What Will WVU's Lineups Look Like with Chance Moore Now in the Mix?

Five games are in the books for the West Virginia Mountaineers, which means St. Bonaventure transfer Chance Moore has officially become eligible and will make his debut on Friday night in the Charleston Classic against Clemson.

With him in uniform, head coach Ross Hodge will now have a deeper bench and more lineup combinations to play with.

Here is what I’m expecting, assuming Jackson Fields does not return by Friday.

Treysen Eaglestaff will continue to be the starting three for the time being. I understand fans may be frustrated with his performance in these first five games and want to see Chance Moore take his spot in the starting lineup, but I don’t think we’re going to see that happen... at least not by Friday.

Hodge will want to ease Moore into things after having missed the first five contests. Although he’s been practicing, there’s nothing like game reps. Eaglestaff may be overthinking things at the moment, but that group has built some chemistry, and there’s no reason to disrupt it, especially when he can shoot out of his slump at any given moment. It’s way too early to pull the trigger on sending him to the bench, but if his shooting slump continues for another handful of games, then it can be something that is considered.

Moore can sub in at the three, but could also play the four when Brenen Lorient needs a breather, thus kicking DJ Thomas down to the five. That is, of course, if Hodge wants to use a small-ball lineup. Still, the 6’6”, 210-pound guard can hold his own on the glass, which he proved last year with the Bonnies, where he averaged 6.5 rebounds per game.

If Hodge wants to use a bigger lineup, he can place Moore at the two, where he can use his length and size to bother guards defensively and blow by them on the offensive end. His career 30% mark from three would indicate that he’s not a consistent shooter from range, but he can get hot, as evidenced in his performance against West Virginia while he was at Missouri State a couple of years ago, when he knocked down five triples.

His ability to get downhill and put pressure on the rim, though, is something that will really help open up this offense for West Virginia and create more open looks for their sharpshooters. In the first five games, that part of the game was largely nonexistent for the Mountaineers.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI