Despite facing challenges, the WVU Mountaineers men’s basketball team has emerged victorious in their initial two games this year, maintaining an undefeated record.
They managed to secure a seven-point victory over Oakland in a lackluster offensive performance during the opener.
WVU basketball supporters were left dissatisfied with the margin. West Virginia sportsbooks had set the point spread against the Golden Grizzlies at -17.5 for the Mountaineers, which proved to be insufficient.
Although WVU showed significant improvement in their second match against rival Pittsburgh, they still failed to cover once again.
The final score was 74-59, but it fell short of covering the -17 line.
The Mountaineers established a formidable 12-point advantage at halftime, which ultimately narrowed down to a mere 15 points. Their lead grew to a comfortable 21 points with approximately five minutes left, but Pitt managed to make a couple of impactful plays towards the end, although the outcome of the game was already secure.
Despite being 0-2 against the spread, WVU has managed to maintain a perfect 2-0 record in the actual standings. The team aims to continue its success and enhance its performance. WVU is set to face Elon on Thursday night, where they are once again favored at WV online sportsbooks.
Mountaineers Win First Two
Following a year during which the majority of fans were unable to attend college basketball games, the commencement of the season in Morgantown brought a pleasant start for the locals.
A total of approximately 23,500 individuals witnessed the inaugural two matches of the year at WVU Coliseum. The team is anticipated to rely on their home advantage for numerous upcoming meetings.
The Mountaineers were guided to their first two triumphs by numerous familiar faces.
Despite struggling to make several shots against Oakland, seniors Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil managed to stay effective. Sherman emerged as the top scorer of the game, while McNeil was the lone WVU player to achieve double digits.
Out of nine attempts from the field, he successfully made four, two of which were from deep, contributing to WVU’s four shots.
Overall, nine Mountaineers contributed to the scoring, yet their shooting percentages were approximately 40% from the field and 19% from beyond the arc.
In addition to securing a win, another highlight from the initial match was the impressive defensive performance. West Virginia University effectively limited Oakland’s shooting opportunities, resulting in a dismal shooting day for the opposing team. Furthermore, WVU managed to force 25 turnovers from Oakland.
The rebounding discrepancy, resulting in a 15-point loss for the home team, raised significant concerns.
The Mountaineers experienced a notable improvement on offense during their second game, shooting over 50% overall and approximately 41% from three-point range.
Sherman and McNeil had comparable performances in scoring, while two other individuals displayed exceptional performances.
Sophomore Jalen Bridges dominated the game by scoring 18 points, in addition to grabbing six rebounds and blocking five shots.
In just 12 minutes on the court, senior transfer Malik Curry made a significant impact as a bench player. He showcased his strength by scoring 10 points with an impressive shooting percentage of just five shots. Additionally, Curry contributed three assists and two steals during his time on the floor.
Although the defense allowed Pitt to score more efficiently, WVU managed to hold them to fewer than 60 points once again. Furthermore, WVU dominated the turnover battle by creating 32 Panther giveaways.
Once again, rebounding proved to be a weakness for the Mountaineers as they only managed to secure 20 boards, while their opponent dominated with 36 rebounds.
WVU Basketball Vs. Elon Preview
Although WVU managed to secure victories in their first two matchups, their poor rebounding might pose a challenge for them to maintain this success. When facing formidable opponents, their weakness in rebounding is likely to have negative consequences for the Mountaineers.
Head coach Bob Huggins is currently putting in the effort to achieve another victory this week. On Thursday, WVU will once again face the Elon Phoenix at home, and Huggins is hopeful for a successful outcome.
With a 2-1 record, Elon surprises many with its talent. Despite losing to Florida in their first game, they managed to win their previous two matches against lesser-known programs.
In the second half, Elon managed to outscore the Gators by 10 points, effectively staying within striking distance throughout the game.
Several different players on the Phoenix team contribute to scoring, as five of them currently maintain an average of over 11 points per game. The highest scorer among them is junior guard Zac Ervin, who leads the team with an impressive nearly 16 points per game.
In Elon’s most recent victory against Bluefield College, he achieved an outstanding 29 points, surpassing his previous career record.
In general, WVU is expected to enjoy a size advantage in this game, which should likely be beneficial in terms of rebounding. Although Elon has performed well in previous games, particularly in terms of rebounding, winning the last two games with a margin of at least 10.
Currently, Michael Graham, a sophomore forward, is dominating the paint with an impressive average of 10 rebounds per game.
Senior Gabe Osabuohien is among the three Mountaineers players, who collectively have an average of 4.5 rebounds.
The team has managed to mask their weaknesses in rebounding by capitalizing on turnovers. Despite not making significant offensive contributions, senior Kedrian Johnson leads the nation with an average of 5.5 steals per game.
WVU Basketball Odds At WV Sportsbooks
Regrettably, there are currently no odds available for this specific matchup at WV sportsbooks. The betting line will be made public closer to the commencement of the game.
If you are planning to support the Mountaineers, be prepared to give away a significant number of points.
In the first game of the year, Florida had a spread of -18.5 against Elon. Considering that WVU hasn’t dominated any opponent yet, they should be favored by a slightly smaller margin.
It is likely that sportsbooks will have odds ready by Wednesday evening.
The final outcome of this game is expected to be determined quickly. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index predicts that the Mountaineers have a high probability, approximately 83%, of securing a victory.
If you have confidence that this is only the beginning of a successful run for them, you might consider placing a few futures bets before their chances are lowered. At FanDuel WV, the Mountaineers have odds of +2000 to reach the Final Four.
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