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The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents
West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State Coll ...
in
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
Division I
college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
competition. They are a member of the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
. WVU has won 13 conference tournament championships, and has 29 appearances in the NCAA tournament, including two Final Fours, most recently in
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. The Mountaineers have also appeared in 16
National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York Cit ...
s, and have won two championships, in 1942 (which West Virginia considers a National Championship)and
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. They are led by Bob Huggins, who has been head coach since 2007. WVU plays their home games at the WVU Coliseum, their home venue since 1970.


History

West Virginia men's basketball has competed in three basketball championship final matches: the 1959 NCAA final, the 1942 NIT final (at that time, the NIT was considered more prestigious than the NCAA), and the 2007 NIT Championship. They lost 71–70 to
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in the 1959 NCAA finals, while the Mountaineers won the 1942 NIT Championship 47–45 over Western Kentucky, and the 2007 NIT contest over Clemson 78–72 in a rebuilding season. In 1949, future Mountaineers head coach Fred Schaus became the first player in NCAA history to record 1,000 points. The most points scored in a game was 132 points against Alaska-Fairbanks in 1994, while the largest margin of victory was against Salem College, with the Mountaineers winning 113–32 in 1945. The largest margin of defeat in Mountaineer basketball history came in 1978 against Louisville, when the Cardinals beat the Mountaineers 106–60.


1955–1965 era


Rod Hundley

The modern era of West Virginia basketball history began in 1955, with the emergence of sophomore guard Hot Rod Hundley and newly appointed head coach Fred Schaus. The Mountaineers finished with a 19–11 record, and earned the first NCAA tournament appearance in school history under Hundley's lead. The team entered the tournament with a #19 ranking, the first Top 20 ranking in school history. However, they lost to the #3 La Salle Explorers in the first round of the tourney, 95–61. The following season, 1956, the Mountaineers posted a 21–9 record in Hundley's junior season, which was his best statistically. The team began the season with a #14 ranking, however lost consecutively to #13
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and #2 North Carolina State, dropping them out of the rankings. They eventually worked their way back to a #19 ranking, before losing to Villanova, La Salle, and
Carnegie Tech Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technol ...
to drop out of the rankings again. The squad never entered the rankings again on the season until the NCAA tournament, when they reached the #14 ranking. However, they once again lost in the first round to
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, 61–59 in overtime. In Hundley's senior season, 1957, the team opened with eight straight victories, including an 83–82 upset over the
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. The team also reached the #13 ranking before the Duke victory, and then rose to the #8 ranking in the final two victories. It marked the first time a Mountaineer squad was ranked in the Top 10 nationally. Going into the Dixie Classic, the Mountaineers achieved a #4 ranking (the first Top 5 ranking in school history), but lost three straight games in the tourney. The team posted 11 consecutive wins afterwards, rising from a #19 ranking to a #10 ranking. They dropped to #14 after a loss to Penn State, but won the next six games, including the Southern Conference Championship. The #7 Mountaineers were dropped in the first round of the NCAA tournament again however, to the #20
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team, 64–56.


