2019–20 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team

The 2019–20 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represented West Virginia University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Mountaineers were coached by Bob Huggins, in his 13th season as WVU's head coach, and played their home games at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia as members of the Big 12 Conference. Preseason Big 12 polls picked the Mountaineers to finish 5th in the conference standings and Oscar Tshiebwe was picked as Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year. The Mountaineers season officially started on November 8, 2019.[1]

2019–20 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball
Cancún Challenge Riviera Division champions
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 24
APNo. 24
Record21–10 (9–9 Big 12)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Home arenaWVU Coliseum
Seasons
2019–20 Big 12 men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
No. 1 Kansas171 .944283 .903
No. 5 Baylor153 .833264 .867
No. 24 West Virginia99 .5002110 .677
Texas99 .5001912 .613
Oklahoma99 .5001912 .613
Texas Tech99 .5001813 .581
TCU711 .3891616 .500
Oklahoma State711 .3891814 .563
Iowa State513 .2781220 .375
Kansas State315 .1671121 .344
Note: The 2020 Big 12 Tournament was canceled prior to the quarterfinals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rankings from AP poll

Previous season

The Mountaineers finished the 2018–19 season 15–21, 4–14 in Big 12 play to finish in last place in the conference. They defeated Oklahoma and Texas Tech to advance to the semifinal game of the Big 12 tournament where they lost to Kansas. They received an invitation to the 2019 College Basketball Invitational where they defeated Grand Canyon and advanced to the second round where they were defeated by Coastal Carolina.[2]

Offseason

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason for departure
Trey Doomes0G6'3"175FreshmanAcworth, GATransferred to Chattanooga[3]
James Bolden3G6'0"188RS JuniorCovington, KYGraduate transferred to Alabama[4]
Andrew Gordon12F6'9"255RS SophomoreClearwater, FLTransferred to Louisiana Tech[5]
Lamont West15F6'8"222RS JuniorCincinnati, OHGraduate transferred to Missouri State[6]
Taevon Horton20G6'1"190FreshmanFairmont, WVWalk-on; transferred to Missouri State–West Plains[7]
Wesley Harris21F6'8"200JuniorJackson, MSDismissed from team (mid-season);[8] graduate transferred to Tennessee State[9]
Esa Ahmad23F6'8"225SeniorCleveland, OHDismissed from team (mid-season)[10]
Sagaba Konate50F6'8"250JuniorBamako, MaliPlay professionally[11]

Recruits

Recruiting class of 2019

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Miles McBride
PG
Cincinnati, OHMoeller High School6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)175 lb (79 kg)Feb 5, 2018 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247SportsN/A    ESPN:
Oscar Tshiebwe
C
Lubumbashi, DR CongoKennedy Catholic High School6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)230 lb (100 kg)Oct 20, 2018 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Jalen Bridges
SF
Fairmont, WVFairmont Senior High School6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)180 lb (82 kg)Sep 2, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2019 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

Incoming transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Gabe Osabuohien3F6'7"235JuniorToronto, OntarioTransferred from Arkansas. His waiver for immediate eligibility was approved as of November 20, 2019.[12]
Taz Sherman12G6'4"185JuniorMissouri City, TXJunior college transferred from Collin College.
Sean McNeil22G6'3"207SophomoreUnion, KYJunior college transferred from Sinclair CC.

Roster

2019–20 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
F1Derek Culver6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)255 lb (116 kg)SoWarren G. Harding HSYoungstown, OH
G2Brandon Knapper6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)RS SoHargrave Military AcademySouth Charleston, WV
F3Gabe Osabuohien6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)235 lb (107 kg)JrArkansasToronto, ON
G4Miles McBride6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)196 lb (89 kg)FrMoeller HSCincinnati, OH
G5Jordan McCabe6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)188 lb (85 kg)SoKaukauna HSKaukauna, WI
G10Jermaine Haley6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)215 lb (98 kg)RS SrOdessa CollegeVancouver, BC
F11Emmitt Matthews Jr.6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)210 lb (95 kg)SoWoodrow Wilson HSTacoma, WA
G12Taz Sherman6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)185 lb (84 kg)JrCollin CollegeMissouri City, TX
G14Chase Harler6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)210 lb (95 kg)SrWheeling Central HSMoundsville, WV
F15Jalen Bridges  6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)210 lb (95 kg)FrFairmont Senior HSFairmont, WV
G22Sean McNeil6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)207 lb (94 kg)SoSinclair CCUnion, KY
G30Spencer Macke (W)5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)170 lb (77 kg)FrSilver Grove HSFort Thomas, KY
F31Logan Routt6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)250 lb (113 kg)RS SrCameron HSCameron, WV
F34Oscar Tshiebwe6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)258 lb (117 kg)FrKennedy Catholic HSLubumbashi, DR Congo
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

