West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University
in NCAA
Division I college basketball
competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference
. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
, led by West Virginia coach and former WVU player Bob Huggins
. The Mountaineers were 2010 Big East Conference champions. Most recently, they received an at-large bid in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
with a #5 seed in the East region. The Mountaineers reached the Round of 32 by defeating Clemson
in the second round, but lost to the Kentucky Wildcats
, 71-63.
, the 1942 NIT
final (at that time, the NIT was considered more prestigious than the NCAA), and the 2007 NIT Championship
. They lost 71–70 to California
in the 1959 final NCAA finals, while the Mountaineers won the 1942 NIT Championship
47–45 over Western Kentucky
, and the 2007 NIT
contest over Clemson
78–72 in a rebuilding season. In 1949, future Mountaineers head coach, Fred Schaus
, became the first player in NCAA history to record 1,000 points.
The most points scored in a game was 132 points against Alaska-Fairbanks
in 1994, while the largest margin of victory was against Salem College
, with the Mountaineers winning 113–32 in 1945. The largest margin of defeat in Mountaineer basketball history came in 1978 against Louisville
, when the Cardinals beat the Mountaineers 106–60.
. The Mountaineers finished with a 19–11 record, and earned the first NCAA Tournament
appearance in school history under Hundley's lead. The team entered the tournament with a #19 ranking, the first Top 20 ranking in school history. However, they lost to the #3 La Salle Explorers
in the first round of the tourney, 95–61.
The following season, 1956, the Mountaineers posted a 21–9 record in Hundley's junior season, which was his best statistically. The team began the season with a #14 ranking, however lost consecutively to #13 George Washington University
and #2 North Carolina State
, dropping them out of the rankings. They eventually worked their way back to a #19 ranking, before losing to Villanova
, La Salle, and Carnegie Tech to drop out of the rankings again. The squad never entered the rankings again on the season until the NCAA Tournament
, when they reached the #14 ranking. However, they once again loss in the first round to Dartmouth College
, 61–59 in overtime.
In Hundley's senior season, 1957, the team opened with eight straight victories, including an 83–82 upset over the Duke Blue Devils
. The team also reached the #13 ranking before the Duke victory, and then rose to the #8 ranking in the final two victories. It marked the first time a Mountaineer squad was ranked in the Top 10 nationally. Going into the Dixie Classic
, the Mountaineers achieved a #4 ranking (the first Top 5 ranking in school history), but lost three straight games in the tourney. The team posted 11 consecutive wins afterwards, rising from a #19 ranking to a #10 ranking. They dropped to #14 after a loss to Penn State, but won the next six games, including the Southern Conference Championship
. The #7 Mountaineers were dropped in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
again however, to the #20 Canisius
team, 64–56.
emerged for the Mountaineers and Fred Schaus
. In his rookie collegiate season, West helped the Mountaineers to a 26–2 record, with a 12–0 conference record. The Mountaineers began the season with a #8 ranking, as they earned defeats over Penn State, #19 Richmond
, and a 77–70 victory over #5 Kentucky
in the Kentucky Invitational Tournament. The following game, the Mountaineers upset the #1-ranked nationally North Carolina
, 75–65, to win the Kentucky Tourney. After the UNC victory, the Mountaineers rose to the first-ever #1 ranking in school history. In the two wins in the tourney, West totaled 29 points and 19 rebounds. Over the next six-game winning streak, the Mountaineers produced wins over Canisius
, Villanova
, Pittsburgh, and Furman
. However, the Mountaineers were finally toppled by the Duke Blue Devils
in Durham
, 72–68. The squad retained their #1 ranking however, as they produced victories over Florida State, St. John's, VMI
, Penn State, and Pittsburgh. In the final regular season game, against George Washington University
, the team went into double overtime to pull out a 113–107 victory, with West earning 25 points and 9 rebounds. The squad swept the Southern Conference Tournament
, with their closest victory an 11-point win over Richmond in the semi-finals. However, the one-loss squad lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
for the fourth consecutive season, this loss coming to Manhattan
, 84–89.
