime.

West Virginia’s Jordan Harrison chases after the ball after knocking the ball away from Colorado’s Jade Masogayo during second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Big 12 Conference tournament Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel

The Mountaineers opened up a 12-point lead in the third quarter, but missed their last nine shots. Still, they took a 34-30 lead to the fourth quarter.