West Virginia
Mountaineers wrap up 2025 campaign against No. 7 Texas Tech – WV MetroNews
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia’s 2025 season will come to a closure at some point Saturday afternoon.
Playing for little more than pride, the Mountaineers welcome seventh-ranked Texas Tech to Milan Puskar Stadium for a noon matchup airing on ESPN.
WVU will honor 40 seniors before kickoff.
“They’ve meant an awful lot,” said head coach Rich Rodriguez. “Sometimes it’s hard. Some of these guys have been here six months or less. How do they adapt? There’s not been one guy I’ve been like, ‘I wish he didn’t come here or he’s not a good senior.’ I’m really proud of that class. There’s been some tough moments for us this year and not everything has worked out for those guys like maybe they wanted it to or we wanted it to, but they’ve hung in and battled, and that’s been good for our program, so I’m really proud of them.
Rodriguez and an entirely new staff worked to fill out the roster after the head coach was hired in December 2024 for his second stint with this title.
The Mountaineers (4-7, 2-6) struggled mightily for much of the season, but have been far better and more competitive across their last four games, which they’ve split. Sandwiched between a six-point home loss to TCU and a 25-23 setback at Arizona State in the most recent contest November 15, West Virginia secured a win at then-nationally ranked Houston and followed it up with a home seven-point triumph against Colorado.
Rodriguez credits a large group of seniors for helping the team stay the course and continue playing hard despite an 0-5 start in Big 12 play that featured four losses by an average of 27.8 points to start.
“Whether they’re a guy that’s been here one year or five or six years, they’ve worked really hard to help us get our program where we want to,” he said. “We’re a long way from getting there, but this senior class has helped us at least establish the culture.”
Oddly enough, the resurgent play began for a senior-reliant team began with true freshman Scotty Fox Jr. at quarterback, and the matchup with the Red Raiders (10-1, 7-1) will mark the sixth straight start behind center for Fox.
Fox has displayed his fair share of positive moments across each of his last four starts, although this one comes against the top scoring defense in the Big 12 Conference at 12.3 points, good for a No. 4 national ranking.
Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire expects Rodriguez to put Fox in position to make things stressful on the stingy Red Raider defense.
“Coach Rodriguez is an offensive guru. They’re going to tempo,” said McGuire, whose team also goes fast offensively. “You go back and look at his career, he’s kind of the king of tempo. He has playmakers. They do a great job of getting the ball on the perimeter.”
Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, in the running for a plethora of national honors, is the unquestioned leader of a unit that’s allowed 36 points during an ongoing four-game win streak and more than 20 points once all season, during the team’s only loss at Arizona State, 26-22.
“Jacob Rodriguez is amazing and he should probably win the Butkus and Lombardi and all that,” WVU defensive coordinator Zac Alley said. “The Heisman is tough. You look at Heisman voting and it’s a quarterback award nowadays and occasionally you get a freak like a Travis Hunter or the kid from Boise [Ashton Jeanty] last year who’s the second all-time greatest running back in the history of college football and he didn’t win the award. It’s tough for a defensive-only player to win the Heisman, but there’s some other benchmarks as far as national awards that are maybe more relevant to defensive guys.”
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton has returned to play the last three games after missing the previous two with an injury, the first of which was the setback to the Sun Devils. Slightly north of 66 percent, Morton has the No. 1 completion percentage in the Big 12, and the senior has a lengthy list of weapons at his disposal, starting with a stellar ground game that features one of the better running back combinations in the country.
Tailbacks Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams have both been plenty productive. Dickey is third in the Big 12 with 944 rushing yards and first with 13 rushing touchdowns. Williams, whose 5.8 yards per carry average is slightly better than Dickey’s 5.6, shows 647 yards with five scores in the ground.
“My analyst compared No. 8 [Dickey] to [former Rutgers and Baltimore Ravens running back] Ray Rice if that makes you feel better. It didn’t make me feel better,” Alley said. “He’s really patient. He’s a great visual runner. He can find holes and lets blocks develop and is kind of a one-cut, downhill, can run you over and outrun you, too, type of guy.
“The other back they use [Williams] is more of the scat back, get him in space, outside run game, those type of things. He gets one step and he’s gone every time. He has one step speed. They don’t have a fear of using either of them the same way, but they’re slightly different in their skill sets.”
Wideouts Caleb Douglas, Reggie Virgin and Coy Eakin all have more than 40 catches and at least 500 receiving yards, while Douglas leads the group with 48 receptions for 696 yards.
With Arizona’s 23-7 victory against Arizona State late Friday, the Red Raiders and BYU are assured of squaring off next Saturday in the Big 12 Championship in Arlington, Texas.
