ESPN BPI Leans Heavily Toward BYU in Matchup vs. West Virginia

West Virginia isn't getting much of a chance to win tonight's game.

Feb 25, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Javon Small (7) shoots over TCU Horned Frogs guard Jace Posey (41) during the first half at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The West Virginia Mountaineers head out west to begin a two-game road trip in Utah, starting with a rematch against BYU. Can Darian DeVries land another signature win for its tournament resume?

What the BPI says

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI) matchup predictor, West Virginia has a 24.7% chance of picking up the massive road win while BYU has a 75.3% chance of sweeping the season series from the Mountaineers.

Winning road games in the Big 12 is challenging, so that in itself is exactly why the percentages lean so heavily in the Cougars' favor. West Virginia had to play a near perfect game offensively to win the first matchup and they pretty much did, yet still fell on the short end.

West Virginia's recent games

Feb 25, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Joseph Yesufu (1) shoots a three pointer during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The Mountaineers didn't have a great offensive performance the last time they were on the road, putting up just 51 points against Texas Tech. In their last time out, however, the shots were falling at a pretty high clip, especially from three. Javon Small and Joseph Yesufu powered the attacking, connecting on 10 of the 11 shots from three-point land.

BYU's recent games

Feb 26, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kevin Young reacts against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the second half at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Cougars are on an absolute heater, winning each of their last five games, a winning streak that started with a victory over these very Mountaineers. Offensively, they've been on a tear, scoring 90+ points in each of their last three. Two of those wins really boosted the NCAA Tournament resume with wins over Kansas and Arizona.

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