What a Realistic, Disappointing, & Dream 2025-26 Season Looks Like for WVU Hoops

Breaking down the expectations for this year's Mountaineer basketball team.

Treysen Eaglestaff

The Ross Hodge era is upon us in Morgantown. In a few weeks, West Virginia will open up the 2025-26 season with Mount St. Mary's, featuring an entirely new roster for the second straight year. Well, that is with the exception of Abraham Oyeadier, of course.

So, with the season just around the corner, it's time for our annual look at what a dream, disappointing, and realistic season looks like for the Mountaineers.

Dream Season

A dream season can always be defined as a conference championship or national championship, but we've got to have a realistic element to this "dream" season, so we're not just stating the obvious. To do that, we're going to go with a top-five finish in the league and winning a couple of games in the NCAA Tournament, at minimum.

Achieving this would indicate that they are ahead of where most thought they would be and likely means that the talented group of youngsters, headed by Amir Jenkins and DJ Thomas, is legit.

Disappointing Season

A losing record of any kind. Going 16-15 in the regular season would be slightly disappointing, but it is the first year with a brand new team, and you have no idea how things will gel. Just because it did for the most part a year ago, doesn't mean this group will. Very few outcomes this season would shock me, but falling a few games short of .500 would have the fan base in a state of panic, and rightfully so.

With the way Treysen Eaglestaff and Honor Huff can score, they should be able to overcome any possible shortcomings on the defensive end.

Realistic Season

To be completely honest, it is hard to gauge what a "realistic" season should look like when there are so many unknowns. That said, I'll do my best, and I believe most of you, not all, will agree. How about a middle-of-the-pack finish in the Big 12, somewhere between seventh and tenth place, and an NCAA Tournament bid?

I could be way off on this, and I don't want to sell this team short, but I think asking for much more than that would be unfair expectations. If they exceed it, then great. The lack of frontcourt depth could become a serious issue once they enter league play. Harlan Obioha will need some help, especially when he gets in foul trouble, and I'm not sure who that person is that they turn to. The physicality of this league could be a problem.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

What Scott Frost Said About Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia Ahead of Matchup

Reality Check: Rich Rodriguez Reveals What WVU Needs to Compete in the NIL Arms Race

Between The Eers: The Dark and Gloomy Start to the Rich Rod Era Has Fans Panicking

FPI Gives Shockingly Low Win Probability for West Virginia vs. a Reeling UCF Team

Spread & Over/Under Predictions for West Virginia vs. UCF