Is Ross Hodge About to Deliver What WVU Has Not Seen in Five Years?

Three bad streaks could come to an end this season for the Mountaineers.

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

It's been an up-and-down first year for Ross Hodge at West Virginia, but he has the chance to lead the Mountaineers to one of their most successful seasons in recent memory, believe it or not. There are three droughts that he and this team can put an end to with a strong finish to the season.

Overall win total

It's been five years since the Mountaineers last won 20 games in a season. Remember the days of Press Virginia when it felt like a given that WVU would get to 25+? That seems like forever ago, especially with everything that has happened over the past handful of years.

Getting to 20 is absolutely in reach. Remember, the conference tournament and any other postseason play also count as part of your overall record. Six games are left, and if they beat the teams they should — Utah and Kansas State — that would have them just two wins shy of the 20-win mark, and there are plenty of opportunities to get there.

Winning record in league play

I think this is the third time I've used this Bill Self quote, so I apologize in advance. I just can't help it. But as he said following the loss to the Mountaineers earlier this season, "This league is just a b****." Even during Bob Huggins' tenure, WVU struggled to reach the .500 mark or better. Huggins has just five winning records in 11 years in the Big 12, two years of 9-9, and four losing seasons.

WVU is 7-5 entering Wednesday's game against Utah. Win that one, and they just need to come out on top in two of the final five games to finish with a winning record. Doing so would be the program's first winning record in Big 12 play since 2020-21.

NCAA Tournament berth

This is the one people care about most, and understandably so. I've been on record saying that making or falling short of the tournament should not be the single thing Ross Hodge is evaluated on. How does this team finish? Do they continue to remain competitive? Do they fall apart? That remains to be seen. But so far, I think you can see enough signs that he's going to be just fine here. If WVU does win enough down the stretch and gets into the field, it will be its first appearance since the 2022-23 season — Bob Huggins' last.

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