West Virginia
Brush fire spreads to two nearby structures
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CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A brush fire Monday evening spread to two nearby structures in rural Cabell County, 911 dispatchers said.
It happened on Barker Ridge Road, near the intersection of Grover Blake Road in the Ona area.
Dispatchers say it started out as a brush fire call, with the flames reaching two structures.
It was unknown if those structures were occupied or abandoned.
No injuries were reported.
Copyright 2024 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
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West Virginia
How to Watch & Listen to West Virginia vs. TCU
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The West Virginia Mountaineers (16-11, 7-9) host the TCU Horned Frogs (15-12, 8-8) for the 27th meeting between two programs.
West Virginia vs. TCU Series History
West Virginia leads 18-8
Last Meeting: TCU 65, WVU 60 (Feb. 5, 2025 in Fort Worth)
When: Tuesday, February 24
Location: Morgantown, West Virginia, WVU Coliseum (14,000)
Tip-off: 9:00 p.m. EST
TV: CBSSN
Announcers: Jordan Kent, Mike O’Donnell and AJ Ross
Radio: Tony Caridi (PBP), Brad Howe (analyst) Mountaineer Sports Network from Learfield IMG College (Radio affiliates)
Sirius XM: 391
WVU Game Notes
– Javon Small was named to the final 20 for the John R. Wooden Late Midseason Watch List, the final 10 for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Trophy Midseason List and to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List.
– Javon Small was named a Midseason Second Team All-American by The Sporting News and The Athletic.
– Darian DeVries was named the recipient of the Jim Phelan Award ‘Mid-Season’ honor, presented annually to the top head coach in Division I college basketball.
– In 16 conference games this season, opponents have made 56 more free throws than the Mountaineers.
– WVU is 620-191 (.767) all-time at the WVU Coliseum and 261-77 at the WVU Coliseum in the last 21 seasons.
– The Mountaineers have won 116 of their last 179 conference games at the WVU Coliseum.
– WVU is 274-105 in its last 379 games against unranked teams, including winners of 155 of its last 190 at the WVU Coliseum.
– Darian DeVries is 6-8 against ranked teams during his head coaching career. He is 4-3 at WVU with wins over No. 2 Iowa State, No. 3 Gonzaga, at No. 7 Kansas and No. 24 Arizona.
– In WVU’s four ranked wins this season, Javon Small has averaged 21.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, while making 28 of his 32 free throw attempts.
– WVU has defeated two Top 10 teams away from home this season, marking the first time that has happened in the same season since 2005-06.
– WVU’s three Top 10 wins ties for the most in a season in school history along with the 2016-17 & 2005-06 teams.
– WVU broke into the rankings on Jan. 6 at No. 21 in the AP poll. It marked WVU’s first appearance in the AP poll since Dec. 26, 2022. The Mountaineers have been ranked in at least one poll in 16 of the last 20 seasons.
– Darian DeVries, who led Drake to six consecutive 20-win seasons and has a career .716 winning percentage as a head coach, was named the 23rd head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University on March 24, 2024.
– DeVries has a record of 166-66 (.716) in seven seasons as a head coach, including a 71-26 (.732) mark in the last two-plus seasons.
– West Virginia is currently ranked No. 48 in the latest NCAA NET rankings with a No. 13 strength of schedule.
– WVU is ranked No. 51 in the latest KenPom rankings, including 16th in defensive effi ciency.
– Javon Small ranks eighth overall in KenPom Player of the Year standings.
– In the latest NCAA stats, WVU ranks 31st in fi eld goal percentage defense (40.6), 22nd in scoring defense (64.5) and 12th in 3-point percentage defense (29.4).
– Javon Small was named Big 12 Player of the Week and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week on Jan. 20.
– Javon Small was named Big 12 Player of the Week, NCAA March Madness Player of the Week and the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week for Jan. 6.
– Javon Small was named co-Big 12 Player of the Week and Tucker DeVries was tabbed as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 2. Both were named to the Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team.
– Small was named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week on Dec. 3.
– WVU is 108-123 in Big 12 regular season games since joining the league in 2012-13.
– West Virginia returned just 2.8 percent of its scoring from last season’s team (Ofri Naveh).