The following season, West's junior season at West Virginia, the squad posted a 29–5 record with another undefeated conference record, 11–0. The squad's highest ranking of the season was at a #4 ranking after a Penn State victory in the third game of the season. However, they lost shortly afterwards to Virginia
to drop to #7. The Mountaineers posted two more wins, but lost in the Kentucky Invitational Tournament to #2 Kentucky, 91–97. They rose to #5 after the loss, but then lost the following game to #12 Northwestern
in double overtime, 109–118. The Mountaineers bounced back however, with a victory over the #11-ranked Tennessee Volunteers
. The team dropped to #11 in the rankings, but posted ten straight victories afterwards. The streak included an overtime victory over Penn State and a Backyard Brawl
victory over Pittsburgh as the Mountaineers were ranked #10. As soon as the team rose to #9, they lost in overtime to New York University
, but posted two straight wins following. The team ended the season with wins over Pittsburgh and George Washington University
. They swept the Southern Conference Tournament
for a third straight season. For the first time in Fred Schaus'
coaching career at WVU, the Mountaineers advanced further than the NCAA Tournament
. The team eventually won the East Region with victories over #14 St. Joseph's in the semi-finals and Boston University
in the finals. In the two games, West scored 69 points as he led the Mountaineers to the farthest ever ventured in school history in the tourney. The Mountaineers won their Final Four
matchup against the Louisville Cardinals
, 94–79; with West scoring 38 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. However, in the Championship game, the Mountaineers were bested by California
, 70–71. Jerry West was named the tournament's MVP at the conclusion, as he scored 28 points with 11 rebounds in the Championship loss.
In the following season after their NCAA Tournament Championship loss, 1960, West led the Mountaineers to a 26–5 record as a senior. The team posted eight straight wins before being ranked, including victories over Tennessee
, Richmond
, and Kentucky
to win the Kentucky Invitational Tournament. Upon being ranked #2 in the nation, the Mountaineers won over the Stanford Cardinal
and UCLA Bruins
in the Los Angeles Classic, before losing to #3 California
in the Championship game. The squad dropped to #3, but posted six straight victories afterwards. The victories included Penn State, Virginia
, and Pittsburgh. They lost to William & Mary, but continued with three more victories before their loss to St. John's as they were ranked #5. They finished the season with a victory over Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl
, before sweeping the Southern Conference Tournament
for the fourth straight season, ranking #7 in the nation during the tourney. The squad made it to the semi-finals of the East Region of the 1960 NCAA Tournament
, but lost to #12 New York University
, 81–82. They did finish out their tourney resume with a 106–100 victory over St. Joseph's in the Regional Third Place matchup.
to the NBA Draft
, sophomore guard Rod Thorn stepped in to fill his place for new head coach George King
, much like West did when star guard Hot Rod Hundley graduated for former head coach Fred Schaus
in 1958. Thorn helped the Mountaineers to a 23–4 record, 11–1 in conference. Their highest ranking of the season came in the Southern Conference Tournament
, where they finished it out with a #8 ranking as they lost the Championship for the first time in four years. The Mountaineers season resume included wins over Wake Forest
, #19 Memphis State
to win the Sugar Bowl Tournament
, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, NC State, and four more victories to end the season over Penn State, Pitt, Penn State again, and George Washington University
, respectively. The Mountaineers lost in the second round of the Southern Conference Tournament to William & Mary, 76–88, which kept them out of the NCAA Tournament.
The following season, Rod Thorn guided the Mountaineers to a 24–6 record, 11–1 in conference. The Mountaineers won the first six games of the season, but lost the seventh game of the season against #7 Duke
, 65–69. They lost the following two games as they earned a #7 ranking, but finished out the three-game Los Angeles Classic with a victory over Army. They once again posted a seven-game win streak after the Classic, including a key win over #5 Villanova
. But the squad lost to Virginia Tech, 82–85, before starting another win streak: of four games. The team lost to New York University
, but won three games to finish the season. The squad swept the Southern Conference Tournament
with a Championship win over Virginia Tech, but lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
to the same Villanova team they had defeated earlier in the season.
In Thorn's final season as a Mountaineer, effectively ending the era of WVU basketball, the team posted a 23–8 record with an 11–2 conference record. The team began the season ranked #5, but would end the season with unranked with a loss in the NCAA Tournament
semi-finals and a victory in the Regional Third Place matchup over #9 New York University
. The #3 Mountaineers began the season with a loss to Ohio State in the third game of the season, 69–76. They followed three games later with a loss to #9 Kentucky
, as they were ranked #7. The team went unranked before they posted two wins over Boston College
in overtime and St. Bonaventure, before losing to #4 Illinois. The team went on a six-game run, where they reached a #9 ranking, but lost as the #6 team nationally to the #4 Duke Blue Devils
, 71–111, and then the following loss to Furman
. The squad posted three more wins, but then lost again to William & Mary and Pittsburgh
. The team won five straight games to finish the season, including sweeping the Southern Conference Tournament
for the consecutive season. The squad opened up the NCAA Tournament with a victory over Connecticut, but then lost in the East Region semi-finals to St. Joseph's.
