Cooking Up the Recipe for West Virginia to Do the Unthinkable and Beat No. 1 Arizona

Breaking down the keys to the game for the Mountaineers in Tucson.

Jan 6, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge yells during a timeout during the first half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

No one has upset on their mind when it comes to Saturday afternoon's game between West Virginia and No. 1 Arizona, but could it happen? Probably not, but if they have even the slightest of chances of doing so, this is what the Mountaineers will need to do.

Stay in the game at half

Earlier this season, the Mountaineers were a strong first half team that tended to fade late. Here recently, it's been the other way around, where they've had some troubling starts and played much better down the stretch. It may sound obvious that they need to play two good halves of basketball, but it's extremely important to stay within reach at the half. Arizona is tied for 8th nationally in first half scoring margin at 10.9. West Virginia ranks 43rd at + 5.8. If you can keep this within five or six heading into the locker room, you'll create some belief.

Eliminating extra opportunites for Arizona

The Wildcats are one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country, entering this game in the top five of that category (12.6 orpg). They also rank 8th in extra scoring chances per game, which is offensive rebounds + opponent turnovers - defensive rebounds allowed and own turnovers. They like to create extra possessions, which is why they're able to put teams away by double digits so often.

West Virginia has done a good job, for the most part, on the defensive glass. They have to win this battle, which will help them to play their style of game — low possessions. A bunch of one-and-dones for Arizona offensively and defending without fouling — something WVU has been elite at this season, with opponents shooting just 15.6 free throws per night.

The dynamic duo finally shows up

We've seen Honor Huff carry this team for much of the season. The last two outings, he's been held in check by Colorado and Arizona State, becoming a non-factor in large stretches essentially. In those two games, Treysen Eaglestaff stepped up with a pair of 20+ point performances, shooting a good ball. The one thing we've yet to see is these two hitting on all cylinders at the same time. If you're going to go into the top-ranked team's building and have a chance to win, you're going to need some special performances from those two, in addition to strong complementary play from Brenen Lorient, Harlan Obioha, Chance Moore, etc.

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