WVU fans may recognize a familiar face on Saturday watching the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four.
Mohamed Wague, the 6’10” junior forward from last season’s Mountaineers, is back on national TV screens, this time on the highest stage of his collegiate career. Playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Wague has done what WVU could not this year by making it back to the NCAA Tournament, and as part of an incredible four-seed run, he has a chance to surpass the entire program in number of NCAA Championship titles.
Wague spent one season in West Virginia. A sophomore transfer from Harcum College, he averaged 10.7 minutes per game in 28 appearances off the bench. Making use of his size, Wague grabbed three rebounds per contest to pair with 4.1 points and 0.5 blocks per.
Despite earning this decent role for a 19-15 Division 1 program, a significant accomplishment coming from junior college as a freshman, Wague knew he fit in at the highest level. As such, after WVU head coach Bob Huggins resigned in mid-June, Wague explored his options and found several, including the North Carolina Tar Heels, Oregon Ducks, and Big 12 rivals BYU and Kansas State.
About three weeks after Huggins’ resignation, though, Wague found his fit in the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he has spent his junior season. Playing a similar role as he had for the Mountaineers, Wague averaged 8.5 minutes per game this season on 33 appearances, including eight starts.
Some games see more action for Wague than others, but, as the third tallest player on the team and a player with solid collegiate experience, he does make an impact in his limited role for Alabama. The Crimson Tide, in turn, has certainly made an impact on Wague, as he is back in the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row, this time on what may be a championship run.
The Crimson Tide have secured their place in history as a 2024 Final Four team, taking on UConn Saturday in Glendale, Ariz. In this tournament run, Wague has played a decreased role, playing three minutes or less in each of the round of 32, Sweet Sixteen, and Elite Eight.
When he has been called upon, though, Wague made an impact, making both of his shots and both of his free throws in 15 minutes for a final stat line of six points, four rebounds, and an assist with four personal fouls against Charleston in round one. Whether he will see the floor a similar amount in the Final Four matchup is to be seen, but much like he was called upon in small yet crucial moments for WVU, the same can be said about the current Alabama Crimson Tide.
Former West Virginia Mountaineer Mohamed Wague and the Alabama Crimson Tide will kick off their NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at 8:49 p.m. on Saturday against UConn. The game will be streamed on TBS, TNT, and truTV.
Photo by Wesley Shoemaker, Blue Gold Sports
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