West Virginia

West Virginia basketball trying to control what they can control

Published

1 year ago

February 15, 2025

West Virginia basketball trying to control what they can control

For West Virginia the pathway to winning basketball games comes down to what they can control.

On the offensive end, that means that the Mountaineers want to try to score in a broken floor because that gives them the best chance to get points, but at the same time they have to be mindful.

With a rotation that has become eight players of late, that means avoiding a track meet in order to preserve guys that are playing a lot of minutes right now so finding that balance of when to push and be more deliberate on that end of the floor is critical.

That means if the opportunity isn’t there to run, West Virginia has to make sure they get quality shots on possessions in order to maximize what they can do on the offensive end.

“We still want to take advantage of those open floor opportunities as much as we can and once we get in the halfcourt be intentional with what we can get,” head coach Darian DeVries said.

Some of that is a game-by-game basis where the Mountaineers might put an emphasis on kicking it ahead and pushing it, while other times it’s a situation where they need to see what is there and get into their sets in order to utilize the players on the floor the best way possible.

When West Virginia isn’t scoring in the open court it comes down to taking care of the basketball and making sure they get good movement on that end while being unselfish.

It’s no secret that West Virginia lost some of their offensive firepower when Tucker DeVries was lost for the season which puts more on an emphasis on others picking up the slack.

Senior forward Toby Okani is one of those that has upped his level of play on offense in the past couple games showcasing the ability to get in the paint, shoot some jump hooks, shots at the rim and grab offensive rebounds. It’s something the Mountaineers need.

“So, he’s done a nice job of kind of utilizing all the things he’s capable of, and that’s been a nice little burst for us on the offensive side of it because those are the things that he’s capable of doing,” DeVries said.

The Mountaineers always try to find ways to get senior point guard Javon Small scoring opportunities but if teams are committing multiple people to him that means finding other players to score. That too can lead to good possessions on offense and allow some others to step up and fill the void.

“And hopefully that balance kind of evens itself out as we continue to move along and we’ll get, you know, find ways to get Javon free and he’ll score,” DeVries said. “I mean, he’s going to score. They’ve just done a good job these last couple of games. Like I said that balance has been good for us.”

Against BYU, West Virginia did that as DeVries felt that it was as good as the offense has played scoring almost 70 points and hitting 55-percent from the field in the second half despite the loss.

“We can’t make the ball go in the basket, you know. We can get some open opportunities and things, and sometimes, you know, we hit them, sometimes we don’t, but I know what we can control on the other end of the floor right now,” DeVries said.

On the defensive end is a different story and something that the Mountaineers have much more control over. That means remaining disciplined and solid on that end and avoiding the issues that plagued them in that loss to BYU where West Virginia struggled to keep the ball in front of them being too aggressive to limit the easy opportunities where an opponent can get to the rim or kick it out for open shots.

“We played plenty hard enough we just didn’t play with enough discipline with some things we got too aggressive at times and then they were able to get by us and get downhill and play a numbers game,” DeVries said. “We still want our guys to be aggressive and into the ball but making sure they also do a good job of keeping in front.”

DeVries believes that his team is still in great spirits overall and has been focused at playing at a high level.

Sitting at 15-9 overall, West Virginia is still approaching the big picture of a potential NCAA Tournament berth with a game-by-game basis and the message to the team has been that they’re still playing for something. Still, they have to do their part and control what they can control in the meantime.

“The thing that does matter is you’ve got to find ways to continue to get wins, and that’s our primary focus, and that’s the game-by-game mentality of, hey, our next opportunity is at Baylor, and what do we got to do to go try to win that game?” DeVries said.

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West Virginia

Vape Safety Act of 2026 passes W.Va. House, tightening oversight and licensing for shops

Published

12 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Vape Safety Act of 2026 passes W.Va. House, tightening oversight and licensing for shops

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — The Vape Safety Act of 2026 passed in the West Virginia House of Delegates on Friday, aiming to crack down on what lead sponsor of the bill Del. David McCormick, R-Monongalia, said are the bad actors in the vape shop world.

“They’re very lightly regulated,” McCormick said. “Here’s something that is becoming a blight on our landscape out here in our neighborhoods and towns. They’re all over the state and they need some oversight.”

McCormick said the bill will also strengthen licensing as to who can run the shops.

A key part of the legislation that passed the House by a vote of 88-5 is an FDA registry, requiring all the products sold in the shops to be approved at the federal level.

“Make sure that something doesn’t have 30 times the nicotine in it that it’s supposed to, which has happened, and get a 12-year-old kid addicted to nicotine,” McCormick. “That’s buying something that looks like Pokémon.”

Cracking down on the marketing strategies vape shops use is also included in the bill. It has gained support from both sides of the aisle.

“You walk into them and they have you know it looks fun and all the flavors and all the things,” Del. Hollis Lewis, D-Kanawha said. “So when teens go in there, it’s geared towards teens. So I think some regulation is important.”

Other provisions include vape shops not being allowed within 300 feet of schools, libraries or churches.

“I would deem these things almost attractive nuisance for kids and teenagers,” Lewis said. “What we want to do in this piece of legislation, we want to ultimately, above anything else, is protect our children and to get rid of bad actors to make sure that we know what’s being sold in the shop and we know who’s selling it.”

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West Virginia

BYU Cougars at West Virginia Mountaineers odds, picks and predictions

Published

24 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

BYU Cougars at West Virginia Mountaineers odds, picks and predictions

The No. 23 BYU Cougars (20-8, 8-7 Big 12) visit the West Virginia Mountaineers (16-12, 7-8) Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. ET (FOX) tip from WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NCAA basketball odds around the BYU vs. West Virginia odds and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions for the best bets.