A victory Saturday in Morgantown all but assures Texas Tech, No. 5 in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings, of a berth in the CFP. A win over the Mountaineers coupled with Tech’s second victory this year against the Cougars next week, would almost certainly leave McGuire’s team with a top 4 seed and first-round bye in the playoff.
“It’s one of those deals where if you give me a chance to have a bye and have as much time as possible for this team to be as healthy as possible, one less game to where you’re not getting a lot of grey hair, losing hair or worried about somebody else getting hurt, I’d rather do that,” McGuire said. “But at the end of the day, we’re just trying to get in the mix and if we’re in the mix, then good things are going to happen.”
Former Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. has committed to West Virginia, ESPN reported.
Hawkins and his brother Maliek Hawkins, a cornerback, are both expected to play for Rich Rodriguez in Morgantown next season.
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Hawkins played in nine games across two seasons for the Sooners. He threw for 950 yards and nine touchdowns. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Maliek Hawkins has four seasons of eligibility left. He had previously been a top recruit himself.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — This week, West Virginia hunters will get a chance to try hunting the way the original Mountaineers did it. The Mountaineer Heritage season is open from Thursday through Sunday.
The season allows hunters to use only primitive implements. Sidelock or flintlock muzzleloading rifles or pistols are the only firearms allowed. In-line muzzleloaders are not legal for the Heritage Season nor are scopes. Archery enthusiasts are allowed only long bows or recurve bows. You’re compound bow will have to hang on its hook for this time.
“It’s a special season and it’s kind of an all encompassing big game season,” said Vinnie Johnson, Biologist with the West Virginia DNR.
The season enables hunters to kill a deer, bear, or turkey provided they hunt with one of those primitive firearms or bows. The season started several years ago and has become a big hit with sportsmen for a variety of reasons. For some it cuts the monotony of cabin fever and gives them a chance to get back into the woods well after hunting season. The season also enables hunters to go after big game with snow on the ground which doesn’t always happen during the regular fall seasons.
The snowfall could potentially make killing a bear less likely, but not always.
“It really depends on where you’re at,” Johnson explained in a recent edition of West Virginia Outdoors. “Some of our areas that are heavy bear country, there’s still a good opportunity you’re going to see a bear.”
The bumper crops of mast across the West Virginia landscape this year will also keep bears out of hibernation longer. The sunshine and warm weather forecasted into the weekend may also be a plus for keeping bears active and moving in the upcoming season.
“If there’s food on the landscape, they’re gong to be out moving around. They go into their dens when there’s no food left and they need to reserve for the remainder of the winter season,” he added.
Killing a big buck may be tricky. Some have already started to drop antlers. The season allows for either sex, but for those who have already killed two bucks from this past fall’s hunting seasons, you cannot kill another buck. If a hunter shoots an antlerless buck, which turns out to be a buck that already dropped antlers, hunters can check that as an antlerless deer.
Turkeys are also legal. Unlike deer, turkeys and bears, do not count against the bag limit from last year. However, hunters to need to have their 2026 hunting license. Although a lot of the purists like to not only hunt with an old time rifle, they also like to dress the part and will go into the woods wearing buckskins. Primitive garb or not, modern safety is still the rule and since it’s a firearms season for deer, you’ll need to wear blaze orange.
UC Bearcats coach Miller, Houston coach Sampson, players on Cougars W
UC Bearcats coach Miller, Houston coach Sampson, players on Cougars Big 12 opening win
Two teams that started the Big 12 campaign against Top 10 opponents clash in Morgantown Tuesday, Jan. 6, when the Cincinnati Bearcats face the West Virginia Mountaineers.
The Mountaineers, now coached by Ross Hodge, who came from North Texas, got whirled by the No. 3 Iowa State Cyclones on Jan. 2, 80-59. A day later, UC had plenty of chances against No. 8 Houston, but the Cougars closed in the final minutes to win 67-60.
“We’ve got to learn how to finish, but we’re right there,” UC coach Wes Miller said. “The guys in the locker room know it. We’ve got to block out the noise and get ready to play.”
Neither team will want to start 0-2 in the treacherous league and UC has not yet won in Morgantown since being part of the Big 12. UC’s last road win in West Virginia goes back to Mick Cronin’s second Bearcat team (13-19) that pulled off a 62-39 upset of the Mountaineers in 2008. Diehard fans may remember the game for a mustard-colored suit Bob Huggins wore for the contest.
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Cincinnati Bearcats were swept by West Virginia last season
Last Feb. 2, West Virginia beat UC handily 63-50. Current Bearcat Sencire Harris didn’t score for WVU in the game but had four steals. Eighteen days later in Morgantown, the Mountaineers prevailed again 62-59 with Harris scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds against his future team. UC was led by Day Day Thomas in both games with 10 and 13 points, respectively.