, Rod Hundley
, Rod Thorn, and such other greats, the senior squad of 2001–2005 was one of the greatest teams of the school's history, mainly in the 2005–2006 campaign. The starting lineup consisted of Johannes Herber
and Frank Young (junior) at forward, while J.D. Collins and Mike Gansey
played guards. Kevin Pittsnogle
started at center, though he led the team with three-point shots. Senior Patrick Beilein (former coach John Beilein's
son) got considerable playing time as well. The senior class was led by team MVPs Gansey and Pittsnogle, who were both named to the All-Big East team. The team advanced to the Sweet 16
of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Texas 74–71 due to a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer. This loss marked the end of an era. It consisted of back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, the first since the 1959 and 1960 teams of Jerry West
, and an overall record of 77–51.
off the bench.
The team, projected to have a bad year with a tough Big East schedule, started out their season 5–0 with an easy early schedule. After a loss to Arkansas
, they posted an 8–0 record to make their season record 13–1 before suffering two losses to Notre Dame
and Marquette
to make their record 13–3. After a win against USF
and an overtime loss at Cincinnati
, the Mountaineers won four games to make their record 18–4. They were beaten by 13 at home to nationally ranked Pitt
, followed by one of the biggest upsets in school history. The upset of #2 UCLA 70–65 made the Mountaineers 19–5, although they lost to Georgetown Hoyas
the next week to make their record 19–6. After a win against Seton Hall, they lost back-to-back against Providence
and Pittsburgh both on the road. They then finished out the regular season with a home blowout of Cincinnati
to make their record 21–8.
The Mountaineers then beat Providence in the first round of the Big East tournament. In the second round, the Mountaineers held with the Louisville Cardinals
for two-overtimes, but lost 82–71. The Mountaineers failed to be selected for the NCAA Tournament, to the surprise of many West Virginia fans, but they managed to accept a #1-seed in the NIT Tournament. The Mountaineers then posted an easy win against Delaware State. The second round the Mountaineers won a shootout 90–77 against UMass
, then a nail biting win against North Carolina State at home to win the East Region, making the first NIT-semifinal appearance since 1981. The semifinal contest against Mississippi State was one of the great wins in Mountaineer history, in which Darris Nichols hit the game-winning three-point shot to win the game 63–62 for the Mountaineers. Two days later in the NIT Championship
, the Mountaineers, led by Frank Young's 24 points and Da'Sean Butler's
20 points off the bench, beat Clemson
to win the club's second
NIT-crown, 78–72.
, coach John Beilein
announced he would be leaving the school to accept a head coaching job at the University of Michigan
. His official departure on April 4, 2007 was followed a day later by the announcement that Morgantown native Bob Huggins
was resigning his post at Kansas State University
to take the vacant head coaching job at WVU. Huggins was followed by assistant coach Billy Hahn
.
The Mountaineers earned a 88–65 win over Mountain State
in an exhibition game to start the season. West Virginia then entered a matchup against #7 Tennessee
with a 2–0 record. However, the Mountaineers lost 74–72. The Mountaineers then posted an 8-game win streak on the way to a 10–1 record. The streak consisted of wins over Auburn
, Winthrop
, and New Mexico State. West Virginia would then lose to Oklahoma
88–82 and then Notre Dame 69–56. They defeated #11 Marquette
79–64, but followed up with a loss to Louisville
63–54. They then posted four-straight wins over Syracuse, St. John's, South Florida
, and Marshall
. The Mountaineers then lost to #9 Georgetown
58–57, after a questionable block (or goaltending
) call to end the game. However, West Virginia could not rebound in the next game, and lost to Huggins' former job, at Cincinnati
, to a final score of 62–39. They rebounded with a 77–65 victory at Providence
, but then lost at #25 Pittsburgh
in the Backyard Brawl
on a buzzer-beating three-point shot by Pitt's Ronald Ramon to win the game, 55–54.
With their record at 16–7, the Mountaineers followed up with a 81–63 victory over Rutgers, then a 89–68 victory over Seton Hall. The Mountaineers were then upset by Villanova
, 56–78, but bounced back with an 80–53 victory over Providence. The Mountaineers earned their 20th win of the season in the 85–73 victory over DePaul
. With their record at 20–8, the Mountaineers extended its 20-win season streak to four seasons, the best ever since a seven-season streak from 1981–1987. Bob Huggins' 20-win season moved his record to at least 20-wins in 22 of his 26 seasons coaching. His 20 20-win seasons in his collegiate career at the Division 1 level is tied for 12 place all-time. "I'm old," Huggins said of the accomplishment.
