West Virginia
Scouting report, keys for Cincinnati Bearcats on Big 12 road at WVU
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
The No. 9 West Virginia Mountaineers (39-13) knocked off the No. 21 Arizona State Sun Devils (37-19) Friday night 7-3 to advance to the Big 12 baseball championship.
West Virginia grabbed the early advantage in the bottom of the second inning after senior Sean Smith hustled for a leadoff double before senior Brodie Kresser lined a two-out RBI double for a 1-0 lead.
West Virginia sophomore starting pitcher Chansen Cole threw three hitless innings, but in the fourth, redshirt junior Contrades drove a triple past a diving WVU senior centerfielder Paul Schoenfeld, and fifth year senior Dean Toigo reached out and lifted the 1-1 pitch over the left centerfield wall for a 2-1 Arizona State lead.
Cole left the game after five innings. He struck out six and allowed the two runs on the two hits as Joshua Surigao took the mound in the sixth. The sophomore registered two outs, including a strikeout, and issued a walk to Contrades in-between, but Sabins opted to bring in right hander Carson Estridge. The senior struggled to find the strike zone as Contrades swiped second and scored on a wild pitch before senior Reese Bassinger took the mound to record the final out of the inning.
Arizona State starting pitcher Cole Carlon entered the sixth inning and after registering the first out with a pop fly, Sun Devils head coach Willie Bloomquist called sophomore Finn Edwards in from the bullpen. Carlon finished the night with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.
West Virginia seized the momentum with one out singles from Smith and senior Mathew Graveline. Next, Junior Armani Guzman went opposite field with a deep RBI single to left field. Then, Kresser drove the ball in the dirt with a slow chopper to short, but a low throw hit off the chest junior first baseman Dominic Smaldino, scoring a pair of runs to cap a three run sixth inning and reclaiming the lead 4-3.
Bassinger took the mound in the eight and after walking Big 12 Player of the Year Landon Hairston and a fielder’s choice from Contrades, Sabins tabbed senior left hander Ben McDougal. Toigo slapped a high fly ball to centerfield, but Schoenfeld dropped the ball, putting two aboard.
Dawson Montesa entered the game and the junior right-hander shut down the Sun Devils momentum to hold the 4-3 edge.
West Virginia added insurance runs in the bottom of the frame, starting with the hustle from Guzman. He received a one-out walk before Kresser placed a single to centerfield and as Guzman raced for third, the throw skipped past redshirt sophomore Austen Roellig and dashed home, beating the throw and sliding in safely. Then, Tyrus Hall hit a two-out RBI single to left field, and proceeded to steal second and another errant throw rolled to right field and with no hesitation the junior sped all the way home to cap a three-run eight.
The West Virginia bullpen combined for three hitless innings. Montesa gave up a hit and a walk in he ninth, but he registered three consecutive outs as the Mountaineers advanced to the Big 12 Baseball Championship with a 7-3 decision.
West Virginia will meet Kansas in the finals Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. EST and the action will be televised on ESPN2.
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West Virginia
Woman sentenced for her role in drug trafficking ring linking West Virginia to Illinois
FAYETTE COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — A woman who held a role in a drug ring linking West Virginia to Illinois will spend at least a decade in prison, prosecutors said.
Krystal Tankson, 41, of Chicago has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver methamphetamine, according to a news release from the Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
The release said the sentence was doubled as Tankson had previously been convicted of a federal drug offense. The woman must serve 10 years of that sentenced before becoming eligible for parole.
Prosecutors said in June 2021, an investigation into Fayette County drug activity was launched, leading confidential informants to make 20 separate purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine over the span of four months.
Law enforcement officers seize more than a pound of fentanyl, two pounds of methamphetamine and about three ounces of cocaine along with $250,000 cash from a Fayette County residence. (Fayette County Prosecutor’s Office)
According to prosecutors, the investigation led to the seizure of about three pounds of illicit drugs and nearly $250,000 in cash.
“Tankson was directly involved in the transportation of large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine into the state,” the release said. “Tankson is the final member of the drug trafficking organization to be prosecuted.
Investigators determined Heather Hewitt to be the network’s leader. In 2023, Hewitt was sentenced to up to 90 years in prison and fined $25,000 for her role in operation.
CLAY COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A popular trail in Clay County has opened some major upgrades to the public.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey celebrated the opening of the new Elk River Trail Visitors Center. The governor said the new visitors center was designed to look like a historic train depot.
The celebration also highlighted a more than 4-mile-long expansion to the trail. The expansion features a paved mile leading into Clendenin, along with benches and a gazebo overlooking the Elk River.
Morrisey said part of the trail will serve as an official Mountaineer Mile location.
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