Ross Hodge Explains the Turning Point and What Went Wrong in the Loss to Iowa State

See what the head Mountaineer had to say following the loss to the Cyclones.

West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball head coach Ross Hodge reacts during the first half against Iowa State on Jan. 2, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

West Virginia was blown out in their Big 12 opener on the road against Iowa State, falling by a score of 80-59. Shortly after the game, head coach Ross Hodge met with the media to recap it all. Here's everything he had to say.

Opening statement 

“I want to give TJ (Otzelberger) and his team a lot of credit. Have lots of respect for the way that he does things. From a distance, the last few years, I really respected how they run the program, how they defend.”

Hanging around early

“I thought we got off to a pretty good start, and then there was just a couple pivotal plays — I thought there was a loose ball that we had an opportunity to grab, we don’t grab it. It gives them an extra possession. Bateman makes a three, and then he makes another one, and sometimes that’s all it takes. I thought our first-shot defense was good in the first half. Just didn’t do a good enough job cleaning up the defensive rebounding. They had 11 offensive rebounds in the first half. Eleven second-chance points. That was the difference in the first half. Disappointed in some things. In particular, the ability to rebound the ball in the first half and then the inability to execute defensively. If you would have told me going into the game that we only had twelve turnovers, I thought we’d give ourselves a chance. Didn’t make enough shots and didn’t defend well enough, despite not turning the ball over.”

What changed late in the first half

“The inability to defend the defensive glass in that stretch. I thought our first shot, without looking at it, in the first half was pretty good. We just gave them too many second-chance points. You can’t give a team like that second chances.”

Not having Brenen Lorient available

“When you’re coming and playing against a top-three team in the country, you certainly want to have every bullet in your chamber. B-Lo is probably our best athlete, one of our best rebounders. Just a good secondary playmaker. Don’t know if he would have impacted how it ended ultimately, but he’s a good player and probably our best individual defender as well.”

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

Division II Freshman Defensive Lineman Plans Visit to West Virginia

West Virginia Could Address Two Roster Needs With One Transfer Portal Visit

West Virginia Cornerback Jordan Scruggs Makes Decision on Future

Georgia Southern Offensive Lineman Schedules Visit to West Virginia

West Virginia is in Heavy Pursuit of Former Four-Star Oklahoma Transfer Quarterback