MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — More than seven months after he was named head coach at West Virginia, Darian DeVries is set to lead the Mountaineers in their first meaningful action under his watch come 7 p.m. Monday in the regular season opener against Robert Morris from the WVU Coliseum.
With 14 new additions to the West Virginia roster, along with an entirely new coaching staff, it’s fair to assume at least somewhat out a feeling out process will come into play as a new era begins in Morgantown, though DeVries is especially eager to see just how much that comes into play in his team’s matchup with the Colonials.
“We’re ready. We’re excited to play. I know that,” said DeVries, who spent the previous six season as head coach at Drake. “This week, after our second exhibition game or scrimmage, kind of a longer week and our last opportunity to really focus on us, and then it’s a lot of game prep. Today is the first time we’re really in game prep mode and preparing against an opponent with a real scout. We’ll get that started and it stays that way until March. Our guys are excited to get out there and play.”
The Mountaineers welcomed the University of Charleston, a Division II program, for an October 18 exhibition in the team’s only action at home to this point. They also battled Wake Forest in a closed scrimmage in Beckley.
Now comes the first of 31 regular season games and 11 straight non-conference contests to open DeVries’ first campaign at WVU.
Against Charleston, the Mountaineers utilized a starting lineup of Javon Small and Sencire Harris as guards, Tucker DeVries and Toby Okani as forwards and Amani Hansberry at center. All five are transfers and in their first season at West Virginia, and outside of DeVries and guard Joseph Yesufu, no member of the Mountaineer roster has played for DeVries in the past.
“We have a pretty good idea of what that rotation is going to look like,” said DeVries, noting his team would comfortably go eight deep with spot minutes for potentially two more players. “It can always change, and I tell the guys all the time, your role is not permanent. Maybe you’re a starter playing 30-some minutes, but don’t be satisfied. The same with guys that maybe aren’t getting as much opportunity as they would like. Continue to work and push. You never know when those opportunities are going to come. It could be an injury, foul trouble or whatever it may be. Continue to play well in practice and put yourself in the best position possible.”
Yesufu, fellow point guard KJ Tenner, wings Jayden Stone and Jonathan Powell and center Eduardo Andre all logged between 12-19 minutes in reserve roles against Charleston, though DeVries confirmed Stone is sidelined for at least the immediate future after suffering a recent upper body injury in practice.
A 6-foot-4 fifth-year guard, Stone was the nation’s 22nd leading scorer last season with an average of 20.8 points at Detroit.
That leaves West Virginia minus a capable scoring threat and quality perimeter shooter to start the season.
“Every night, it’s how do we win this 40 minutes,” coach DeVries said, “and we’ll play the guys that we want that particular night to help us win that game.”
That first challenge starts in the form of the program’s first matchup with Robert Morris since 2010. The Mountaineers have won 19 of 21 previous matchups against RMU, though this marks just the second meeting between the two teams since 2001, which was the last of 14 consecutive matchups on an annual basis.
The Colonials have eight new additions among a roster of 15 players and enter off a 10-22 season.
This marks Andrew Toole’s 15th year as RMU head coach, though the program has endured four consecutive losing seasons.
In Robert Morris’ exhibition at Villanova last Sunday, the Colonials hung tough in an 87-73 loss. RMU, which made 12-of-29 three-pointers and had 18 assists against 10 turnovers, was outscored by seven points in each half. Guards Josh Omojafo and DJ Smith led the way with 15 points apiece.
“They played them really well. They have a ton of new faces just like we do,” coach DeVries said. “A very competitive game and they present some challenges that we’re going to have to prepare for and be ready for. I tell the guys every night, you have to be ready to play, and I think our guys will be excited to play Monday.”
DeVries estimated he’ll have a dozen family and friends coming into town for his first regular season game at West Virginia, something he says he’s given a lot of thought to as it nears.
“I’m a little nervous. I want to be excited. That’s why we do this,” he said. “Certainly excited for us as a team and staff to play for real. From a coaching standpoint, the only thing I care about is that we go play the way we want to play. I’m excited to get us out there and go do that.”