MORGANTOWN, WV – Being the underdog is something WVU is no stranger to. The entire athletics department is built on the foundation of proving anyone who doubts them wrong. This is especially the case for the Men’s Basketball team.
The 2023-24 season has not been ideal for Interim Head Coach Josh Eilert and WVU. Sitting with a 7-11 record halfway through January (2-3 Big 12 play), it will take a massive turnaround down the stretch for this team to make the NCAA Tournament. It is highly unlikely that the Mountaineers will be favored in any of their remaining games.
This Tuesday’s trip to UCF is no different.
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, West Virginia is given only a 12.2% chance to emerge victorious against the Knights. The line is currently set at 7.5-points in favor of UCF.
Keep sleeping on this team 😴 pic.twitter.com/DJZ2Vs8EYB
— The Voice of Morgantown (@voicemorgantown) January 23, 2024
The Knights currently sit at 11-6 with a 2-3 record in conference play. Their two wins have been against Texas and Kansas, the same two teams that the Mountaineers have conquered in league play.
UCF is not a team that many consider to be among the best in the country, much less the Big 12. This will be a very winnable game for WVU who seems to be hitting their stride at the right time. While it will likely be a tightly contested battle, giving the Knights nearly a 90% chance to beat WVU is simply asinine.
If Eilert wants to motivate his team going into Tuesday night, showing them ESPN’s prediction for the game will likely do the trick.
WVU and UCF are set to tip-off at 7 P.M. on ESPN+.
(Photo by WVU Athletics)