– For this season, Tucker DeVries (Drake), Javon Small (Oklahoma State), Eduardo Andre (Fresno State), Joseph Yesufu (Washington State), Sencire Harris (Illinois), Amani Hansberry (Illinois) and Jayden Stone (Detroit Mercy) were added from the transfer portal.
– Entering this season, they have combined to play 806 games, made 442 starts, scored 7,606 points, grabbed 3,304 rebounds and dished out 1,248 assists.
– Darian DeVries is 73-2 when scoring 80 or more points in a game and 141-18 when scoring 70 or more.
– Darian DeVries is 120-24 when holding opponents to 69 points or less and 58-6 when holding opponents to 59 points or less.
– West Virginia was predicted 13th in the Preseason Big 12 Poll by the league’s head coaches.
– West Virginia has made at least one 3-point fi eld goal in 891 consecutive games.
– The Mountaineers have won 157 of their last 178 games when holding opponents to 69 points or less.
– WVU has won 168 of its last 192 and 224 of its last 255 games when holding opponents to less than 69 points.
– Darian DeVries is 129-17 as a head coach when leading at halftime, including a 14-3 mark at WVU.
– Darian DeVries is 76-3 as a head coach when shooting 50% or better from the field.
– West Virginia is 19-11 all-time in games played on February 25.
West Virginia
No. 10 TCU Women’s Basketball Flies past No. 17 West Virginia
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466. Final. 50. 469. 2/23/25. 71
Sitting down in front of the media following a win over No. 17 West Virginia, TCU women’s basketball coach Mark Campbell let a smile wash over his face.
His top-10 team had blown by the Mountaineers 71-50 and essentially secured a top 4 host seed in next month’s NCAA Tournament. The Horned Frogs are currently a two seed in ESPN’s Bracketology.
Sunday’s win also set a program record for regular season wins (26), Big 12 Conference wins (14), home wins (18), and put TCU one win away from a perfect home record for the entire season. The 5,897 fans in attendance were the most at a women’s basketball game since Schollmaier Arena opened in 2015.
“This whole ride’s been magical,” Campbell said.
Guard Hailey Van Lith paced the Horned Frogs with 26 points, her highest scoring output since a Feb. 2 win over Iowa State. She also dished out four assists and needs 25 more to break TCU’s single season record (185).
“I’ve been playing the same style of basketball, it’s just teams have changed up their scheme on me,” Van Lith said. “To be honest, if teams are going to double me that’s fine. I’m not going to make the game about me and try and score over a double. I have great teammates.”
Sedona Prince tacked on 20 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks.
The press conference started taking many twists and turns as reporters asked questions about the season’s overall trajectory. Campbell praised the coaching staff and players for the way they have all grown throughout the season.
Individually, it’s hard to ignore the ongoing list of accomplishments.
Van Lith has surpassed 2,000 points and dished out more than 500 career assists while Prince and guard Madison Conner hit the 1,000-career point mark.
Conner’s most recent moment of fame came during the team’s win at Arizona State last Wednesday when she reset her own single season record for three pointers made in a season (101 and counting).
“I’ve never seen anyone who can do what she does,” Van Lith said of her teammate’s shooting ability. “The level of difficulty of shots that she hits is one of one. But she’s more than that. She makes great reads.”
Conner dished out a team-high six assists versus West Virginia to go with four points.
Emotions arose while thinking about the upcoming game against Houston on Wednesday, which will serve as senior night for Conner, Prince, Van Lith, Agnes Emma-Nnopu, Deasia Merrill and Una Jovanovic, a group of transfers who have helped transform the program the last two seasons.
That led to a question that many have wondered all season but haven’t had the right moment to ask. Why did Van Lith—-one of the most important pieces in that group—choose TCU for her last season of collegiate basketball.
The simple answer is she felt called to TCU.
“As soon as I came on campus, I knew this was the place for me,” Van Lith said. “My relationship with coach has been a huge blessing. Not just basketball: my faith, my life, how I operate every day, my values. It really has been a part of God’s plan for me to be here this year.”
Van Lith and Campbell shared a story detailing how this marriage came about. The video at the end of this article has the entire dialogue with Van Lith and Campbell giving their perspectives, including a phone call in a car with Van Lith’s dad, waiting patiently for a return call from Van Lith and the decision that set this historical season in motion.
