West Virginia’s Mountaineers, buoyed by a recent victory, are looking to replicate their performance as they face Kansas State. The Mountaineers showcased a high level of urgency in their 79-71 victory over BYU, which ended a three-game losing streak.
Mountaineers’ Commitment and Focus
WVU head coach Ross Hodge praised his team’s commitment. He noted their positive behaviour in various settings. Hodge emphasised the importance of maintaining this commitment level within the Big 12 Conference.
Senior guard Honor Huff highlighted the team’s mindset. He spoke of a ‘do or die mindset’ following a defeat at Oklahoma State.
Ahead of their home game against Central Florida, the Mountaineers are seeking a regular season sweep against Kansas State.
Kansas State’s Struggles
Kansas State fired head coach Jerome Tang between their first meeting with WVU and the upcoming contest. The Wildcats are currently 1-3 with Matthew Driscoll serving as interim head coach. Driscoll’s first game resulted in a 90-74 win against Baylor. However, this was followed by a 28-point loss at Texas Tech and consecutive nine-point setbacks against Colorado and TCU.
Big 12 Conference Standings
The Mountaineers are in a three-way tie with BYU and Cincinnati for eighth place in the Big 12 Conference. Kansas State are battling with Utah to avoid last place, able to finish no better than 15th.
WVU is coming off two of the three highest-scoring games in Big 12 play. The Mountaineers amassed 84 points in an overtime loss at Oklahoma State and then defeated the Cougars. Their 86 points in a home win over Kansas remains their highest total in league play.
- WVU defeated BYU 79-71.
- Kansas State’s record is 11-18, 2-14.
- WVU’s record is 17-12, 8-8.
The Mountaineers are tasked with trying to duplicate the effort twice this week starting Tuesday at Kansas State.