Connect with us

West Virginia

What the ESPN BPI Says About West Virginia’s Chances of Sweeping Cincinnati

Published

on

What the ESPN BPI Says About West Virginia’s Chances of Sweeping Cincinnati


Wednesday evening, the West Virginia Mountaineers and Cincinnati Bearcats will meet for the second time this season, each looking to make its case for the NCAA Tournament.

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI) matchup predictor, West Virginia has a 58.5% chance to snap its two-game skid while Cincinnati has a 41.6% chance to split the season series with the Mountaineers.

Although WVU won the first matchup comfortably and is now the host for the second go-around, I agree with the BPI giving the Bearcats a chance on the road here. For some unknown reason, WVU has struggled in mid-week games all year long, and Wes Miller’s squad has played much better of late.

Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Feb 15, 2025; Waco, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Joseph Yesufu (1) drives to the basket ahead of Baylor Bears forward Norchad Omier (15) during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images / Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Last week was a double-whammy for West Virginia, which lost a pair of games by a combined seven points to BYU and Baylor. The Mountaineers led the Cougars for over 30 minutes and maintained a five—or six-point lead for much of the night. BYU tried some different things offensively in the second half, and they paid off, leading to several open looks.

Advertisement

The overtime loss to Baylor could have been prevented by playing more disciplined defensively. Baylor got to the line a bunch and made WVU pay, connecting on 27 of 32 attempts from the charity stripe. And yes, while there were several questionable whistles, the Mountaineers had several bad fouls on reach-ins.

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cincinnati Bearcats’ men’s basketball head coach Wes Miller reacts from the bench during the second half against Iowa State in the Big-12 men’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 15, 2025 in Ames, Iowa. / Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Since falling to West Virginia at home, Cincinnati has won three of its last four, with its only loss coming on the road to No. 8 Iowa State over the weekend. West Virginia held Cincy to just 50 points a couple of weeks ago, but the Bearcats have been terrific offensively ever since, posting 93, 84, 85, and 70 points. In that stretch, sophomore guard Jizzle James has caught fire, averaging 22.2 points per game.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

WATCH: Darian DeVries Cincinnati Preview Press Conference

Quick Hits: Cincinnati Preview, Free Throw Disparity, Life on the Bubble + More

West Virginia Baseball Reschedules Home Opener

Advertisement

Is WVU In or Out? Latest ESPN Bracketology Projection Indicates It’s a Close Call



Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

West Virginia

West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted

Published

on

West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted


A West Virginia man accused of threatening to attack President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workers was federally indicted this week.

Cody Lee Smith, 20, of Clarksburg was indicted on two counts of threats to murder the president, one count of influencing and retaliating against federal officials by threat of murder and one count of influencing a federal official by threat of murder, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Smith is accused of making a series of public posts on Instagram encouraging and threatening the murder of Trump, those who support him, Israelis and “all government officials,” the news release said.

The indictment also alleges that Smith sent a direct message via Instagram to Donald J. Trump, Jr., stating he would kill his father by cutting his “jugular.”

Advertisement

In a phone call with the ICE tip line, Smith also threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg and employees staffing the tip line.

Comment with Bubbles

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Smith faces up to 5 years for each of the presidential threat charges and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the remaining counts.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

West Virginia

West Virginia falls flat in 65-63 loss to Kansas State – WV MetroNews

Published

on

West Virginia falls flat in 65-63 loss to Kansas State – WV MetroNews


West Virginia has said the right things about the need to capitalize on opportunities.

The Mountaineers aren’t following through when they come about.

The latest example came Tuesday night at Kansas State, which scored 21 unanswered points in the second half before holding off a furious West Virginia charge for a 65-53 victory at Bramlage Coliseum.

“The level of urgency and desire to win a game with so much on it wasn’t where it needed to be,” West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge said on postgame radio.

Advertisement

The Wildcats (12-18, 3-14) played without leading scorer PJ Haggerty, a surprise scratch with an undisclosed injury.

Although WVU (17-13, 8-9) defeated Kansas State 59-54 with Haggerty in the lineup during a January matchup in Morgantown, the Mountaineers were unable to capitalize on his absence in the rematch and fell to 1-4 in their last five games.

Both teams were dismal offensively in the opening half, which ended with West Virginia leading, 26-23.

