Emmitt Matthews Jr. Got a Look at WVU’s New Team and Is ‘Super Excited’

Are things about to get turned around for the Mountaineers on the hardwood?

Feb 11, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers forward Emmitt Matthews Jr. (1) shoots a free throw during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Moody Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Football season is about to get underway in Morgantown, but we are only 60 days away from the start of year two of the Ross Hodge era.

Year one had its fair share of ups and downs, but things ended on a high note by cutting down the nets in the College Basketball Crown, and that momentum spilled over into the offseason, where the staff pieced together a top 20 transfer portal class. And when you couple that with a top-15 high school class, you get heightened expectations

Recently, former Mountaineer hoopster Emmitt Matthews Jr. stopped by the facility to check out the team, leaving very impressed and optimistic about the upcoming season.

"Got a chance to see the new squad get some work in yesterday, and man, I’m super excited for this year," he posted on X. "Experienced veterans and talented freshmen that can make plays! Big things ahead for WVU Hoops and Coach Hodge. Let’s go!"

This is just the start...

WVU Athletics Communications

With all of the talent that's now on the roster, it's hard not to think of this team as a potential Big 12 contender, especially if Brenen Lorient and Javan Buchanan get cleared to play. The one thing we all have to keep in mind, though, is that this is an extremely young roster and one that hasn't played actual games together. Miles Sadler and Amadou Seini are true freshmen who will play significant minutes, and Mouhamed Sylla has only played 16 games. If Lorient and Buchanan aren't cleared to play, then Hodge's squad will be even more youthful in the frontcourt.

We'll know a lot about this team's potential very early in the season

WVU Athletics Communications

There is scheduling tough, and then there's whatever the heck Ross Hodge just did.

This might be the most challenging non-conference slate I've seen West Virginia play in my 11 years covering the team. The Players Era was built into the schedule after finishing in the top eight of the Big 12 two years ago, but they also added a neutral-court game against North Carolina, will play the "return" game against Wake Forest in Greensboro, and have rivals Pitt and Virginia Tech on the docket as well.

By the end of December, we'll have a pretty good idea if this team has what it takes to make it through an 18-game Big 12 schedule in a position to make the NCAA Tournament.