West Virginia Mountaineers Prepare for Iona After Defeat by Pittsburgh Panthers

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia Mountaineers, under head coach Darian DeVries, are set to face Iona at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the WVU Coliseum. This comes after the Mountaineers experienced a significant setback, losing 86-62 to the Pittsburgh Panthers in their recent outing.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, providing fans an opportunity to assess the Mountaineers’ progress following last Friday’s defeat at the Petersen Events Center. During this loss, Pittsburgh was ahead by double figures for over 30 minutes and secured a 22-point lead by halftime, which the visiting Mountaineers failed to diminish in the latter half.

«There’s a lot of things that played out in that game that we weren’t anticipating,» said Coach DeVries. «We thought we had a great week of practice and the game didn’t play out the way any of us wanted it to.» Highlighting the team’s struggle with offense and shot selection, DeVries emphasized the need for improved movement and connectivity among players.

Despite a convincing season-opening win against Robert Morris and a competitive victory over Massachusetts, the Mountaineers (2-1) could not capitalize on their extensive preparation for the traditionally heated «Backyard Brawl.» Pittsburgh exploited West Virginia’s weaknesses, especially during the first half, where the Mountaineers shot just 10-for-30, including a dismal 2-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Freshman Jonathan Powell was a silver lining in the loss, leading his team with 16 points, including 13 in the second half. However, Tucker DeVries and other key starters contributed minimally under Pittsburgh’s tight defense.

Looking to bounce back, the Mountaineers will clash with the Iona Gaels (1-3), coached by Tobin Anderson. The Gaels are fresh off a win against Vermont and have shown resilience in close games this season. They employ a high-pressure, full-court defense that has resulted in numerous turnovers but have themselves faced shooting struggles.

Iona is led by guard Dejour Reaves, who averages 15.5 points per game and boasts a perfect record at the free-throw line this season. «They scramble and fly around and play with a lot of activity,» Coach DeVries remarked on Iona’s style. «The biggest thing is being strong with it and not giving them turnovers, especially live ball turnovers that lead to baskets that we can’t defend.»

The Mountaineers aim to refine their own offensive strategies, seeking better execution and shot selection, particularly avoiding turnovers that can benefit the opposition.