Coming off a loss to No. 10 Houston on the road, West Virginia faces another tough task on Saturday, taking on No. 2 Iowa State at home.
The Cyclones are 15-1 on the season, undefeated in Big 12 play. Tip-off Saturday is set for 5:00 p.m. EST. Late West Virginia great Jerry West will be honored.
Our staff gives their predictions:
Ryan Roddy: After facing one of the most fierce defenses in all of men’s college basketball on Wednesday in No. 10 Houston, plays arguably the most impressive all-around in No. 2 Iowa State. The Cyclones’ only loss came against Auburn, who is currently ranked No. 1, in a close thriller. As a team, they average 85.4 points per game and allow 65.3 points per game. Senior guards Curtis Jones and Keshon Gilbert facilitate the offense but also have played above-average defense. For West Virginia, it starts with Javon Small. The senior guard averages 19.4 points per game, which ranks as No. 23 in all of college basketball. He also leads the team in assists per game and steals per game. Still without Tucker DeVries, I expect Amani Hansberry to step up for WVU as he did vs. Houston. However, I do not see West Virginia upsetting an Iowa State team that has been a complete force that can very well go on to win a Big 12 Championship and make it deep into the NCAA tournament this year. I could see times when the game is close and the Coliseum gets rowdy, but in the end, I predict Iowa State to take this one.
Prediction: Iowa State 81, West Virginia 70
Lilly Reisenweber: The Mountaineers take on a tough assignment as they face the No. 2 team in the country this Saturday evening in a SOLD-OUT arena. West Virginia has beaten three ranked teams this season, including Gonzaga, Kansas, and Arizona at the time, who they later lost to. They most recently lost to their first-ranked opponent, No. 10 Houston. In their away matchup in Kansas, they barely beat the Jayhawks with a score of 62-61. Iowa State beat Kansas in Iowa by almost 20 points. If the Mountaineers can keep their game clean and their mindset focused, I think they will put up a decent fight and possibly take home the win against the Cyclones, especially in their own territory. This game will be a true test to the new Mountaineer team.
Prediction: West Virginia 69, Iowa State 66
Joe Antenucci: West Virginia faces one of its biggest matchups of the season at the Coliseum on Saturday night, taking on No.2 ranked Iowa State. WVU remains short-handed with Tucker DeVries and Jayden Stone sidelined, making this tall task even more daunting. The Mountaineers have struggled to find consistent scoring, especially when Javon Small isn’t at his best. Ball security has also been a serious issue, as seen in their road loss to Houston earlier this week. Iowa State thrives in that area, ranking ninth in the country in steals per game. On the bright side, WVU has yet to lose two straight games this season, boasting a 3-0 record following a loss. However, that streak will eventually be tested. Morgantown will surely be rocking, but it likely won’t be enough to topple the red-hot Cyclones.
Prediction: Iowa State 78, West Virginia 64
RJ Russell: I believe this will be a very tough matchup for the Mountaineers, especially coming off the loss to No. 10 Houston earlier this week. With that being said, I believe that WVU and head coach Darian DeVries will find a way to make the proper adjustments and pull off a massive upset win in the Coliseum. Javon Small is going to be the X Factor of the game for the Mountaineers and I believe he will take over this game and help the Mountaineers top the No. 2 team in the country.
Prediction: West Virginia 71, Iowa State 67