After the DePaul victory, the Mountaineers lost a critical game to #16 Connecticut, 79–71. However, Joe Alexander scored a then career-high 32 points and added another 10 rebounds. In the following game, the Backyard Brawl
and Senior Night, the Mountaineers won their home game finale over their arch rival, the Pittsburgh Panthers, 76–62, to improve to 10–7 in the conference and move to 6th place. Joe Alexander again had a career day by posting a consecutive 32-point performance, also adding 6 rebounds.
The Mountaineers finished the year with an 83–74 overtime victory over St. John's, then opened the Big East Tournament with a 58–53 victory over Providence. In the second round of the tourney, the Mountaineers upset the #15-ranked Connecticut Huskies
, 78–72. Joe Alexander contributed with a career-high 34 points and 7 rebounds. The Mountaineers then, however, lost to the #9 Georgetown Hoyas
, 55–72, in the tourney semifinals.
The run to the Big East semifinals paved the way for the team to reach the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
in coach Bobby Huggins' first season. The Mountaineers received a #7 seed in the West Region, set to play #10 seed Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
team, on March 20. The Mountaineers were victorious over Arizona in their first game of the NCAA tournament with a final score of 75–65. This would advance the Mountaineers in to the second round of the tournament to play the Duke Blue Devils for the third time in school history. The team then beat #2 seed Duke, 73–67. They lost the Sweet Sixteen match to #3 seed Xavier in overtime 79–75. West Virginia finished the season ranked #17.
, junior Da'Sean Butler
, and a freshman class highlighted by Devin Ebanks
and Darryl Bryant. They lost the Las Vegas Invitational Tournament Championship Game to Kentucky
54–43, but then bounced back with two wins to move to 6–1. However, they lost a last-second game to #22 Davidson and Stephen Curry
in Madison Square Garden
, 68–65.
Following the loss, WVU posted five straight victories; ending at the beginning of 2009. This streak included a 76–48 win over #13 Ohio State
in Columbus
, snapping the Buckeyes' nation-long 14-game win streak and handing OSU their biggest home loss since 1998. However, the streak ended in a 61–55 loss to #5 Connecticut
which was followed by a 75–53 loss to #15 Marquette
. The Mountaineers bounced back with a three game win streak that included a 75–58 victory over #14 Georgetown
in D.C. However, the streak ended in the 79–67 loss to #4 Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl
. WVU defeated St. John's, but then lost to #7 Louisville
and #20 Syracuse back-to-back. The Mountaineers ended the losing streak with a 86–59 win over Providence
, but then lost to #4 Pitt for the second time.
West Virginia followed the loss to Pitt with a 93–72 victory over #13 Villanova
, featuring Da'Sean Butler's
career-high 43 point performance. The Mountaineers then defeated Notre Dame
and Rutgers
before losing to Cincinnati
70–59 in Huggins' return to Cincinnati. The Mountaineers bounced back with consecutive wins against USF
and DePaul
, but lost to #6 Louisville
62–59 in Morgantown while hosting College GameDay
.
West Virginia earned a first round bye in the Big East Tournament, and opened the second round of play with a 74–62 victory over Notre Dame. In the quarterfinals round, West Virginia defeated rival #2 Pittsburgh 74–60 in a shocking upset. The Mountaineers next played the #20 Syracuse Orange in the semi-finals, losing 74–69 in overtime. WVU's second consecutive trip to the Big East semi-finals paved the way for a #6 seed in the NCAA tournament
, where they would play the #11 seed Dayton Flyers
. However, the Mountaineers would be upset by Dayton to the score of 68–60, ending the season.
. Butler and Devin Ebanks were both selected in the second round of the NBA Draft
.
, one of the record eleven Big East Conference
teams selected. They defeated the Clemson Tigers
in the second round, 84-76, to advance to the Round of 32. In a rematch of last season's Elite Eight match-up, the Mountaineers played the Kentucky Wildcats
. Despite holding a 41-33 halftime lead, the Mountaineers lost, 71-63. WVU finished their season with a record of 21-12.
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
, led by West Virginia coach and former WVU player Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins, nicknamed "Huggy Bear", is the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team. Huggins previously held the head coaching positions at the University of Cincinnati and Kansas State University...
