West Virginia
WVSports – West Virginia open hoops job has a lot of offer candidates
Stay up to date on the WVU basketball coaching search and so much more. Get 60-percent off with an annual subscription with this deal
Link: https://bit.ly/3Tql2c2
************
Wren Baker didnât hesitate when discussing his open menâs basketball head coaching job.
âThis is a great basketball job. A really, really strong program,â he said.
The Athletic Director is facing his most high-profile hire to date in his position in Morgantown and cited the tradition of the program with multiple coaches, the facilities and the fan support as key reasons.
That last point he came armed with ammunition as Baker reeled off West Virginiaâs position as No. 2 in the nation in home court advantage which is a measurement of possession efficiency of both the Mountaineers and their opponents in Morgantown and everywhere else.
âThe passion of our fans come up,â Baker said.
Securing a coach in a timely fashion is important with the transfer portal set to open March 18, but while it will be executed expeditiously it is critical that the search is as thorough as possible to get the right fit. That is what Baker relayed to the current team as well in person following the season-ending loss.
Still, while there is an opportunity to build things quickly with the transfer portal in place the focus for Baker is for the coach to build a program and not a team.
âItâs important they get the culture right, the staff right, the systems right and you have to have patience to allow them to grow into it,â Baker said.
Regardless of coaching changes, roster turnover is happening at a higher clip than ever before and itâs difficult to count on talent already on the roster in this day and age from season to season. But no matter how it unfolds, Baker is confident that given the things listed above the Mountaineers will be competitive in short order once the search is completed and a hire is made.
In terms of what the program has to offer in some key arenas, Baker is confident that compared to the rest of the Big 12 Conference the Mountaineers will be very competitive in the realms of salaries for the head coach, the staff and the travel budget, among other things.
And the eventual coach also will have a competitive NIL program at his backing.
âIâm confident ours will be competitive both in the Big 12 and nationally. I believe it is and I have every reason to believe it will be. Weâre going to ensure that our menâs basketball program has the resources to compete, and NIL is certainly a part of that,â Baker said.
That will be important as Baker still believes that balancing that as well as building chemistry and culture is an art that good coaches are able to navigate in this changing environment.
When it comes to input in the search, Baker did say that while he will always give an ear to those that give their wealth, time and talent to support a program, he also gives it to other datapoints as well. And ultimately this decision will fall at his feet, so he has to make the choice when the time comes.
One of the talking points with some members of the fanbase has been the potential of former head coach Bob Huggins being considered either for input or for the position, but while Baker has great respect and admiration for what the legendary coach has done he is focused on whatâs ahead.
âI think you can be respectful of the past and still be focused on the future,â he said.
West Virginia had control of Saturday night’s Cleveland Hoops Showdown for long stretches, but a game that should have been put away in the second half turned into a gut-punch finish as the Mountaineers fell 89–88 to Ohio State in double overtime in Rocket Arena.
WVU dictated the game early, controlling the pace and limiting Ohio State’s early offense. After a back-and-forth opening stretch, the Mountaineers began to separate late in the first half and took control heading into the break. Honor Huff capped the half with a three on the final possession, sending WVU to the locker room up 37–27.
That momentum carried into the second half. Brenen Lorient scored on WVU’s first possession, and the Mountaineers continued to build on the lead. West Virginia pushed the margin to 51–35 as Huff and Jackson Fields knocked down back-to-back threes for a 16-point advantage that reflected how firmly the game had tilted in the Mountaineers’ favor.
Ohio State didn’t fold, and the game gradually tightened. The Buckeyes began cutting into the lead, forcing WVU into longer possessions on both ends. Even as the margin shrank, the Mountaineers kept finding ways to respond. A technical foul on Ohio State and a brief WVU run helped slow the momentum, but the lead continued to slip as the second half moved toward the final minutes.
Ohio State erased the deficit entirely and briefly took the lead on a deep three late in the half, but Fields answered on the other end to tie the game at 68 and send it to overtime.
The first overtime followed the same pattern. Huff opened the period with a three, Ohio State answered, and neither team could gain separation. WVU had chances to end it, but Ohio State stayed close enough to force a second overtime.
The second overtime was just as tight. Chance Moore opened with free throws, Lorient knocked down a kick-out three to reclaim the lead, and Huff hit a jumper with 12.3 seconds left to put WVU back in front 88–87. Ohio State answered again, taking the lead with 3.6 seconds remaining. West Virginia never got a shot off on the final possession.