Jerry West

After Hot Rod Hundley's graduation and departure to the NBA, sophomore guard Jerry West emerged for the Mountaineers and Fred Schaus. In his rookie collegiate season, West helped the Mountaineers to a 26–2 record, with a 12–0 conference record. The Mountaineers began the season with a #8 ranking, as they earned defeats over Penn State, #19
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, and a 77–70 victory over #5
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
in the Kentucky Invitational Tournament. The following game, the Mountaineers upset the #1-ranked nationally
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, 75–65, to win the Kentucky Tourney. After the UNC victory, the Mountaineers rose to the first-ever #1 ranking in school history. In the two wins in the tourney, West totaled 29 points and 19 rebounds. Over the next six-game winning streak, the Mountaineers produced wins over
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, Villanova,
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, and Furman. However, the Mountaineers were finally toppled by the
Duke Blue Devils The Duke Blue Devils are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's athletics department features 27 varsity teams that all compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Associatio ...
in
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, 72–68. The squad retained their #1 ranking however, as they produced victories over
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher education in the sta ...
, St. John's, VMI, Penn State, and Pittsburgh. In the final regular-season game, against
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, the team went into double overtime to pull out a 113–107 victory, with West earning 25 points and 9 rebounds. The squad swept the Southern Conference tournament, with their closest victory an 11-point win over Richmond in the semi-finals. However, the one-loss squad lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament for the fourth consecutive season, this loss coming to
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, 84–89. The following season, West's junior season at West Virginia, the squad posted a 29–5 record with another undefeated conference record, 11–0. The squad's highest ranking of the season was at a #4 ranking after a Penn State victory in the third game of the season. However, they lost shortly afterwards to
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
to drop to #7. The Mountaineers posted two more wins, but lost in the Kentucky Invitational Tournament to #2
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
, 91–97. They rose to #5 after the loss, but then lost the following game to #12 Northwestern in double overtime, 109–118. The Mountaineers bounced back however, with a victory over the #11-ranked
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. The team dropped to #11 in the rankings, but posted ten straight victories afterwards. The streak included an overtime victory over Penn State and a
Backyard Brawl The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played a ...
victory over
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as the Mountaineers were ranked #10. As soon as the team rose to #9, they lost in overtime to
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
, but posted two straight wins following. The team ended the season with wins over Pittsburgh and
George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , presi ...
. They swept the Southern Conference tournament for a third straight season. For the first time in Fred Schaus' coaching career at WVU, the Mountaineers advanced further than the opening round of the NCAA tournament. The team eventually won the East Region with victories over #14 St. Joseph's in the semi-finals and
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in the finals. In the two games, West scored 69 points in leading the Mountaineers into the Final Four, the furthest ventured in school history. The Mountaineers won their semifinal matchup against the
Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East C ...
, 94–79; with West scoring 38 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. However, in the Championship game, the Mountaineers were bested by
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, 70–71. Jerry West was named the tournament MVP, having scored 28 points and gathering 11 rebounds in the Championship loss. In the 1960 season following their NCAA Tournament Championship loss, West led the Mountaineers to a 26–5 record as a senior. The team posted eight straight wins before being ranked, including victories over
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,
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...
, and
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
to win the Kentucky Invitational Tournament. Upon being ranked #2 in the nation, the Mountaineers won over the
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and
UCLA Bruins The UCLA Bruins are the athletic teams that represent the University of California, Los Angeles. The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pac-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) ...
in the Los Angeles Classic, before losing to #3
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in the Championship game. The squad dropped to #3, but posted six straight victories afterwards. The victories included Penn State,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
, and
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. They lost to William & Mary, but continued with three more victories before their loss to St. John's as they were ranked #5. They finished the season with a victory over Pittsburgh in the
Backyard Brawl The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played a ...
, before sweeping the Southern Conference tournament for the fourth straight season, ranking #7 in the nation during the tourney. The squad made it to the semi-finals of the East Region of the 1960 NCAA tournament, but lost to #12
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
, 81–82. They did finish out their tourney resume with a 106–100 victory over St. Joseph's in the Regional Third Place matchup


Rod Thorn

After the departure of Jerry West to the NBA draft, sophomore guard Rod Thorn stepped in to fill his place for new head coach
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, much like West did when star guard Hot Rod Hundley graduated for former head coach Fred Schaus in 1958. Thorn helped the Mountaineers to a 23–4 record, 11–1 in conference. Their highest ranking of the season came in the Southern Conference tournament, where they finished it out with a #8 ranking as they lost the Championship for the first time in four years. The Mountaineers season resume included wins over Wake Forest, #19
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to win the Sugar Bowl tournament,
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,
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
,
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
, NC State, and four more victories to end the season over Penn State, Pitt, Penn State again, and
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, respectively. The Mountaineers lost in the second round of the Southern Conference tournament to William & Mary, 76–88, which kept them out of the NCAA Tournament. The following season, Rod Thorn guided the Mountaineers to a 24–6 record, 11–1 in conference. The Mountaineers won the first six games of the season, but lost the seventh game of the season against #7
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, 65–69. They lost the following two games as they earned a #7 ranking, but finished out the three-game Los Angeles Classic with a victory over Army. They once again posted a seven-game win streak after the Classic, including a key win over #5 Villanova. But the squad lost to
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
, 82–85, before starting another win streak: of four games. The team lost to
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
, but won three games to finish the season. The squad swept the Southern Conference tournament with a Championship win over Virginia Tech, but lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to the same Villanova team they had defeated earlier in the season. In Thorn's final season as a Mountaineer, effectively ending the era of WVU basketball, the team posted a 23–8 record with an 11–2 conference record. The team began the season ranked #5, but would end the season with unranked with a loss in the NCAA tournament semi-finals and a victory in the Regional Third Place matchup over #9
New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...
. The #3 Mountaineers began the season with a loss to
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
in the third game of the season, 69–76. They followed three games later with a loss to #9
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
, as they were ranked #7. The team went unranked before they posted two wins over
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classified ...
in overtime and
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, before losing to #4
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. The team went on a six-game run, where they reached a #9 ranking, but lost as the #6 team nationally to the #4
Duke Blue Devils The Duke Blue Devils are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Duke University, located in Durham, North Carolina. Duke's athletics department features 27 varsity teams that all compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Associatio ...
, 71–111, and then the following loss to Furman. The squad posted three more wins, but then lost again to William & Mary and
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. The team won five straight games to finish the season, including sweeping the Southern Conference tournament for the consecutive season. The squad opened up the NCAA Tournament with a victory over
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, but then lost in the East Region semi-finals to St. Joseph's.


