WATCH: Amani Hansberry Utah Preview Press Conference

The West Virginia Mountaineers (14-8, 5-6) host the Utah Utes (13-9, 5-6) Saturday evening. Tip-off is set for 5:00 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.

West Virginia forward Amani Hansberry sat with the media on Fridan and discussed the long grind of the regular season, the Mountaineers' defense, playing through a slump, and more.

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WVU Game Notes

- Javon Small was named to the fi nal 10 for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List.

- Javon Small was named a Midseason Second Team All-American by The Sporting News and The Athletic.

- Darian DeVries was named the recipient of the Jim Phelan Award 'Mid-Season' honor, presented annually to the top head coach in Division I college basketball.

- WVU is 272-103 in its last 375 games against unranked teams, including winners of 153 of its last 187 at the WVU Coliseum.

- WVU is 618-190 (.767) all-time at the WVU Coliseum and 259-76 at the WVU Coliseum in the last 21 seasons.

- The Mountaineers have won 114 of their last 176 conference games at the WVU Coliseum.

- WVU broke into the rankings on Jan. 6 at No. 21 in the AP poll. It marked WVU's fi rst appearance in the AP poll since Dec. 26, 2022. The Mountaineers have been ranked in at least one poll in 16 of the last 20 seasons.

- Darian DeVries, who led Drake to six consecutive 20-win seasons and has a career .722 winning percentage as a head coach, was named the 23rd head men’s basketball coach at West Virginia University on March 24, 2024.

- DeVries has a record of 164-63 (.722) in seven seasons as a head coach, including a 69-23 (.750) mark in the last two-plus seasons.

- West Virginia is currently ranked No. 42 in the latest NCAA NET rankings with a No. 11 strength of schedule.

- WVU is ranked No. 47 in the latest KenPom rankings, including 17th in defensive effi ciency.

- Javon Small ranks seventh overall in KenPom Player of the Year standings.

- West Virginia is 7-3 this season when Javon Small posts 20 or more points in a game.

- In the latest NCAA stats, WVU ranks 28th in fi eld goal percentage defense (40.1), 16th in scoring defense (63.7) and 13th in 3-point percentage defense (28.9).

- Javon Small was named Big 12 Player of the Week and Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week on Jan. 20.

- Javon Small was named Big 12 Player of the Week, NCAA March Madness Player of the Week and the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week for Jan. 6.

- Javon Small was named co-Big 12 Player of the Week and Tucker DeVries was tabbed as the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Dec. 2. Both were named to the Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team.

- Small was named the Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week on Dec. 3.

- Small leads the Big 12 Conference in scoring at 19.1 points per game.

- Darian DeVries is 6-7 against ranked teams during his head coaching career. He is 4-2 at WVU with wins over No. 2 Iowa State, No. 3 Gonzaga, at No. 7 Kansas and No. 24 Arizona.

- In WVU's four ranked wins this season, Javon Small has averaged 21.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, while making 28 of his 32 free throw attempts.

- WVU has defeated two Top 10 teams away from home this season, marking the fi rst time that has happened in the same season since 2005-06.

- WVU's three Top 10 wins ties for the most in a season in school history along with the 2016-17 & 2005-06 teams.

- WVU is 106-120 in Big 12 regular season games since joining the league in 2012-13.

- West Virginia returned just 2.8 percent of its scoring from last season’s team (Ofri Naveh).

- For this season, Tucker DeVries (Drake), Javon Small (Oklahoma State), Eduardo Andre (Fresno State), Joseph Yesufu (Washington State), Sencire Harris (Illinois), Amani Hansberry (Illinois) and Jayden Stone (Detroit Mercy) were added from the transfer portal.

- Entering this season, they have combined to play 806 games, made 442 starts, scored 7,606 points, grabbed 3,304 rebounds and dished out 1,248 assists.

- Darian DeVries is 73-2 when scoring 80 or more points in a game and 140-17 when scoring 70 or more.

- Darian DeVries is 118-24 when holding opponents to 69 points or less and 57-6 when holding opponents to 59 points or less.

- West Virginia was predicted 13th in the Preseason Big 12 Poll by the league’s head coaches.

- West Virginia has made at least one 3-point fi eld goal in 886 consecutive games.

- The Mountaineers have won 155 of their last 176 games when holding opponents to 69 points or less.

- WVU has won 166 of its last 190 and 222 of its last 253 games when holding opponents to less than 69 points.

- Darian DeVries is 127-16 as a head coach when leading at halftime, including a 12-2 mark at WVU.

- Darian DeVries is 76-3 as a head coach when shooting 50% or better from the fi eld.

- West Virginia is 21-18 all-time in games played on February 8.