If you were watching the West Virginia Kansas game on September 21, 2024, you probably thought it was over. Honestly, most of Morgantown did too. The sky turned a nasty shade of grey, the lightning started popping, and the officials sent everyone to the locker rooms for nearly two hours.
By the time they came back out, Kansas was sitting on an 11-point lead with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter. It felt like a funeral in Milan Puskar Stadium. But then Garrett Greene happened.
The Comeback That Defied the Odds
You can't talk about the West Virginia Kansas game without mentioning how Greene basically willed the Mountaineers to a 32-28 victory. He didn't just play well; he played like a man possessed. He finished with 295 passing yards and 87 on the ground.
The turning point? It wasn't one play. It was a relentless march. First, an 8-yard strike to Kole Taylor. Then, after the defense actually held their water for a change, a 15-yard bullet to Rodney Gallagher III with only 26 seconds left on the clock.
Kansas fans were stunned. Jalon Daniels, who had a decent day overall with 184 yards, got stripped on the final drive by Tyrin Bradley Jr. Game over.
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Why the 2024 Weather Delay Mattered
- The Psychological Shift: Most teams come out flat after a two-hour break. WVU came out like they’d spent that time drinking pure adrenaline.
- The Network Shuffle: The game was so long it got bumped from ESPN2 to ESPNews and ESPN+. If you didn't have the app, you missed the best comeback of the season.
- The Defensive Stand: WVU's secondary had been getting shredded all year, but they simplified the coverage during the delay and it actually worked.
Fast Forward to 2026: The Hardwood Heat
Now, let's talk about what just happened recently on the court. On January 10, 2026, the West Virginia Kansas game in basketball proved that Morgantown is where Top 25 dreams go to die.
No. 22 Kansas walked into Hope Coliseum and looked like they were going to cruise. They led 59-51 after Tre White hit a big three-pointer. Then the Jayhawks simply stopped scoring. It was weird. They missed eight straight shots while West Virginia went on a 16-0 run.
The Honor Huff Show
Honor Huff is the name Kansas fans are going to be seeing in their nightmares. He dropped 23 points, with 17 of those coming in a second-half explosion that turned a deficit into a double-digit lead.
Brenen Lorient was the perfect sidekick, adding 18 points. West Virginia’s defense, which entered the game ranked 5th nationally, finally showed its teeth in the final ten minutes. They held the Jayhawks to a miserable 31% shooting after halftime.
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Kansas has now lost three straight to the Mountaineers. That’s not a fluke; that’s a trend.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Rivalry
People think Kansas should always dominate because of the blue-blood status in basketball or the historical edge. But the reality is that West Virginia is 8-5 against Kansas at home in their recent history.
There’s something about the travel or the atmosphere in Morgantown that just rattles the Jayhawks. Whether it’s football in the rain or basketball in a sold-out Hope Coliseum, the "underdog" Mountaineers have found a way to make these games personal.
Key Stats You Should Actually Know
The 2026 basketball matchup was decided at the free-throw line. WVU made 21 of 29 attempts. Kansas only attempted 18. Coach Ross Hodge mentioned after the game that they won because they were the aggressors.
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In the 2024 football game, explosive plays were the story. Hudson Clement caught seven passes for 150 yards. If you let WVU get those 20+ yard chunks, you’re asking for a loss.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you are looking at the next West Virginia Kansas game, keep these factors in mind:
- Home Court is Real: Never bet against WVU in Morgantown when they are playing a ranked Kansas team. The energy is different.
- Watch the "Runs": In both the 2024 and 2026 games, the winner was decided by a massive, unanswered scoring surge in the final quarter/half.
- The Greene Factor: If Garrett Greene is healthy, the WVU offense is a different animal. His ability to scramble breaks disciplined defenses like Kansas.
- Free Throw Disparity: In basketball, WVU’s physical style of play often leads to more whistles in their favor at home.
The next time these two schools meet, don't look at the rankings. Look at the location. If it's in West Virginia, expect chaos.
To stay ahead of the next matchup, keep an eye on the injury reports for the Mountaineers' secondary, as that's been their Achilles' heel in previous contests. Also, track Darryn Peterson's shooting percentages in road games; the freshman star for Kansas struggled mightily in the second half of the 2026 meeting.