2001–2005 senior class

Other than the late 1950s teams of Jerry West,
Rod Hundley Rodney Clark "Hot Rod" Hundley (October 26, 1934 – March 27, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley was the number 1 pick of the 1957 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals out of West Virginia Un ...
, Rod Thorn, and such other greats, the senior squad of 2001–2005 was one of the greatest teams of the school's history, mainly in the 2005–2006 campaign. The starting lineup consisted of
Johannes Herber Johannes Herber (born January 17, 1983) is a former German basketball player. He was born in Darmstadt. In 2006, he completed a U.S. college career at West Virginia University (WVU). In America, he was generally known as Joe Herber. College care ...
and Frank Young (junior) at forward, while J.D. Collins and
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played guards. Kevin Pittsnogle started at center, though he led the team with three-point shots. Senior Patrick Beilein (former coach John Beilein's son) got considerable playing time as well. The senior class was led by team MVPs Gansey and Pittsnogle, who were both named to the All-Big East team. The team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament before losing to
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74–71 due to a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer. This loss marked the end of an era. It consisted of back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, the first since the 1959 and 1960 teams of Jerry West, and an overall record of 77–51.


2007 NIT Championship

The team that followed the 2001–2005 senior class was projected to be weak and undeveloped due to lack of experience. Frank Young was the only senior that got considerable playing time from the previous year, although center Rob Summers was a senior as well. Young started at forward, along with
Da'Sean Butler Da'Sean Butler (born January 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for West Virginia University. ...
, Wellington Smith, and
Joe Alexander Joe Alexander (ג'ו אלכסנדר; born December 26, 1986) is a Taiwanese-born American-Israeli professional basketball player for Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Liga Leumit. Alexander, who at plays both forward positions, was selected for the ...
who all shared time. The guard position consisted of starter Darris Nichols and Alex Ruoff, although Ted Talkington got small action in a few games. Rob Summers started at center all year but shared time with back up center Jamie Smalligan. The primary starting line up was Nichols, Ruoff, Young, Alexander, and Summers, although all other players shared fairly equal time, including forward
Da'Sean Butler Da'Sean Butler (born January 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for West Virginia University. ...
off the bench. The team, projected to have a bad year with a tough Big East schedule, started out their season 5–0 with an easy early schedule. After a loss to
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, they posted an 8–0 record to make their season record 13–1 before suffering two losses to Notre Dame and Marquette to make their record 13–3. After a win against USF and an overtime loss at
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, the Mountaineers won four games to make their record 18–4. They were beaten by 13 at home to nationally ranked Pitt, followed by one of the biggest upsets in school history. The upset of #2
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70–65 made the Mountaineers 19–5, although they lost to
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the next week to make their record 19–6. After a win against Seton Hall, they lost back-to-back against
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and
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both on the road. They then finished out the regular season with a home blowout of
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
to make their record 21–8. The Mountaineers then beat Providence in the first round of the Big East tournament. In the second round, the Mountaineers held with the
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for two-overtimes, but lost 82–71. The Mountaineers failed to be selected for the NCAA tournament, to the surprise of many West Virginia fans, but they managed to accept a #1-seed in the
NIT Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York Cit ...
. The Mountaineers then posted an easy win against Delaware State. The second round the Mountaineers won a shootout 90–77 against
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, then a nail biting win against North Carolina State at home to win the East Region, making the first NIT-semifinal appearance since 1981. The semifinal contest against Mississippi State was one of the great wins in Mountaineer history, in which Darris Nichols hit the game-winning three-point shot to win the game 63–62 for the Mountaineers. Two days later in the NIT Championship, the Mountaineers, led by Frank Young's 24 points and Da'Sean Butler's 20 points off the bench, beat Clemson to win the university's
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NIT-crown, 78–72.


