In the early stages of the new season, the WVU Mountaineers are showcasing impressive basketball skills. Following a loss to Marquette last month, they have bounced back by securing their fourth consecutive victory on Saturday.
Despite having a 7-1 overall record, WVU is still not ranked in the latest polls.
If the Mountaineers secure a win in their matchup on Wednesday night, it has the potential to redefine their current situation. Morgantown will be hosting an exciting battle as they welcome the 15th ranked UConn team.
The Huskies have an impressive record of 8-1, with their sole defeat being a close four-point loss to Michigan State. Additionally, they have regained their winning momentum by triumphing in their previous three games leading up to this upcoming match.
You can find all the WVU basketball events to bet on at West Virginia online sportsbooks. Although the betting line for Wednesday’s game is not yet available, it is expected to have a narrow spread.
Mountaineers Take Down Radford
On Saturday afternoon, WVU effortlessly secured its seventh victory of 2021 against Radford. The team’s exceptional performance from the start was so remarkable that it potentially led to losses for bettors in the Mountain State.
The Mountaineers held a commanding 18-point lead at halftime, which they later extended to a staggering 27 points. Nevertheless, Radford’s last two possessions ended in scoring, reducing the lead to 16 points and causing disappointment among supporters of WVU.
The point spread at WV sportsbooks for this game hovered around -19.
Although they didn’t come out victorious, coach Bob Huggins and his squad had an impressive performance. Their strong second half against Bellarmine, coupled with their overall display, suggests that the Mountaineers are prepared for a higher level of competition.
Senior Taz Sherman extended his impressive streak and outscored all others by a considerable margin. He stood as the sole player in the entire game to achieve double digits, amassing an impressive 27 points.
Sherman was a dominant force on offense, shooting an impressive 53% from the field. He not only carried the team, but also contributed seven points from the free-throw line.
With teammate Sean McNeil sidelined due to an injury, the guard assumed greater control over the situation.
Pauly Paulicap, another senior for WVU, emerged as the team’s subsequent top scorer, making a significant impact by adding seven points within a mere eight minutes as a substitute.
The Mountaineers may require a more diverse offensive strategy this week when facing UConn. Regrettably, it seems that McNeil might also be absent for this upcoming match.
Sherman has been consistently scoring 21 points per game this season, displaying exceptional shooting skills in his recent three performances. Scoring 27 points in his latest game was particularly impressive, falling just one point short of his personal record set against EKU.
WVU Basketball Vs. UConn Preview
In addition to being a scoring threat, Sherman also tops WVU in assists, averaging approximately 3.3 per game.
Guard Kedrian Johnson leads the team in steals with an impressive average of 2.4, closely followed by Sherman with 1.9 steals.
It will be intriguing to witness who steps forward to score points. A formidable team like UConn may attempt to constrain Sherman and challenge someone else to excel against them.
In accordance with McNeil’s performance, sophomore forward Jalen Bridges and senior Malik Curry are the sole individuals who maintain an average exceeding eight points.
Despite the Mountaineers being slightly shorthanded, the Huskies will also face similar circumstances.
It is highly probable that both Adama Sanogo and Tyrese Martin will be absent from Wednesday’s game. They hold the second and third positions, respectively, in terms of scoring for UConn this season, collectively contributing more than 28 points per game.
Senior guard R.J. Cole, the leading scorer for the Huskies with 16.3 points, will now shoulder additional responsibility. He consistently makes an average of two shots from beyond the arc per game.
UConn’s standout victory in the early season came against the previously ranked No. 19 Auburn. The thrilling match extended into two overtime sessions before UConn emerged victorious with a score of 115-109, maintaining their unbeaten record at 5-0.
In more recent times, it has faced and defeated some less formidable adversaries, such as Grambling.
The Huskies effortlessly secured a 29-point victory over Grambling in their game on Saturday.
Cole was the top scorer with 18 points, while four additional players achieved at least 10 points. Among them, freshman Jordan Hawkins contributed 15 points.
While this game may not hold the utmost significance on WVU’s schedule this season, it still holds value. If UConn performs strongly throughout the year, a victory against them would undoubtedly be advantageous for WVU in the upcoming tournament.
WVU Basketball Odds At WV Sportsbooks
The odds for the WVU-UConn meeting have not been made available yet, but they are likely to be released on Tuesday night.
Predicting the spread for this game is challenging due to the Mountaineers’ home advantage and UConn’s absence of important players.
Up to now, WVU has a record of 3-5 against the spread in their first eight games. If they manage to secure a win on Wednesday evening, bettors can likely expect a successful outcome as well.
Currently, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index portrays this game as essentially a toss-up, giving UConn a slight advantage. The index indicates that the Huskies have approximately a 51% probability of winning.
So far, both teams have played their early-season tournaments on neutral grounds, without experiencing a true road test. However, this is about to change on Wednesday at the WVU Coliseum, which could potentially work in favor of the Mountaineers and affect the spread.
At present, DraftKings WV Sportsbook provides updated odds for winning their respective conferences. The Big 12 odds for the Mountaineers are listed as +1500, while UConn has odds of +450 to win the Big East.
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