First-year WVU coach Darian DeVries is getting a full taste of Big 12 basketball this season.
West Virginia plays the role of the underdog once again on Saturday, welcoming its fourth top 10 opponent in the AP top 25 poll this year.
Two factors stand out as unique this time around, though, the first being that the Mountaineers are playing at home in Morgantown. The second, and most important, is that the opponent is the No. 2 team in the nation, Iowa State.
Iowa State comes to Morgantown 15-1 with only a two-point loss to the current No. 1 in the nation, Auburn, in November. The Cyclones most recently dismantled No. 9 Kansas 74-57 in Ames, Iowa.
Despite its high ranking, Iowa State lacks any particular standout point of emphasis. Aside from being the 13th best scoring offense in the nation, the Cyclones have little to brag about aside from their record.
Standout players are lacking as well, though ESPN recently ranked senior guards Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones as 11th and 23rd respectively in its midseason top 50 players list.
Both at 6-foot-4, Gilbert and Jones have been a dynamic backcourt duo this season. After entering the season as the sixth man, Jones ballooned to the top scoring position at Iowa State, averaging 17.8 points per game in 29 minutes, and has now started two games. Gilbert currently averages 15.5 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting from the field.
Adding to the odds against WVU is the continued absence of projected NBA Draft pick Tucker DeVries.
DeVries is out for the ninth consecutive game with an undisclosed upper-body injury this weekend. The 6-foot-7 senior guard was WVU’s top contributor ahead of his absence, averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.5 blocks per contest.
The Mountaineers have nevertheless earned a reputation as giant slayers of sorts, taking down then No. 3 team in the nation Gonzaga in overtime in November and No. 7 Kansas 62-61 on New Year’s Eve.
Javon Small has stepped up in DeVries’ absence, averaging 18.9 points in the eight games without DeVries, making him the current leading scorer at 19.4 points per game.
After its most recent loss, to No. 10 Houston, the Mountaineers fell to 2-1 against top 10 teams and 3-1 against top 25 teams this season. WVU defeated No. 24 Arizona in overtime in the same Battle 4 Atlantis tournament it took down Gonzaga.
Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. in Morgantown.