Bob Huggins era


2007–2008

A few days after WVU's winning of the 2007
National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York Cit ...
, coach John Beilein announced he would be leaving the school to accept a head coaching job at the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
. His official departure on April 4, 2007, was followed a day later by the announcement that Morgantown native Bob Huggins was resigning his post at
Kansas State University Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public inst ...
to take the vacant head coaching job at WVU. Huggins was followed by assistant coach
Billy Hahn Billy Hahn (born June 22, 1953) is an American former basketball coach who was most recently an assistant coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers under head coach Bob Huggins. During his head coaching and assistant coaching career, Hahn has coac ...
. The Mountaineers earned an 88–65 win over Mountain State in an exhibition game to start the season. West Virginia then entered a match-up against #7
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...
with a 2–0 record. However, the Mountaineers lost 74–72. The Mountaineers then posted an eight-game win streak on the way to a 10–1 record. The streak consisted of wins over Auburn, Winthrop, and New Mexico State. West Virginia then lost to
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
88–82 and then Notre Dame 69–56. They defeated #11 Marquette 79–64, but followed up with a loss to Louisville 63–54. They then posted four-straight wins over
Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy * Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' * Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York ** North Syracuse, New York * Syracuse, Indiana *Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, M ...
, St. John's,
South Florida South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of ...
, and Marshall. The Mountaineers then lost to #9 Georgetown 58–57, after a questionable block (or goaltending) call to end the game. However, West Virginia could not rebound in the next game, and lost to Huggins' former job, at
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
, to a final score of 62–39. They rebounded with a 77–65 victory at
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
, but then lost at #25
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in the
Backyard Brawl The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played a ...
on a buzzer-beating three-point shot by Pitt's Ronald Ramon to win the game, 55–54. With their record at 16–7, the Mountaineers followed up with an 81–63 victory over
Rutgers Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and w ...
, then an 89–68 victory over Seton Hall. The Mountaineers were then upset by Villanova, 56–78, but bounced back with an 80–53 victory over Providence. The Mountaineers earned their 20th win of the season in an 85–73 victory over DePaul. With their record at 20–8, the Mountaineers extended its 20-win season streak to four seasons, the best ever since a seven-season streak from 1981 to 1987. Bob Huggins' 20-win season moved his record to at least 20 wins in 22 of his 26 seasons coaching. His 20 20-win seasons in his collegiate career at the Division 1 level is tied for 12th place all-time. "I'm old," Huggins said of the accomplishment. After the DePaul victory, the Mountaineers lost a critical game to #16
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...
, 79–71. However,
Joe Alexander Joe Alexander (ג'ו אלכסנדר; born December 26, 1986) is a Taiwanese-born American-Israeli professional basketball player for Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Liga Leumit. Alexander, who at plays both forward positions, was selected for the ...
scored a then career-high 32 points and added another 10 rebounds. In the following game, the
Backyard Brawl The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played a ...
and Senior Night, the Mountaineers won their home game finale over their archrival, the Pittsburgh Panthers, 76–62, to improve to 10–7 in the conference and move to 6th place. Joe Alexander again had a career day by posting a consecutive 32-point performance, also adding 6 rebounds. The Mountaineers finished the year with an 83–74 overtime victory over St. John's, then opened the Big East Tournament with a 58–53 victory over Providence. In the second round of the tourney, the Mountaineers upset the #15-ranked
Connecticut Huskies The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's fo ...
, 78–72. Joe Alexander contributed with a career-high 34 points and 7 rebounds. The Mountaineers then, however, lost to the #9
Georgetown Hoyas The Georgetown Hoyas are the collegiate athletics teams that officially represent Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C. Georgetown's athletics department fields 23 men's and women's varsity level teams and competes at the National ...
, 55–72, in the tourney semifinals. The run to the Big East semifinals paved the way for the team to reach the
2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament The 2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketbal ...
in coach Huggins' first season. The Mountaineers received a #7 seed in the West Region, set to play #10 seed
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball The Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. It competes in the Pac-12 Conference of NCAA Division I and is currently coached by Tommy Llo ...
team, on March 20. The Mountaineers were victorious over Arizona in their first game of the NCAA tournament with a final score of 75–65. This advanced the Mountaineers into the second round of the tournament to play the Duke Blue Devils for the third time in school history. The team then beat #2 seed Duke, 73–67. They lost the Sweet Sixteen match to #3 seed Xavier in overtime, 79–75. West Virginia finished the season ranked #17.


