West Virginia Hosts Mercyhurst in Men’s Basketball Matchup

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University will host Mercyhurst on Sunday in a nonconference men’s basketball game scheduled for 3 p.m. at Hope Coliseum. The Mountaineers enter the game with a 5-2 record after suffering defeats against Clemson and Xavier in the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic last weekend.

West Virginia was in control of their game against Clemson until the Tigers mounted a late 24-11 run, resulting in a narrow 70-67 loss. In their next game, they fell to Xavier 78-68, giving up more than 70 points in both matches, breaking a streak of 28 games with opponents scoring under that mark.

Head coach Hodge expressed disappointment over the recent losses but remains encouraged about his team’s potential. “I’m disappointed, but certainly not discouraged,” Hodge said during his radio show earlier this week. He described moments in the Clemson game where he believed they had the upper hand but failed to execute down the stretch.

The game against Xavier was particularly challenging due to their quick turnaround. “Their style of basketball is difficult for us defensively, especially with a new team,” Hodge said. He noted that Xavier’s shooting prowess created significant matchup issues.

Despite the recent losses, senior players have stepped up. One player, who was in a scoring slump, broke out with a team-high 20 points against Xavier. Hodge is keen on identifying a consistent second scorer to support senior guard Huff, who leads the team with an average of 17 points per game.

Hodge also mentioned that senior forward Fields is expected to play against Mercyhurst after recovering from an injury. Fields, who has experience in high-stakes games, could be instrumental in bolstering the team’s performance.

Mercyhurst comes into the matchup with a record of 3-4, following a 69-60 loss to Marshall. The team is led by senior guard Jake Lemelman, who scored 21 points against the Thundering Herd. Sunday will mark Mercyhurst’s second appearance at the Coliseum, having lost to West Virginia last year.

Television coverage will be provided by ESPN+, while local radio listeners can tune into the Mountaineer Sports Network. Tickets for the game are still available online.