MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Not much was expected of the Utah men’s basketball team in their first lap through the Big 12 Conference. The Utes were picked last in the 16-team league in the preseason coaches poll, and by a decent margin.
However, the Utes come to Morgantown with a 5-6 league record, which is good enough to be in a four-way tie for eighth-place through 11 of 20 league games. Utah (13-9) is making their first visit to WVU (14-8, 5-6 Big 12) for Saturday’s 5 p.m. tipoff. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
“We have to play good for the 40 minutes that are right in front of us,” said WVU head coach Darian DeVries. “When we have done that, we’ve been pretty successful. When we have come up a little bit short of that, we have come up on the wrong end. Our goal for this week is that we have a huge game against Utah. We need to play well. If you don’t, there’s a pretty good chance you are going to get beat.”
“It takes a lot mentally as well just to know you have to play every night,” said WVU sophomore forward Amani Hansberry. “That’s what we all signed up for. That’s what we all love to do.”
Utah is 1-6 away from their home floor this season. The lone victory came at TCU on January 15, 73-65. WVU is coming off a 65-60 loss in Fort Worth on Wednesday night.
The Utes will likely employ a host of different junk defenses against the Mountaineers, fitting their pattern throughout the season.
“It makes it harder to recognize and it keeps you off balance,” DeVries said. “That’s why I think it is important as an offense you don’t try to do too much either. You have to be able to still play and be aggressive and not get caught staring at it and trying to figure it out. By the time you do, it is too late and you end up with a bad possession.”
“It can be difficult. But if we follow the game plan and just execute, then we’ll take them out of it and it will be back man-to-man,” Hansberry said.
Utah’s starting front court features 6-foot-8 forward Ezra Ausar, 6-foot-10 forward Jake Wahlin and 7-foot-1 center Lawson Lovering.
“I think they are the biggest in the Big 12,” Hansberry said.
“As a group, we have to box out, win the boards and play with some more grit, more tenacity and really just be disciplined for 40 minutes.”
In Wednesday’s loss at TCU, sophomore guard Sencire Harris was unable to complete the game after suffering a lower-body injury. His status for Saturday’s game against Utah is uncertain.
“He wasn’t able to finish. We’re not sure yet on what his availability will be for the game Saturday,” DeVries said.
“He’s our best on-ball defender. Everybody knows that.”
Former WVU interim head coach Josh Eilert will make his return to the Coliseum on Saturday. Eilert led the Mountaineers during the 2023-2024 season after serving as an assistant the previous 16 years. Eilert was hired by Utah during the offseason. DeVries credits Eilert for helping him in the coaching transition.
“Josh is terrific. He was really helpful. We sat down and met for a long time. He was incredibly helpful in the transition,” DeVries said. “Anything I needed from his end, he was certainly willing to help with. I obviously don’t know him well but the short time that I have, he’s a really good guy. I’m happy for him that he got another opportunity at Utah.”
Saturday’s game is sold out. It is the first Saturday game and the first sellout crowd since WVU defeated No. 2 Iowa State on January 18.
“We have one of the louder buildings, not only in the league but in the country,” DeVries said. “That impacts your chances of winning when you are at home and you have a crowd that can disrupt opponents just with sheer noise. Not only that, it impacts your own team from just an energy standpoint.”
On Tuesday, DeVries announced that his son and senior Tucker DeVries will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on Tuesday.
“The good part is, it is done and it is over. Now we are starting the new process of a new rehab. Everything went well, so that is great. From his standpoint, he is looking forward to getting back and healthy again in about two or three months or so,” Darian DeVries said.
“It has been a long, long process for him. I know he is tired of the training room.”