2008–2009

West Virginia began the 2008 season projected to finish 9th in the Big East under Huggins. However, they began the season 4–0, led by senior Alex Ruoff, junior
Da'Sean Butler Da'Sean Butler (born January 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for West Virginia University. ...
, and a freshman class highlighted by
Devin Ebanks Devin Ebanks (born October 28, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Al-Ahli of the Saudi Premier League. The forward was selected 43rd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA draft. He played college basketball for t ...
, Kevin Jones and
Darryl Bryant Darryl Bryant (born April 25, 1990) known also as Truck Bryant is an American professional basketball player. Standing at 1.87 m (6'1"), he plays at the shooting guard position. After playing four years of college basketball at West Virgin ...
. They lost the Las Vegas Invitational Tournament Championship Game to
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...
54–43, but then bounced back with two wins to move to 6–1. However, they lost a last-second game to #22
Davidson Davidson may refer to: * Davidson (name) * Clan Davidson, a Highland Scottish clan * Davidson Media Group * Davidson Seamount, undersea mountain southwest of Monterey, California, USA * Tyler Davidson Fountain, monument in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA * ...
and
Stephen Curry Wardell Stephen Curry II ( ; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, ...
in
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...
, 68–65. Following the loss, WVU posted five straight victories; ending at the beginning of 2009. This streak included a 76–48 win over #13
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
in
Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...
, snapping the Buckeyes' nation-long 14-game win streak and handing OSU their biggest home loss since 1998. However, the streak ended in a 61–55 loss to #5
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...
which was followed by a 75–53 loss to #15 Marquette. The Mountaineers bounced back with a three-game win streak that included a 75–58 victory over #14 Georgetown in D.C. However, the streak ended in the 79–67 loss to #4
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in the
Backyard Brawl The Backyard Brawl is an American college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played a ...
. WVU defeated St. John's, but then lost to #7 Louisville and #20
Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy * Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' * Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York ** North Syracuse, New York * Syracuse, Indiana *Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, M ...
back-to-back. The Mountaineers ended the losing streak with an 86–59 win over
Providence Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
, but then lost to #4 Pitt for the second time. West Virginia followed the loss to Pitt with a 93–72 victory over #13 Villanova, featuring Da'Sean Butler's career-high 43 point performance. The Mountaineers then defeated Notre Dame and
Rutgers Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and w ...
before losing to
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
70–59 in Huggins' return to
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
. The Mountaineers bounced back with consecutive wins against USF and DePaul, but lost to #6 Louisville 62–59 in Morgantown while hosting College GameDay. West Virginia earned a first round bye in the Big East Tournament, and opened the second round of play with a 74–62 victory over Notre Dame. In the quarterfinals round, West Virginia defeated rival #2 Pittsburgh 74–60 in a shocking upset. The Mountaineers next played the #20 Syracuse Orange in the semi-finals, losing 74–69 in overtime. WVU's second consecutive trip to the Big East semi-finals paved the way for a #6 seed in the NCAA tournament, where they would play the #11 seed Dayton Flyers. However, the Mountaineers would be upset by Dayton to the score of 68–60, ending the season.


2009–2010

The 2009–10 West Virginia Mountaineers team captured the first Big East tournament Championship in school history and won the East Region to advance to the second Final Four in school history, where they lost in the national semi-finals (Final Four) to eventual National Champion Duke, 78–57 after Da'Sean Butler tore his ACL with 8:59 left in the 2nd half. The team finished #3 in the final Coaches Poll with a record of 31–7, setting the record for most wins in school history. Da'Sean Butler scored nine game-winning baskets over the course of the season, including one in each game of the Big East tournament. Butler and Devin Ebanks were both selected in the second round of the NBA draft.


2010–2011

The West Virginia Mountaineers finished the regular season with a record of 20–11 overall and 11–7 in the Big East, good for sixth place in the conference. They earned a 5th seed in East region of the 2011 NCAA tournament, one of the record eleven
Big East Conference The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
teams selected. They defeated the
Clemson Tigers The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) ...
in the second round, 84–76, to advance to the Round of 32. In a rematch of last season's Elite Eight match-up, the Mountaineers played the
Kentucky Wildcats The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,47 ...
. Despite holding a 41–33 halftime lead, the Mountaineers lost, 71–63. WVU finished their season with a record of 21–12.