BYU has dropped 2 of its last 3 games after falling 97-84 against UCF on Tuesday, failing to cover as a 13.5-point home favorite with the Over (162.5) hitting. F AJ Dybantsa led all scorers with 29 points and G Robert Wright III added 20 as only 3 Cougars players scored in double figures in the upset loss.

West Virginia has dropped 3 games in a row after falling 91-84 in overtime against Oklahoma State on Tuesday, failing to cover as a 1.5-point road underdog with the Over (143.5) hitting. G Honor Huff scored a game-high 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting from 3, while the Mountaineers overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to force OT before running out of gas.

– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch NCAA basketball on Fubo!

BYU at West Virginia odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated 10:20 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): BYU -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | West Virginia +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
Against the spread (ATS): BYU -1.5 (-115) | West Virginia +1.5 (-105)
Over/Under (O/U): 142.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

BYU at West Virginia picks and predictions

Prediction

BYU 81, West Virginia 74

PASS.

There is better value on the Cougars to cover the spread.

BET BYU -1.5 (-115).

A win all but guarantees a cover for the Cougars in this matchup with such a slim spread. They have covered in 2 of their last 3 and 3 of their last 5, including back-to-back road games.

Neither side has played particularly well recently, with both teams being 4-6 straight up (SU) and 3-7 ATS over their last 10 games. This matchup will give Dybantsa, the nation’s leading scorer (25.1 points per game) who earned USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honors last week, an opportunity to take over the game.

BET OVER 142.5 (-110).

The Mountaineers have scored at least 74 points in 2 of their last 4 games while allowing 67 or more in 3 of their last 5.

The Cougars have hit the Over in 7 of their last 10 games. They have scored 79 or more points in 4 of their last 5, including 90 or more twice in that span. They have scored 82 or more points in 7 of their last 10 and have allowed at least 86 in 6 of their last 9.

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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West Virginia

As Mountaineers try to move forward from recent struggles, freshman sensation Dybantsa awaits – WV MetroNews

Published

1 day ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

As Mountaineers try to move forward from recent struggles, freshman sensation Dybantsa awaits – WV MetroNews

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia is mired in a three-game losing streak for the first time under head coach Ross Hodge.

To make the slump a thing of the past, the Mountaineers have to find a way to be successful Saturday against No. 19 BYU when the teams battle at 5:30 p.m. Saturday inside Hope Coliseum for a matchup airing on FOX.

That means contending with freshman sensation AJ Dybantsa, the leading scorer in the Big 12 Conference at 25.1 points and one the top pro prospects in all of college basketball in recent memory.

“He’s definitely worthy of all the praise and attention that he’s gotten,” Hodge said. “What impresses you as much as his talent, which is very impressive, is his commitment to his teammates and how he celebrates those guys and his leadership for a young player on top of what he can do individually.”

At 6-foot-9, Dybantsa has a surplus of size for a primary ball-handler. It’s part of what makes his skill set so unique. He shoots north of 53 percent from the field, averages almost seven rebounds and four assists and shoots more than eight free throws per game thanks in large part to an ability to consistently draw contact.

Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives while being defended by Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) during the first half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images

“He’s a problem in every facet of the game,” Hodge said. “He certainly can distort you in ways that a lot of people can’t because of his size, versatility and fluidity. Typically, in your transition defense, your guards are going to be the ones stopping the ball and he can create an automatic mismatch from the jump because he has the ball in his hands so much.”

The Cougars are relying on Dybantsa even more at present after Richie Saunders suffered a significant season-ending injury. Saunders averaged 18 points and has missed three straight games, and in essence four, as the injury occurred in the first minute of what amounted to an overtime victory against Colorado. Saunders’ 64 three-pointers remain a team high, but Dybantsa has the luxury of another consistent scorer in guard Robert Wright III, who averages 18.1 points and has 50 triples.

BYU averages 84.6 points, good for second among Big 12 teams.

“Do you play [Dybantsa] individually and live with if he gets 35 or 40, or try to shrink gaps and live with are these other guys going to make shots? That is the challenge,” Hodge said. “He’s shown the ability that he can beat you both ways.”

The Cougars (20-8, 8-7) have dropped two of their last three and six of nine since a 17-2 start. Most recently, Central Florida had its way offensively and cruised to a road win over the Cougars, 97-84, on Tuesday.

WVU (16-12, 7-8) has lost three straight by a total of 18 points, most recently suffering a 91-84 overtime setback at Oklahoma State on Tuesday.

The Mountaineers struggled to get stops for much of the contest, with Hodge referring to the first half of that game as his team’s worst defensive half of the season.

Still, much like the game before at TCU, the win was there for the taking late and the Mountaineers were unable to close strong.

West Virginia continues to put itself in position where it’s required to overcome significant second-half deficits, and while the Mountaineers have often caught up or led late, they’ve been unable to pull through recently.

WVU has played eight straight games decided by 10 or fewer points and recorded a 3-5 record over that time.

“The initial aftermath of any loss you’re going to be disappointed, but we’re mature enough and from a leadership standpoint,” Hodge said. “It’s hard not to just fall into the trap of you win and you’re great, you lose and you’re terrible. We’ve been fortunate enough to win some one-possession games that easily could’ve went the other way and the last three games we were in easily could’ve went our way, but they didn’t.

“But you’re not looking at an insurmountable mountain to climb. A block out here, a free throw there, a rebound here, a made shot here, a missed shot here, that’s the difference in what you’re dealing with. Do you have the emotional intelligence and maturity to stay the course and stay together, which this group does better than anybody I’ve been around, and still find a level of excitement in what you’re doing every day. That’s where if you love basketball and love each other and love challenges, then you’re going to be in the right place. There’s going to be a certain level of excitement even in the midst of disappointing times.”

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