The ESPN BPI Reveals West Virginia's Chances of Sweeping Utah

Tuesday night, the West Virginia Mountaineers will wrap up the road portion of its schedule with a late night tip against the Utah Utes and former WVU interim head coach Josh Eilert.

West Virginia won the first matchup between the two earlier this season in Morgantown, 72-61. WVU had four players - Javon Small, Amani Hansberry, Jonathan Powell, and Joseph Yesufu - reach double figures with Hansberry leading all scorers with 17.

Can they get the two-game sweep?

What the BPI says

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI) matchup predictor, the Mountaineers have a 43.7% chance of winning while the Utes have a 56.3% chance of avoiding the season sweep.

I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but it's just the reality of it - winning on the road in college basketball is exceptionally difficult, especially in the Big 12 Conference. Although the recently fired its head coach, it's a team that still has a lot to play for and must win tonight to keep their postseason hopes alive.

West Virginia's recent games

Mar 1, 2025; Provo, Utah, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Toby Okani (5) backs in on Brigham Young Cougars forward Richie Saunders (15) during the first half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

West Virginia dominated its midweek game last week with a 73-55 victory over the TCU Horned Frogs. Javon Small and Joseph Yesufu were on fire from deep, combining to hit 10 of West Virginia's 11 made three-pointers. In Saturday's blowout loss to BYU, Small was the only Mountaineer to hit double figures, finishing the game with 15 points on 5/14 shooting.

Utah's recent games

Feb 26, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Utah Utes guard Gabe Madsen (55) reacts after the Arizona Wildcats gained possession over the ball during the first half at McKale Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Since firing Craig Smith, the Runnin' Utes are 1-1 under interim head coach Josh Eilert, falling to Arizona by 17 and then defeating Arizona State by 26. Everything was working for the Utes in their win over the Sun Devils, shooting the ball at a 56% clip from the field and 40% from three-point land. Interestingly enough, they trailed by two at the break, but proceeded to outscore ASU 58-30 in the second half. If Utah scores 58 in a single half tonight, WVU is in big trouble. There are many games where the Mountaineers struggle to reach 60.

What the BPI says

West Virginia's recent games

Utah's recent games

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