Cincinnati Bearcats could be without Kerr Kriisa
Kriisa, a starter for 12 of the 14 games, got hit hard by Houston after a basket and left the game holding his shoulder. He came back to hit his lone 3-pointer, then had to leave again with pain.
Kriisa was recruited to West Virginia by Bob Huggins and played in 2023-24 for the Mountaineers, averaging 11 points and shooting over 42% on 3-pointers.
“Nobody’s dealt with more injury crap than Cincinnati,” Miller said. “We’re getting resilient and we’re getting tough because of that. We’re just going to keep coming. Injuries are tough. We’ve had more than damn anybody in the last four years in all of college basketball. This team’s had its fair share and we’re still right there.”
Miller was worried about Kriisa’s injury and he couldn’t lift his left shoulder after draining his only shot.
3 keys for Cincinnati Bearcats to win at West Virginia Mountaineers
1. Bring Houston intensity to West Virginia
UC had its best crowd experience at Fifth Third Arena against No. 8 Houston with a halftime lead and a 10-point cushion early in the second half. For just the second time this season, they lost a game when they had a halftime lead.
That’s now two games where they had a Top 10 team on the ropes and couldn’t finish (No. 6 Louisville at Heritage Bank Center and No. 8 Houston). They looked like a tournament team in parts of those games, but then lost to teams who showed why they are perennial tournament players.
2. Locate Huff, Floyd
It sounds like someone looking for a law firm, but Honor Huff and Jasper Floyd are both 40% marksmen from three-point range. Huff led the country in triples last season at Chattanooga and Floyd comes from Coach Hodge’s system at North Texas. The Mountaineers average over eight made 3s per game, which is how many Houston made vs. UC Jan. 3.
The Bearcats made only six of their 3-pointers against the Cougars, after making 11 in their previous game with Lipscomb Dec. 29. UC is 5-1 when making 10 or more treys, with the one loss being Xavier. Xavier also beat West Virginia 78-68 in November, shooting a torrid 16-for-25 from the arc.
3. Keep Mountaineers below 70
West Virginia has been held to less than 70 points in four of their five losses. The exception is the 89-88 double-overtime defeat at Ohio State. UC held Houston below their average at 67 and is in that ballpark for the season. The difficult thing is all of West Virginia’s wins have been at home and Hope Coliseum could have a crowd because, well, it’s Tuesday night in Morgantown.
Tip: Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at Hope Coliseum (14,000)
TV/Radio: ESPN2/700WLW
Series: WVU leads 13-12 (Mountaineers won at Fifth Third Arena Feb. 19, 2025, 62-59)
West Virginia Mountaineers scouting report
Record: 9-5
Coach: Ross Hodge, first season 9-5 (55-29 overall)
Offense: 74.9 ppg
Defense: 61.6 ppg
Projected starting lineup
(Position, Height, Stats)
Treysen Eaglestaff (G, 6’6″, 9.1 ppg)
Honor Huff (G, 5’10”, 16.6 ppg)
Harlan Obioha (C, 7′, 6.3 ppg)
Chance Moore (G, 6’6″, 12.9 ppg)
Jasper Floyd (G, 6’3″, 7.9 ppg)
Cincinnati Bearcats scouting report
Record: 8-6
Coach: Wes Miller (90-65, fifth season; 275-200 overall)
Offense: 74.6 ppg
Defense: 65.6 ppg
Projected starting lineup
(Position, Height, Stats)
Day Day Thomas (G, 6’1″, 13 ppg)
Jizzle James (G, 6’3″, 11.5 ppg)
Sencire Harris (G, 6’4″, 6.9 ppg)
Baba Miller (F, 6’11”, 13.4 ppg)
Moustapha Thiam (C, 7’2″, 11 ppg)
Cincinnati Bearcats, West Virginia Mountaineers to watch
Guard Honor Huff helped Chattanooga win the NIT and nailed a record 131 trifectas last season for the Moccasins, shooting 41.6%. Now he’s West Virginia’s top scorer and is shooting at a similar rate from beyond the arc.
In their second games as starters for this season, UC’s “Buck” Harris and Jizzle James were off against Houston, shooting a combined 2-for-14. James had just four points and Harris two.
James played 36 minutes, and it’s doubtful he can be held down for that long again. Harris was a Mountaineer last season and should have some comfort in the arena.
Rankings
KenPom.com: Cincinnati is No. 66, West Virginia No. 72
NCAA NET: West Virginia is No. 93, Cincinnati No. 95
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