Notable games

*March 2, 1949 against
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situa ...
in
Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in and the county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Monongahela River. The largest city in North-Central West Virginia, Morgantown is best known as the home of West Virginia Universi ...
with a 75–38 win when Fred Schaus scored 1000th career point. *February 26, 1951 at
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
with a 72–74 loss when the final basketball game played in Pitt Pavilion was held. *February 9, 1957 at
Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...
in
Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...
with an 87–81 win when
Rod Hundley Rodney Clark "Hot Rod" Hundley (October 26, 1934 – March 27, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley was the number 1 pick of the 1957 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals out of West Virginia Un ...
scored 2000th career point. *March 22, 1959
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
defeats West Virginia 71 to 70 for NCAA national title. Jerry West nearly wins the game with a last second shot from half court. *February 11, 1960 at St. John's in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
with a 73–79 loss when Jerry West scored 2000th career point. *February 7, 1966, West Virginia defeats #2
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...
94–90 in Coach Bucky Waters' most memorable win. *January 14, 1970 at Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a 67–66 Overtime win when a Pittsburgh fan threw a large dead fish onto the court after a technical foul against Pittsburgh. *March 3, 1970 against Pittsburgh in Morgantown, West Virginia with an 87–92 loss in the final game in Mountaineer Fieldhouse. *February 19, 1977, West Virginia's 81–68 upset of the #17 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who were led by
Digger Phelps Richard Frederick "Digger" Phelps (born July 4, 1941) is an American former college basketball coach, most notably of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from 1971 to 1991. For 20 years, from 1993 to 2014, he served as an analyst on ESPN. He got the n ...
. *March 2, 1978, West Virginia upset the #1-seed
Rutgers Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and w ...
81–74 in Pittsburgh, with help from sophomore Lowes Moore. *February 24, 1982, marked West Virginia's 82–77 win over Pitt in front of a school-record 16,704 fans. *February 27, 1983, West Virginia defeated #1
UNLV The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the University of Nevada from 1957 to 1969. It includes th ...
at home, 87–78, in what is considered the greatest win in Mountaineer basketball history. *March 9, 1984, West Virginia tallied a 67–65 win over #15
Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
in the semifinals of the
Atlantic 10 The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Easter ...
tournament. *December 12, 1988, West Virginia defeats the Pittsburgh Panthers in double-overtime, 84–81. *December 9, 1989, 97–93 in favor of West Virginia against the Pittsburgh Panthers in an overtime classic. *February 11, 1998, West Virginia's 80–62 win over #6
UConn The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from ...
. *March 15, 1998, #10 Seeded West Virginia defeats #2 seeded Cincinnati by a bank 3-pointer by Jarrod West with 0.8 seconds to play. Cincinnati was coached by current WVU head coach Bob Huggins. *February 20, 2001, West Virginia walks away at WVU Coliseum with a double-overtime 107–100 win against Villanova. *March 19, 2005 in a 111–105 double overtime win against Wake Forest in the second round of the NCAA tournament in
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S ...
. *March 18, 2006, West Virginia defeats
Northwestern State Northwestern State University of Louisiana (NSU) is a public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the Univer ...
67–54 in Kevin Pittsnogle,
Mike Gansey Michael Gansey (born December 21, 1982) is an American professional basketball executive and former player who is currently the general manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously served as assis ...
, and the other seniors' last win as a Mountaineer. Five days later, in the Sweet 16, the Mountaineers lost to #2-seed
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
, 74–71 on a buzzer beater three-point shot. *February 10, 2007, West Virginia defeated #2
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
70–65 at the WVU Coliseum in front of a national television audience on CBS. *March 29, 2007, West Virginia defeated Clemson 78–73 to win the university's second NIT Championship crown, the other in 1942. West Virginia was led by senior Frank Young's 24 points (6 of 7 for three-pointers) and five rebounds and freshman Da'Sean Butler's 20 points to win the championship. *March 22, 2008, West Virginia defeated Duke, 73–67 at the Verizon Center, DC To advance to the Sweet 16. *December 27, 2008, West Virginia defeated #13
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
76–48 in
Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, an ...
– snapping the Buckeyes' 14-game home win streak which led the nation *February 13, 2009, West Virginia defeated #13 Villanova 93–72, led by Da'Sean Butler's 43 points *March 7, 2009, against #6 Louisville in Morgantown, featuring the largest crowd ever for ESPN's College GameDay *March 12, 2009, West Virginia upset the #2 Pittsburgh Panthers in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Tournament 74–60 *March 13, 2010, West Virginia, led by Da'Sean Butler's game-winning running jump-shot defeated #8 Georgetown to win its first Big East Conference tournament Championship. *March 25, 2010, West Virginia sets a new record for most wins in a season with 30, in its 69–56 Sweet Sixteen win over
Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. *March 27, 2010, West Virginia advances to its first Final Four since 1959 with a 73–66 victory over #1 seed Kentucky. *January 12, 2016, #11 West Virginia upset #1 Kansas at the WVU Coliseum, forcing 22 turnovers. It was also their third straight home victory against Kansas. *March 12, 2016, #9 West Virginia upset #6 Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Tournament, 69–67, after a made halfcourt shot by Buddy Hield of Oklahoma was disallowed when replay showed it was still in his hands as the clock expired. WVU went on to lose to Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament Final. *January 10, 2017, #10 West Virginia upset #1 Baylor at the WVU Coliseum. With a final score of 89–68, WVU forced 29 turnovers in the Bears' first-ever game with the #1 ranking.