The Mountaineers got 10 points apiece from reserve forwards Chance Moore and DJ Thomas, helping the visitors to at least somewhat overcome a starting lineup that scored six points on 3-for-15 shooting over the first 20 minutes.

“When you’re playing a team that is a little down and out, you can’t give them life and can’t give them hope,” Hodge said. “We had so many opportunities in the first half and at the beginning of the game to make some plays and entice a team that’s been struggling to maybe keep struggling.”

Advertisement

After a scoreless first half, WVU guard Honor Huff made his 100th three-pointer this season with 18:33 to play, allowing the Mountaineers to lead 31-27.

West Virginia went the next 8-plus minutes without a point, and Wildcats took control during that stretch.

Khamari McGriff scored the Wildcats’ first four points of the extended 21-0 spurt and accounted for four buckets and eight of the first 15 points during that time.

A jumper from CJ Jones with 10:53 remaining left the home team with a 48-31 advantage, before Thomas scored from close range to end his team’s extended drought at the 10:27 mark.

“I’m aware of our shortcomings and I understand when you’re deficient in some areas, your margin for error to win is razor thin,” Hodge said. “I’m disappointed with what was at stake, we got beat to loose balls. Would it have been nice to make more layups and threes? Of course. But when those things aren’t happening, you better do those other things.”

Advertisement

KSU had separate 19-point leads, the latter of which came at 57-38 when McGriff made two free throws with 7:29 to play.

WVU then increased its aggressiveness offensively and reeled off the next 11 points, while the Wildcats began to play tentative while in possession.

A three-pointer from K-State’s Nate Johnson left the Wildcats with a 60-49 lead with 3:48 left, but the Mountaineers continued to battle and trailed by six when Chance Moore scored in the paint at the 1:24 mark.

Moore’s next basket made it a five-point game, and after a Johnson turnover, Huff made two free throws to bring WVU to within 61-58 with 48 seconds left.

Another KSU turnover gave the visitors the ball back, but after Moore missed a shot that the Mountaineers rebounded, Huff committed a costly turnover. 

Advertisement

Johnson made two free throws with 17 seconds left, and McGriff added two more with 7 seconds remaining before Huff made a trey at the buzzer.

Moore led WVU with 18 points and made 6-of-7 shots, but again struggled on free throws, finishing 5 for 9. WVU hurts its cause at the charity stripe and made only 9-of-16 attempts.

Brenen Lorient was the Mountaineers’ second-leading scorer with 14 second-half points, while Thomas followed with 12 and Huff added 11 on 3-for-11 shooting.

Treysen Eaglestaff led all players with 11 rebounds in defeat, but made only 3-of-12 shots in a six-point showing.

McGriff led KSU with 18 points and added seven rebounds.

Advertisement

Johnson finished with 16 points and nine boards.

WVU had nine of its 13 turnovers in the second half. 

“Nine turnovers in the second half creates more busted floors, more cross match opportunities and through that, it makes you vulnerable for paint touch opportunities,” Hodge said. 

K-State played under the guidance of interim head coach Matthew Driscoll. Driscoll replaced Jerome Tang, who was fired in between the team’s first and second matchups with West Virginia this season.

“Sometimes in life you get what you deserve,” Hodge said, “and we deserved to lose tonight.”

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

West Virginia

Nitro completes utility deal with West Virginia American Water – WV MetroNews

Published

on

Nitro completes utility deal with West Virginia American Water – WV MetroNews


NITRO, W.Va. — It’s a done deal.

Nitro Mayor Dave Casebolt signed an agreement Tuesday with West Virginia American Water Company President Scott Wyman completing the sale of the Nitro Regional Wastewater Utility including the sewer plant for $20 million.

Advertisement

The water utility will now own and operate the city’s water and wastewater systems. The state Public Service Commission recently approved the deal.

Casebolt said it’s good to get the long-talked-about agreement signed. He said the city can’t afford to make the improvements required at the sewer plant.

“We’re looking at needing between 40 and 50 million dollars of upgrades to our system and expecting our four-thousand customer base to try to offset those costs is not even practical,” Casebolt said.

Casebolt said sewer bills are going to go up but he said they were going to go up regardless. He said the city was facing increasing rates by as much as 50 percent.

West Virgina American is planning $42 million in upgrades to the sewer system over the next five years, Casebolt said.

Advertisement

“It’s a much-need investment and actually allow the system to handle rainwater much better where it’s not backing up into people’s homes,” Casebolt said.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending