Ross Hodge is West Virginia’s fourth coach in four seasons and has a tall task with a rebuilt roster

Ross Hodge is West Virginia's fourth coach in four seasons and has a tall task with a rebuilt roster | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - North Texas head coach Ross Hodge instructs his team as they play against Memphis during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Jan. 5, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Nikki Boertman, File)

West Virginia (19-13, 10-10 Big 12)

The Mountaineers have their fourth coach in four seasons and they have undergone a roster overhaul under Ross Hodge, who was hired after Darian DeVries left for Indiana after one season. Hodge went 46-24 in two seasons as coach at North Texas. As a Mean Green assistant, his teams twice led the nation in scoring defense,, which used to be a hallmark at West Virginia. The Mountaineers missed the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in six seasons, scoring just 68.2 points per game, which ranked 15th out of 16 Big 12 teams.

Players to watch

Honor Huff, a 5-foot-10 guard, led the nation with 131 3-pointers at Chattanooga and the Mocs won the NIT. Treysen Eaglestaff averaged 18.9 points last season at North Dakota. The 6-6 guard scored a Summit League tournament-record 51 points in a quarterfinal win over South Dakota State. Hodge said the pair’s shot-making abilities and shooting ranges create space for other players on the floor.

Departures and arrivals

The Mountaineers could rely on scoring by committee after Javon Small was a one-man show last season, finishing second in the Big 12 with an 18.6 points per game scoring average before leaving for the pros. Hodge brought two players from North Texas: guard Jasper Floyd and forward Brenen Lorient. Floyd led the Mean Green in assists and steals. Lorient averaged nearly 12 points and five rebounds off the bench. Other transfers include guard Chance Moore (13.0 ppg, 6.5 rebounds at St. Bonaventure last season), forward Jackson Fields (7.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg at Troy) and guard Morris Ugusuk (5.9 ppg at South Carolina). Fields underwent wrist surgery during the summer.

Top games

The Mountaineers open against Mount St. Mary’s in Morgantown on Nov. 4. They host Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, play Wake Forest in Charleston on Dec. 6 and face Ohio State in Cleveland on Dec. 13. Their Big 12 schedule starts with No. 16 Iowa State, Cincinnati, No. 19 Kansas and No. 2 Houston.

Facts and figures

Seven-footer Harlan Obioha, who produced five double-doubles a year ago at UNC Wilmington, lost about 30 pounds in the offseason. … Center Abraham Oyeadier, a redshirt freshman, is the only returning player from last year’s roster. … Seven of West Virginia’s 15 players are true or redshirt freshmen. … Hodge has been part of staffs that went to three NCAA tournaments, including an upset of Purdue as a No. 13 seed in 2021. … West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker was the AD at North Texas when Hodge was an assistant under Grant McCasland, who now is at Texas Tech.

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Ross Hodge is West Virginia's fourth coach in four seasons and has a tall task with a rebuilt roster | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – North Texas guard Jasper Floyd, left, drives along the baseline while defended by Memphis guard Colby Rogers, right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Jan. 5, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Nikki Boertman, File)
Ross Hodge is West Virginia's fourth coach in four seasons and has a tall task with a rebuilt roster | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – North Dakota’s Treysen Eaglestaff celebrates during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Alabama, Dec. 18, 2024, in Grand Forks, N.D. (AP Photo/Russell Hons, File)

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