Huff led the Mountaineers with 24 points after a slow start. Lorient turned in one of his most complete performances of the season, scoring 18 points on perfect shooting and grabbing seven rebounds. Moore added 15 points,10 of which came from the foul line, while Jasper Floyd finished with 14 points and helped set the offense going early.
WVU will close the non-conference schedule on Dec. 22 inside Hope Coliseum against Mississippi Valley State. Tip-off is set for 7:00PM on ESPN+
The Ohio State basketball team has had an up-and-down year so far. The record is respectable at 7-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten, but by and large, it has beaten teams it was supposed to beat and lost in its two biggest contests.
The Buckeyes will try to get some forward momentum when they head to Cleveland to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Cleveland Hoops Showdown Saturday night. Much like Ohio State, the Mountaineers have had mixed reviews and lost games against the better competition. They sit at 8-3 overall.
As we pause for the Ohio State football team to get back in action, what better way to put your scarlet and gray colored glasses on than by watching OSU hoops try to notch another win in what we all hope is a berth in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season. If so, we’ve got all you need to know to find and watch the game on Saturday.
Stream Ohio State basketball vs. West Virginia
What channel is Ohio State vs. West Virginia on today?
- TV Channel: ESPNU
- Livestream: FuboTV (subscription to new subscribers may be available)
Ohio State-West Virginia will be televised nationally on ESPNU. John Schriffen (play-by-play) and King McClure (analyst) will call the action from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which may offer a free trial to new subscribers.
Ohio State vs. West Virginia game time today
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
- Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET
The Ohio State-West Virginia game starts at 8:00 p.m. ET from Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
Stream Ohio State basketball vs. West Virginia
Ohio State vs. West Virginia, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Saturday, Dec. 13
- Ohio State 72, West Virginia 67: This game will not be a free-flowing one and will look more like the game against Pitt than Illinois. That will benefit Ohio State with its ability to get into half-court sets and use its size and dribble penetration in the paint. It’ll be a lower-scoring, physical affair, but one in which the Buckeyes are able to outlast the Mountaineers.
- Spread: Ohio State -3.5
- Over/Under: 144
- Money line: Ohio State (-170), West Virginia (+145)
Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
West Virginia Mountaineers (8-3) vs. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2, 1-1 Big Ten)
Cleveland; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Buckeyes -4.5; over/under is 143.5
BOTTOM LINE: Ohio State takes on West Virginia at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Buckeyes have a 6-1 record against non-conference oppponents. Ohio State ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 16.4 assists per game led by Bruce Thornton averaging 4.2.
The Mountaineers are 8-3 in non-conference play. West Virginia is 3-3 against opponents with a winning record.
Ohio State averages 87.4 points, 29.0 more per game than the 58.4 West Virginia gives up. West Virginia has shot at a 45.4% clip from the field this season, 3.4 percentage points greater than the 42.0% shooting opponents of Ohio State have averaged.
TOP PERFORMERS: Thornton is shooting 62.3% and averaging 21.7 points for the Buckeyes. John Mobley Jr. is averaging 13.7 points.
Honor Huff is shooting 41.5% and averaging 17.3 points for the Mountaineers. Brenen Lorient is averaging 10.2 points over the last 10 games.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Bill and Hillary Clinton’s Stance on Epstein Testimony Oct. 6
Sunday Puzzle: Major U.S. cities
You need to listen to Sudan Archives’ violin opus for the club
US and Ukraine target 1,000-vessel ‘dark fleet’ smuggling sanctioned oil worldwide
Small Business Administration unveils new initiative to roll back federal regulations
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Small Business Administration unveils new initiative to roll back federal regulations
Analysis: Trump’s policies set to widen EU-US innovation gap
With federal relief on the horizon, Black farmers worry it won’t come soon enough
Trump’s election win filled Hamas with ‘fear,’ hostage held like ‘slave’ for 505 days recounts
In Khartoum, exhumation of makeshift graves reawakens families’ grief
-
Alaska1 week agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Texas1 week agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Washington5 days agoLIVE UPDATES: Mudslide, road closures across Western Washington
-
Iowa1 week agoMatt Campbell reportedly bringing longtime Iowa State staffer to Penn State as 1st hire
-
Miami, FL1 week agoUrban Meyer, Brady Quinn get in heated exchange during Alabama, Notre Dame, Miami CFP discussion
-
Iowa1 day agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoMan shot, killed at downtown Cleveland nightclub: EMS
-
World1 week ago
Chiefs’ offensive line woes deepen as Wanya Morris exits with knee injury against Texans