Source[13]

Date
time, TV
Rank#Opponent#ResultRecordHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsSite (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
November 1, 2019*
7:00 pm, ATTSNPT
Duquesne
Charity Exhibition
W 78–70 
 17  Tshiebwe  14  Tshiebwe  4  McCabe WVU Coliseum (9,705)
Morgantown, WV
Regular season
November 8, 2019*
7:00 pm, ATTSNPT
AkronW 94–84 1–0
 16  Culver  7  Culver  4  McBride WVU Coliseum (12,513)
Morgantown, WV
November 15, 2019*
7:00 pm, ESPNU
at Pittsburgh
Backyard Brawl
W 68–53 2–0
 20  Tshiebwe  17  Tshiebwe  4  McCabe Petersen Events Center (11,725)
Pittsburgh, PA
November 18, 2019*
7:00 pm, ATTSNPT
Northern Colorado
Cancún Challenge campus-site game
W 69–61 3–0
 18  Haley  12  Haley  4  McCabe WVU Coliseum (9,740)
Morgantown, WV
November 22, 2019*
7:00 pm, Nexstar
Boston University
Cancún Challenge campus-site game
W 69–44 4–0
 21  Tshiebwe  10  Tshiebwe  4  McCabe WVU Coliseum (10,743)
Morgantown, WV
November 26, 2019*
8:30 pm, CBSSN
vs. Northern Iowa
Cancún Challenge semifinals
W 60–55 5–0
 18  McBride  15  Culver  5  McBride Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (1,478)
Riviera Maya, Mexico
November 27, 2019*
8:30 pm, CBSSN
vs. Wichita State
Cancún Challenge championship
W 75–63 6–0
 19  Tshiebwe  18  Tshiebwe  4  McBride Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya (1,729)
Riviera Maya, Mexico
December 1, 2019*
2:00 pm, ATTSNPT
Rhode IslandW 86–81 7–0
 25  Culver  11  Culver  4  McBride WVU Coliseum (10,973)
Morgantown, WV
December 7, 2019*
12:00 pm, FS1
at St. John's
MSG Holiday Festival; Big East/Big 12 Battle
L 68–70 7–1
 13  McNeil  18  Culver  4  Tied Madison Square Garden (7,281)
New York, NY
December 12, 2019*
7:00 pm, Nexstar
Austin PeayW 84–53 8–1
 16  Matthews  10  Matthews  5  Osabuohien WVU Coliseum (9,987)
Morgantown, WV
December 14, 2019*
2:00 pm, ATTSNPT
NichollsW 83–57 9–1
 16  Culver  16  Culver  5  Osabuohien WVU Coliseum (10,991)
Morgantown, WV
December 21, 2019*
1:00 pm
No. 25 at Youngstown StateW 75–64 10–1
 19  Tshiebwe  7  Culver  7  Culver Covelli Centre (3,614)
Youngstown, OH
December 29, 2019*
12:00 pm, FS1
No. 22 vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Cleveland Classic
W 67–59 11–1
 21  McBride  10  Culver  3  Haley/Osabuohien Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (16,781)
Cleveland, OH
January 4, 2020
4:00 pm, ESPN+
No. 16 at No. 3 KansasL 53–60 11–2
(0–1)
 17  Tshiebwe  17  Tshiebwe  2  Culver Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
Lawrence, KS
January 6, 2020
9:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 17 at Oklahoma StateW 55–41 12–2
(1–1)
 12  Tshiebwe  12  Culver  2  Tied Gallagher-Iba Arena (6,764)
Stillwater, OK
January 11, 2020
6:00 pm, ESPN
No. 17 No. 22 Texas TechW 66–54 13–2
(2–1)
 22  McBride  17  Tshiebwe  2  4 Tied WVU Coliseum (14,111)
Morgantown, WV
January 14, 2020
9:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 12 TCUW 81–49 14–2
(3–1)
 17  Culver  11  Culver  5  Osabuohien WVU Coliseum (11,445)
Morgantown, WV
January 18, 2020
2:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 12 at Kansas StateL 68–84 14–3
(3–2)
 11  Tied  7  Tshiebwe  2  Tied Bramlage Coliseum (8,549)
Manhattan, KS
January 20, 2020
7:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 14 TexasW 97–59 15–3
(4–2)
 13  Tied  11  Tshiebwe  4  Sherman WVU Coliseum (12,592)
Morgantown, WV
January 25, 2020*
12:00 pm, ESPN
No. 14 Missouri
Big 12/SEC Challenge
W 74–51 16–3
 15  Tied  12  Osabuohien  3  McCabe WVU Coliseum (14,031)
Morgantown, WV
January 29, 2020
8:00 pm, ESPN+
No. 12 at Texas TechL 81–89 16–4
(4–3)
 16  Culver  4  Osabuohien  2  Harler United Supermarkets Arena (13,586)
Lubbock, TX
February 1, 2020
2:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 12 Kansas StateW 66–57 17–4
(5–3)
 19  Culver  14  Culver  3  McBride WVU Coliseum (14,224)
Morgantown, WV
February 5, 2020
7:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 13 Iowa StateW 76–61 18–4
(6–3)
 16  Tshiebwe  10  Tshiebwe  5  Haley WVU Coliseum (11,103)
Morgantown, WV
February 8, 2020
2:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 13 at OklahomaL 59–69 18–5
(6–4)
 15  Haley  9  Tied  3  Haleu Lloyd Noble Center (8,484)
Norman, OK
February 12, 2020
7:00 pm, ESPN+
No. 14 No. 3 KansasL 49–58 18–6
(6–5)
 14  Tshiebwe  9  Tshiebwe  4  Culver WVU Coliseum (14,212)
Morgantown, WV
February 15, 2020
4:00 pm, ESPN+
No. 14 at No. 1 BaylorL 59–70 18–7
(6–6)
 20  Sherman  12  Tshiebwe  2  Sherman Ferrell Center (10,305)
Waco, TX
February 18, 2020
7:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 17 Oklahoma StateW 65–47 19–7
(7–6)
 11  Tied  15  Tshiebwe  2  4 tied WVU Coliseum (12,053)
Morgantown, WV
February 22, 2020
2:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 17 at TCUL 60–67 OT19–8
(7–7)
 18  Culver  12  Culver  4  Tied Schollmaier Arena (6,290)
Fort Worth, TX
February 24, 2020
7:00 pm, ESPNU
No. 20 at TexasL 57–67 19–9
(7–8)
 14  Tshiebwe  6  Tied  3  Tied Erwin Center (8,333)
Austin, TX
February 29, 2020
4:00 pm, ESPN2
No. 20 OklahomaL 62–73 19–10
(7–9)
 13  McBride  10  Tshiebwe  2  Tied WVU Coliseum (14,044)
Morgantown, WV
March 3, 2020
9:00 pm, ESPNU
at Iowa StateW 77–71 20–10
(8–9)
 17  Tied  9  Tied  3  3 tied Hilton Coliseum (13,870)
Ames, IA
March 7, 2020
1:00 pm, ESPN+
No. 4 BaylorW 76–64 21–10
(9–9)
 18  Matthews Jr.  12  Tshiebwe  3  McNeil WVU Coliseum (14,014)
Morgantown, WV
Big 12 tournament
Mar 12, 2020
8:00 pm, ESPN2
(6)
No. 22
vs. (3) Oklahoma
Quarterfinals
Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[14]Sprint Center
Kansas City, MO
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415161718Final
APRVRVRV2522161712141213141720RV22-T24
CoachesRVRVRV23171713151111141819RV2324

*AP does not release post-NCAA Tournament rankings.

References