West Virginia vs. No. 3 Iowa State Preview & Game Thread

The West Virginia Mountaineers (9–4) head to Ames, Iowa, on Friday night for their first true road test of the season, opening Big 12 Conference play against the third-ranked Iowa State Cyclones (12–0). Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m. ET, with coverage on ESPN2.

West Virginia enters league action with a 1–4 record against Power Four opponents. The Mountaineers’ lone win in that stretch came at home in the Backyard Brawl against Pitt, while their most recent setback was a double-overtime loss to Ohio State in the Cleveland Hoops Classic.

The Mountaineers rebounded from that defeat with an 86–51 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 22. Senior guard Honor Huff knocked down four three-pointers in the win, pushing his season total to a nation-leading 53 made threes. Senior forward Treysen Eaglestaff matched a season high with 23 points to pace all scorers.

Huff leads West Virginia at 17.5 points per game and, prior to the MVSU contest, recorded three consecutive 24-point performances. Senior forward Chance Moore ranks second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game and leads the Mountaineers on the glass, averaging 6.1 rebounds per contest.

Brenen Lorient rounds out West Virginia’s trio of double-figure scorers at 10.7 points per game, but the senior forward will not be available Friday after appearing on the latest Big 12 injury report.

Iowa State enters conference play unbeaten after an impressive nonconference slate that included wins over St. John’s and a road victory at then top-ranked Purdue—still the Boilermakers’ only loss of the season. The Cyclones closed nonleague play with a four-game homestand, opening with a four-point win over rival Iowa and concluding with a lopsided victory against Houston Christian.

Senior forward Joshua Jefferson has been the catalyst for Iowa State, averaging 18.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He is the only player in the country currently posting those numbers, a stat line matched by just four other Division I players over a full season since 1996–97.

Junior Milan Momcilovic has been lethal from the perimeter, knocking down 50 three-pointers at a 53.8 percent clip while averaging 17.9 points per game. Senior guard Tamin Lipsey provides stability and defense in the backcourt, averaging 10.5 points, 4.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per game over his career. His 263 career steals rank first in program history and sixth in Big 12 history.

Freshman Killyan Toure has also emerged as a key contributor, averaging 11.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He is one of only four freshmen nationwide producing those numbers this season.

West Virginia leads the all-time series 15-10.

GAME THREAD

U16 Timeout: Huff buries a three to open the game, point guard Jasper Floyd hits a floater, and Moore attacks the rim to give WVU the early advantage 9-7.

U12 Timeout: WVU is maintaining its two-point edge with a strong start from the floor, hitting 6-10 from the field for a 14-12 lead.

GAME THREAD

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