So, if you’ve been following the Big 12 recently, you know it's basically a meat grinder every single night. But something kinda weird—and honestly pretty exciting—is happening in Morgantown right now. People were ready to write off this season after the coaching turnover and the massive roster overhaul, but the latest west virginia basketball news suggests this team is a lot more dangerous than the "experts" predicted back in November.
The Mountaineers are currently sitting at 11-5 overall and 2-1 in conference play as of mid-January 2026. That might not sound like world-beater status until you realize they just knocked off No. 22 Kansas 86-75 in a sold-out Hope Coliseum. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement. They trailed by eight in the second half and then went on a blistering 22-2 run. You could practically feel the floor shaking through the TV.
The Ross Hodge Era and the Honor Huff Explosion
Let's talk about the guy everyone is suddenly googling. Honor Huff. The senior guard, who transferred in from Chattanooga, is playing out of his mind. He was just named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, and for good reason. He’s currently second in the entire country with 64 made three-pointers this season. Think about that for a second. In a league filled with elite perimeter defenders, he’s finding enough space to launch nearly ten triples a game and hitting them at a high clip.
Huff is averaging 17.5 points per game and is on the verge of cracking the NCAA’s all-time top 75 for career three-pointers. He needs just three more to move up another nine spots. If you’re a Houston fan or a Colorado fan looking at the schedule, he’s the guy you have to track from the moment he crosses half-court.
Then there’s the coaching situation. Ross Hodge has taken the reins and, despite the pressure of following a legacy, he's found a way to make this "portal-heavy" roster click. The chemistry is better than it has any right to be. Usually, when you bring in a dozen new faces, the first year is a mess of missed assignments and bad body language. Instead, this group looks like they’ve been playing together since middle school.
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Breaking Down the Rotation
The depth is sneaky good. You’ve got Chance Moore providing that veteran 5th-year presence at the guard spot, and Harlan Obioha, the 7-foot center, anchoring the middle. Obioha has been a massive (literally) reason why West Virginia is only permitting 62.3 points per game. That’s top-tier defensive efficiency.
- Jasper Floyd: The senior guard from Tampa has been the steady hand at the point.
- Brenen Lorient: He's been dealing with some injury stuff lately—listed as a game-time decision recently—but when he’s on, his 6'9" frame gives them a lot of flexibility.
- Treysen Eaglestaff: A 6'6" senior who can stretch the floor.
It’s a weird mix. You have guys from North Dakota, Finland (Morris Ugusuk), and even Ghana (Abraham Oyeadier). It’s a global roster that somehow reflects the gritty, "get it done" culture that West Virginia fans demand.
What's Actually Happening in the Standings?
If you look at the Big 12 standings right now, the Mountaineers are tied for 8th, but that’s deceptive. The league is top-heavy with undefeated teams like Arizona, Iowa State, and Houston. However, WVU is ahead of perennial powerhouses like Kansas and Baylor in the early conference race.
The upcoming schedule is a gauntlet. They have to travel to No. 7 Houston, then they’ve got Colorado at home, followed by a brutal Arizona road trip. Honestly, if they can split these next four games, they are looking at a very real path to the NCAA Tournament. Most people didn't have them in the bracket at the start of the year. Now? The NET rankings are starting to take notice.
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One thing to keep an eye on is the "Tucker DeVries" situation from the previous cycle. Darian DeVries left for Indiana, and his son Tucker, who was the heart of the team, struggled with injuries before moving on. That could have been the "end" for WVU basketball's relevance for a few years. Instead, Ross Hodge used the portal as a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer. He brought in specific fits like Huff and Obioha to fill the gaps left by the departures.
The Injury Bug and the Transfer Portal
Injuries are always the wildcard. Brenen Lorient’s health is the big one right now. Without him, the frontcourt gets thin quickly. If Obioha picks up two early fouls, Hodge has to go small, which is a nightmare against teams like Houston that live on the offensive glass.
Also, the transfer portal just closed its primary window on January 16th. While the basketball focus is on the current season, the football side of the house has been grabbing headlines by adding sixteen transfers. The basketball staff, however, seems content with their current group. They aren't chasing names just to chase them; they are protecting the chemistry they’ve already built.
Why the "Experts" Were Wrong
Most national media outlets picked West Virginia to finish near the bottom of the Big 12. They saw the 19-13 record from the previous year and the loss of high-volume scorers and assumed a rebuild was coming. They missed the defensive identity.
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West Virginia is currently holding opponents to under 40% shooting from the field. In the Big 12, that’s how you survive. You don't have to out-talent everyone if you can turn the game into a rock fight. The win over Kansas wasn't a fluke of hot shooting; it was a result of that 22-2 run where Kansas simply couldn't get a clean look at the rim for nearly eight minutes.
Key stats to remember:
- Defense: Permitting only 62.3 PPG.
- Honor Huff: 17.5 PPG and leading the conference in three-pointers.
- Home Court: Hope Coliseum remains one of the hardest places to play in the country.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you are following this team or looking at upcoming matchups, pay attention to the first eight minutes of the second half. This is where Ross Hodge has been making his best adjustments. They aren't a "fast start" team, but they are an "adjust and kill" team.
- Watch the Injury Report: If Brenen Lorient is out, the "Under" on total points becomes more attractive because the game slows down and becomes more of a half-court grind.
- Track Honor Huff's Usage: If he gets 15+ shots, WVU wins. If he’s held under 10, they struggle to find a secondary creator.
- Home/Road Splits: They are a different beast in Morgantown. Don't let a tough road loss to a top-10 team like Houston distract you from their potential to sweep home games against middle-of-the-pack Big 12 teams.
The narrative that West Virginia is in a "transition year" is officially dead. They are in a "competition year." Whether they can sustain this through the February grind is the big question, but for now, the west virginia basketball news is as positive as it's been in years. Keep an eye on the January 17th game against Colorado; that’s the "trap game" that will tell us if this team has the maturity to stay in the top half of the toughest conference in America.