Rivals


Pittsburgh

With 184 games played between 1906 and 2012, West Virginia's rivalry against
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, whose campus is roughly 80 miles north of WVU, is West Virginia's most-played men's basketball rivalry. This was an in-conference rivalry for many years: 1976 to 1982 in the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League and Eastern Athletic Association (predecessors to the
Atlantic 10 Conference The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Easter ...
) and 1995 to 2012 in the
Big East Conference The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that competes in NCAA Division I in ten men's sports and twelve women's sports. Headquartered in New York City, the eleven full-member schools are primarily located in Northeast and ...
. Following the conference realignment, West Virginia moved to the
Big 12 Conference The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference headquartered in Irving, Texas, USA. It consists of ten full-member universities. It is a member of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all sports. Its ...
in 2012, and Pittsburgh moved to the
Atlantic Coast Conference The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the eastern United States. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...
in 2013 and the series was put on hold until the 2017–2018 season. West Virginia has a 97–88 series lead.


Marshall

West Virginia has an in-state, out-of-conference rivalry with Marshall. The series began in 1929 and has been played annually since 1978. Initially on a home-and-home basis for most years since 1978, the series has been played since 1992 at a neutral site, the Charleston Civic Center. This series has been on hiatus since the 2014–15 season. The rivalry received new life in 2018 when the NCAA placed both schools in the east region where they eventually met in the second round. Fifth-seed WVU beat 13th seed Marshall 94–71 to push the series record to 34–11. No plans have been made to renew the regular season series.


Maryland

West Virginia's interstate rivalry against
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
dates back to 1926. Except for a period when both schools were in the
Southern Conference The Southern Conference (SoCon) is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly k ...
from 1950 to 1953, this has been primarily an out-of-conference rivalry. From the 1963–64 to 1970–71 seasons, the series was played twice a season, on a home-and-home basis. The series was again played annually from the 1983–84 to 1988–89 seasons then 1990–91 to 1992–93 seasons. In December 2003, the two schools played in Washington, D. C. for the BB&T Classic, with West Virginia winning 78–77 in overtime. In May 2008, West Virginia assistant coach
Billy Hahn Billy Hahn (born June 22, 1953) is an American former basketball coach who was most recently an assistant coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers under head coach Bob Huggins. During his head coaching and assistant coaching career, Hahn has coac ...
announced that he and Maryland head coach Gary Williams proposed a home-and-home series that would begin after the 2008–09 season. This plan never materialized, but Maryland and West Virginia met again in the third round of the NCAA tournament on March 22, 2015, with West Virginia winning 69–59.


Penn State

West Virginia had an interstate rivalry with Penn State from 1906 to 1991. The series was played twice annually from the 1982–83 to 1990–91 seasons, as both schools were in the
Atlantic 10 Conference The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Easter ...
then.Penn State

West Virginia
season lists
WVU leads the series 66–53.


