West Virginia
Rodriguez Explains Why Portal Quick Fixes Will Not Drive the West Virginia Rebuild
One thing is clear when it comes to the future of West Virginia football — this is going to be built the old school way, for the most part. And no, Rich Rodriguez isn’t going to go full Dabo Swinney and completely neglect the transfer portal (I’m not sure where that narrative comes from), but there will be a heavy emphasis on the high school ranks, as there should be.
“The idea would be if you had a choice to get the same guy player-wise that’s got one year left or four years left, you’re going to take the guy that’s got four years left because he’ll grow in your program,” Rodriguez said on Wednesday. “Now, if the guy that’s got one year left or two years left and is a whole lot better player or is more ready to go right now than the other guy, then you’ve got to take that guy. The ideal thing would be to get 2:1 or 3:1 freshman or JC guys compared to the one-year or two-year guys. It’s probably a lesser cost to get the high school guy because they’re unproven at the college level. The portal guys seem to be more expensive, and you’ve got to pay more to get the true experienced, plug-and-play guy out of the portal.”
WVU took a large freshman class because it had to. They were losing 40-some seniors, and you’re not going to be able to go into the transfer portal and fill a bunch of those vacancies, while addressing the depth at every position. Doing so would put you in a very similar situation to last offseason, where you’re spreading your dollars thin, taking yourself out of the running for top-tier talent in the portal.
The other part of this is this group making up for a very watered-down recruiting class a year ago. Yes, the recruiting staff that’s no longer here did a great job of getting things to the finish line with the majority of the class, but a good chunk of those players either ended up requesting release from their NLI (National Letter of Intent) or entered the transfer portal after spring ball, leaving a small group of freshmen.
Rodriguez isn’t going to sign 40 freshmen every year, mainly because you simply can’t, as there are roster limits in place. This class is going to be the group that truly sets the foundation. If they can hit on 15 to 20 of these kids, the rebuild will be accelerated. That sounds like a small number, but it’s really not. Signing 15 players who have starting potential is really strong for a singular recruiting class.
Rodriguez does plan to add somewhere in he neighborhood of 12-15 transfers in January, but with such a large percentage of the roster being freshmen, some more patience will be required in 2026.
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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
West Virginia residents may continue to see a rise in utility costs, according to a recent report by Move.org. The report ranks West Virginia as the state with the highest average utility bill, at $734 per month in 2025, surpassing the national average. Missouri and Alaska follow with $679 and $658, respectively. West Virginians are paying about $42 more per month compared to last year.
Delaney Eddy, state coordinator for West Virginia 211, a United Way helpline, noted the increased demand for utility assistance. “I can definitely tell you that the calls for utility assistance have definitely been high, that is one of our top needs that individuals call in for,” Eddy said. “We are seeing that individuals are needing assistance with that and have heard some individuals that have voiced that they have had an increase in their bills in the last couple of months for those utilities.”
The report also highlights that West Virginia residents face the highest water bill in the country, at $121 per month, well above the national average of $49. This increase may be due to a distribution improvement charge aimed at upgrading water quality.
Eddy encourages residents facing utility bill issues to reach out for help. “If people have questions about their utility bills and they have that termination notice, I would simply encourage them to dial 211 or they can text the zip code to 898211, speak with a call specialist and see what resources might be available to you,” Eddy said. “Also see if you might qualify for the dollar energy fund and we can provide that information to them and go from there to see about getting assistance on those bills.”
West Virginia
West Virginia Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Lotto America on Jan. 3, 2026
Are you looking to win big? The West Virginia Lottery offers a variety of games if you think it’s your lucky day.
Lottery players in West Virginia can choose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Daily 3, Daily 4 and Cash 25.
Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here’s what experts say to do first.
Here’s a look at Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
18-21-40-53-60, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
03-04-05-25-42, Star Ball: 03, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 3 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
1-3-9
Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily 4 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing
6-5-7-4
Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the West Virginia Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:59 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 10:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Daily 3, 4: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday.
- Cash 25: 6:59 p.m. ET Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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