Of course, both talked about the game and TCU’s defensive effort became a highlight. West Virginia shot 31% from the field, including 17% from 3-point range, and trailed 20-9 at the end of the first quarter when Van Lith nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer. The Mountaineers cut the lead to 22-17 with 6:13 left in the second quarter but would only score two more times as TCU took a 39-20 lead into halftime.
“I thought our team showed up ready to hoop today,” Campbell said. “They were locked in on the defensive end. Against that team, that’s as good a defensive effort as we’ve played over the course of 40 minutes all season.”
The Mountaineers had their moments throughout the game. The nation’s second-best team at forcing turnovers racked up 18 turnovers and outscored TCU 18-15 in the third quarter. But the Horned Frogs never faltered, even when a scoring drought hit.
Now, TCU has one more home game left before a rematch against No. 19 Baylor in Waco on Sunday, March 2 where the Big 12 regular season title will likely be on the line.
The Horned Frogs are more than ready for a pressure-filled ending to the regular season.
“We’re gonna stand the test of time because of the people that we have on the team,” Van Lith said. “And the fact that we’re all willing to sacrifice for this team to win.”
TCU Head Coach Mark Campbell and Guard Haley Van Lith
West Virginia Head Coach Mark Kellogg
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West Virginia
Rodriguez has evolved with the changing times
West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez has already had success in Morgantown.
Leading the football program from 2001-07, Rodriguez led the Mountaineers to a 60-26 record and three consecutive seasons with at least ten wins. But college football has changed in a lot of ways including the rise of name, image and likeness as a key component of roster management.
But like any good coach Rodriguez has adapted with the times. On top of just being a more seasoned head coach, he’s also had to embrace the new challenges that have come with the new era of college football.
“You have to evolve and if you want to win and have success at this level or any level, if the goalposts are moving then you better move with it and that’s what I’ve tried to learn and keep doing,” he said.
A self-described “football junkie,” Rodriguez is always pushing himself to learn more whether that’s scheme, methods or in recruiting. So, while it’s a different landscape than the one that Rodriguez inherited during his first tenure it’s one that he is prepared to meet head-on in his second.
“There’s a lot more knowledge and things that I know now that I didn’t know in 2001 but there’s also more challenges to being a head coach,” he said.
When it comes to a plan to address transfers and attracting as well as retaining talent on the roster, Rodriguez developed a plan at Jacksonville State where they molded the construction on an NFL scale.
By that, Rodriguez said that they apply certain percentages of funding to various positions on the roster such as a quarterback one receiving x amount of money and left tackles and down the line. Now that has to be spread out more than in the NFL simply because of the number of players that must be paid but it’s a formula that has worked as Rodriguez welcomed 60 new players with the Gamecocks last season and won the Conference USA Championship.
That will be aided even more once the revenue-sharing model is approved and goes into effect July 1 with the schools taking ownership of that as opposed to a variety of NIL deals.
“We are going to have an earned success model where if you’re the starting left tackle after August camp you’re going to get more money than the scout team right tackle. To have a fair system we’re going to do with our players,” Rodriguez said. “We have that model in place, we have that system ready to go. Some of that has already been implemented a lot of that will be implemented we hope June 30 when the rev share goes into play and the school can now pay players.”
There will still likely be an NIL component to it all even outside the revenue-sharing model but Rodriguez expects that will be better regulated compared to the current system. That also could open opportunities at a school like West Virginia which is the only Power Four program in a state with no professional teams.
“Our guys are a bigger deal in our state than a lot of similar type of programs in other states’” Rodriguez said. “Hopefully we can still have some NIL stuff where there’s interest at and we can get some really good players with that.”
The rise of the transfer portal has changed so much already in college football with some schools openly opting out of holding spring games to avoid having their players poached by other programs. It is a genuine concern compared to the past when the focus was more on coaches worrying about showing too much of their various schemes.
“We’ll have some little bit of scrimmage and play a little bit of football but I am worried about it because there’s not as much structure to keep the tampering away as it should be,” Rodriguez said.
West Virginia even scheduled their spring practice schedule to align with the beginning of the spring transfer portal window April 16 to allow a week for Rodriguez and the rest of the coaching staff to individually meet with players. That’s especially important with the potential for the total roster size to be reduced to 105 if the House Settlement is indeed passed.
“I’m still hoping we can grandfather that in and eventually get to that number because there’s going to be some really good players and some really hard working men that we have to cut just to fit the roster size and that’s not going to be fun at all,” he said.
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