Respect! Utah's Head Coach Admires the Atmosphere at the WVU Coliseum

Over the years, the WVU Coliseum has proven to be one of the toughest venues to play in all of college basketball.

Ranked teams are always in danger of taking a loss when they come to Morgantown, especially those sitting inside the top 10 or top 5. The Mountaineer fanbase is a passionate bunch that tends to get into the head of opposing teams and ultimately helps play a factor in securing big-time upsets, much like the win over No. 2 Iowa State earlier this season.

Jan 18, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers fans cheer during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Following Saturday's 72-61 win over the Utah Utes, the Mountaineers moved to 10-3 on the season at home. Utah head coach Craig Smith didn't just give the cliche response about the crowd being a factor in his press conference. He actually went out of his way to give the ultimate compliment to the fans who create one of the best atmospheres in basketball.

“It’s a hard environment. It ain’t easy winning here. I’ve been in this game for a long time. I think it’s my 30th season, and for whatever reason, West Virginia is always kind of…like you turn the TV on, and if you see that game, it’s hard to turn the channel because you could feel the atmosphere through the screen. This is my first time as a coach participating in a game in that arena, it’s a cool vibe. It’s a special vibe in here, and you can feel that.”

"It ain't easy winning here. ... You can feel the atmosphere through the screen."

Utah head coach Craig Smith enjoys the vibe inside the #WVU Coliseum.
Shoutout Mountaineer Nation #HailWV x @GoldAndBlueNtn pic.twitter.com/xxssihRS3z
— Ryan Decker (@RyanDecker_) February 9, 2025

First-year WVU head coach Darian DeVries has been appreciate of the fans all season long, understanding how massive it is to have that big of a home court edge. He's thanked the fans after every single game and last night was no different.

"I thought the crowd was terrific. That's what I love about what we have here," DeVries said in his postgame radio interview with Tony Caridi. "The crowd isn't just watching the game; they're into it. You've got to have a huge home court advantage in the Big 12, and we certainly have that here."

The Mountaineer Maniacs will need to bring it again in a couple of days as West Virginia gets set to host the other school from Utah, BYU. The Mountaineers and Cougars are slated to begin at 7 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network.

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