Everything Ross Hodge Had to Say About WVU's Loss to Oklahoma State

The head Mountaineers discusses the team's third straight loss.

Dec 22, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge along the sideline during the second half against the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

The slide for West Virginia continues as the Mountaineers dropped their third straight game on Tuesday night in Stillwater, falling to Oklahoma State in overtime, 91-84.

WVU allowed 46 points in the first half, which is the most they've allowed in the opening frame this season. Fortunately for the Mountaineers, they were knocking down shots or it could have gotten out of hand in a hurry.

Following the defeat, WVU head coach Ross Hodge met with the media to talk about what went wrong.

Opening statement

“They responded when they had to. It would have been easier when we made the run and took the lead and got it into overtime, but they really responded and made the plays. In the first half, we just didn’t have the level of defensive intensity necessary. They are a really good offensive team, and I felt like we let them get comfortable and get a rhythm going. We just didn’t defend to our standard to win, and some of that was Jasper (Floyd) getting his second foul. That hurt us. In the second half, we were able to turn the tide defensively.”

What led to the improved defense in the second half

“I thought we just did a better job of guarding the ball. I thought their speed and their pace early in the game had us on our heels. We were able to make some baskets, and it kind of got into that like you score, we score, and that’s just not really the identity of our team. All of a sudden, we kind of stopped scoring, and they were able to continue that.”

Phil Forte’s impact at WVU

“He was the first person I ever hired when I got the head coaching job at North Texas. I didn’t know Phil. Typically, when you get these opportunities, you think in the back of your mind, you’re going to go with somebody you know right away for your first hire. But I had some other people that had worked with Phil, and they raved about him, and then obviously growing up in Texas, and where I’m from, he’s a legend there too. His work ethic and his commitment…everything that made him a great player has followed him into the coaching ranks. He’ll definitely be a head coach sooner than later.”

The Mountaineers will be back at home this weekend, playing host to BYU on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. ET.