Virginia Tech

West Virginia has an interstate multisport rivaly with the Virginia Tech Hokies. Although the rivalry is heavily focused on football, it also spans to other collegiate sports between the two schools, including basketball. The location of Virginia Tech in
Blacksburg, Virginia Blacksburg is an incorporated town in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 44,826 at the 2020 census. Blacksburg, as well as the surrounding county, is dominated economically and demographically by the presence of ...
, along the
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...
puts it in direct competition with West Virginia University. It is not uncommon to see families along the Virginia/West Virginia border to be split between the two rivals.


Postseason


NCAA tournament results

The Mountaineers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 29 times. Their combined record is 32–30.


NCAA tournament seeding history

''The
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
began seeding the tournament in 1979.''


NIT results

The Mountaineers have appeared in the
National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York Cit ...
(NIT) 16 times. Their combined record is 21–16. They are two time NIT Champions (1942, 2007).


CBI Results

The Mountaineers have appeared in the Division I College Basketball Invitational (CBI) tournament one time. Their record is 1–1.


Notable players


Retired numbers

The Mountaineers have retired three jerseys in their history.


All-Americans

The following players were named to All-American teams recognized by the NCAA for the purpose of determining consensus teams for the given season.


School records


Career leaders

*Points Scored: Jerry West (2,309) *Rebounds: Jerry West (1,240) *Assists: Steve Berger (574) *Steals:
Jevon Carter Leroy Jevon Carter (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers. A point guard for t ...
(330) *Games Played:
Da'Sean Butler Da'Sean Butler (born January 25, 1988) is an American professional basketball coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for West Virginia University. ...
(146) *Games Started:
Johannes Herber Johannes Herber (born January 17, 1983) is a former German basketball player. He was born in Darmstadt. In 2006, he completed a U.S. college career at West Virginia University (WVU). In America, he was generally known as Joe Herber. College care ...
(128) *Double-Doubles: Jerry West (70) *30-point Games: Jerry West (29) *3-pointers: Alex Ruoff (261) *Blocked Shots: Sagaba Konate (191)


Single-season leaders

*Points Scored: Jerry West (908, 1960) *Rebounds: Jerry West, (510, 1960) *Assists:
Jevon Carter Leroy Jevon Carter (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers. A point guard for t ...
(246, 2018) *Steals:
Jevon Carter Leroy Jevon Carter (born September 14, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers. A point guard for t ...
(112, 2018) *Double-Doubles: Jerry West (30, 1960) *30-point Games: Jerry West (15, 1960) *Blocked Shots:
D'or Fischer D'or Anthony Naheem Fischer (born October 12, 1981) is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for Elitzur Eito Ashkelon of the Israeli National League. He has also represented the senior Israeli national team. Standing at , he plays ...
(124, 2004)


Single-game leaders

*Points Scored:
Rod Hundley Rodney Clark "Hot Rod" Hundley (October 26, 1934 – March 27, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley was the number 1 pick of the 1957 NBA draft by the Cincinnati Royals out of West Virginia Un ...
(54, vs Furman 1957) *Rebounds: Mack Isner/ Jerry West (31, vs
Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also has educational facilities in six re ...
/
George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , presi ...
1952/1960) *Assists: Andonios Koubridis (17, vs
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
1993) *Steals: Drew Schifino (11, vs
Arkansas-Monticello The University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) is a public university in Monticello, Arkansas with Colleges of Technology in Crossett and McGehee. UAM is part of the University of Arkansas System and offers master's degrees, baccalaureate degre ...
2001) *Triple-Doubles: Rod Thorn (28 points-13 rebounds-11 assists, vs
St. Bonaventure Bonaventure ( ; it, Bonaventura ; la, Bonaventura de Balneoregio; 1221 – 15 July 1274), born Giovanni di Fidanza, was an Italian Catholic Franciscan, bishop, cardinal, scholastic theologian and philosopher. The seventh Minister G ...
1962) *3-Pointers: Alex Ruoff (9, vs Radford 2008) *Blocked Shots:
D'or Fischer D'or Anthony Naheem Fischer (born October 12, 1981) is an American-Israeli professional basketball player for Elitzur Eito Ashkelon of the Israeli National League. He has also represented the senior Israeli national team. Standing at , he plays ...
/ Sagaba Konate (9, vs
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
/
Baylor University Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of th ...
2004/2018)


See also

*
West Virginia Mountaineers women's basketball The West Virginia Mountaineers women's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. West Virginia has earned twelve bids to the NCAA Division I ...


References


External links

* {{Big 12 Conference men's basketball navbox