. The Mountaineers were 2010 Big East Conference champions. Most recently, they received an at-large bid in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
with a #5 seed in the East region. The Mountaineers reached the Round of 32 by defeating Clemson
Clemson Tigers men's basketball
The Clemson Tigers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA Division I. The current head coach is Brad Brownell.-Team history:...
in the second round, but lost to the Kentucky Wildcats
2010–11 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky in the college basketball season of 2010–2011. The team's head coach is John Calipari, who entered his second season after posting a 35–3 record in his inaugural season....
, 71-63.
History
West Virginia men's basketball has competed in three basketball championship final matches: the 1959 NCAA final1959 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1959 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 7, 1959, and ended with the championship game on March 21 in Louisville,...
, the 1942 NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
final (at that time, the NIT was considered more prestigious than the NCAA), and the 2007 NIT Championship
2007 National Invitation Tournament
The 2007 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams which did not participate in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
. They lost 71–70 to California
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in the 1959 final NCAA finals, while the Mountaineers won the 1942 NIT Championship
1942 National Invitation Tournament
The 1942 National Invitation Tournament was the 1942 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 8 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
47–45 over Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky University
Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....
, and the 2007 NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
contest over Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
78–72 in a rebuilding season. In 1949, future Mountaineers head coach, Fred Schaus
Fred Schaus
Frederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
, became the first player in NCAA history to record 1,000 points.
The most points scored in a game was 132 points against Alaska-Fairbanks
University of Alaska Fairbanks
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as Alaska or UAF....
in 1994, while the largest margin of victory was against Salem College
Salem College
Salem College is a liberal arts women's college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina founded in 1772. Originally established as a primary school, it later became an academy and finally a college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college...
, with the Mountaineers winning 113–32 in 1945. The largest margin of defeat in Mountaineer basketball history came in 1978 against Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
, when the Cardinals beat the Mountaineers 106–60.
Rod Hundley
West Virginia's basketball legacy began in 1955, with the emergence of sophomore guard Hot Rod Hundley and newly appointed head coach Fred SchausFred Schaus
Frederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
. The Mountaineers finished with a 19–11 record, and earned the first NCAA Tournament
1955 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-West region:-National Championship:-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....
appearance in school history under Hundley's lead. The team entered the tournament with a #19 ranking, the first Top 20 ranking in school history. However, they lost to the #3 La Salle Explorers
La Salle Explorers
La Salle Explorers is the name of the athletic teams from La Salle University. The school's 23 varsity sports teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and are a member of the Atlantic Ten Conference. The American football team previously played in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football...
in the first round of the tourney, 95–61.
The following season, 1956, the Mountaineers posted a 21–9 record in Hundley's junior season, which was his best statistically. The team began the season with a #14 ranking, however lost consecutively to #13 George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
and #2 North Carolina State
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
, dropping them out of the rankings. They eventually worked their way back to a #19 ranking, before losing to Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, La Salle, and Carnegie Tech to drop out of the rankings again. The squad never entered the rankings again on the season until the NCAA Tournament
1956 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-Midwest Region:-West Region:-Far West Region:-Final Four:-Notes:* Canisius's first-round victory over the second-ranked North Carolina State Wolfpack, considered by many to be among the top ten upsets in tournament history, set a record for most overtime periods in a Division I Men's tournament...
, when they reached the #14 ranking. However, they once again loss in the first round to Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, 61–59 in overtime.
In Hundley's senior season, 1957, the team opened with eight straight victories, including an 83–82 upset over the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
. The team also reached the #13 ranking before the Duke victory, and then rose to the #8 ranking in the final two victories. It marked the first time a Mountaineer squad was ranked in the Top 10 nationally. Going into the Dixie Classic
Dixie Classic (Basketball Tournament)
The Dixie Classic was an annual college basketball tournament played from 1949 to 1960 in Reynolds Coliseum. The field consisted of the "Big Four" North Carolina schools, the host NC State Wolfpack, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and four teams from...
, the Mountaineers achieved a #4 ranking (the first Top 5 ranking in school history), but lost three straight games in the tourney. The team posted 11 consecutive wins afterwards, rising from a #19 ranking to a #10 ranking. They dropped to #14 after a loss to Penn State, but won the next six games, including the Southern Conference Championship
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
. The #7 Mountaineers were dropped in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
1957 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1957 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1957, and ended with the championship game on March 23 in Kansas City, Missouri...
again however, to the #20 Canisius
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
team, 64–56.
Jerry West
After Hot Rod Hundley's graduation and departure to the NBA, sophomore guard Jerry WestJerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
emerged for the Mountaineers and Fred Schaus
Fred Schaus
Frederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
. In his rookie collegiate season, West helped the Mountaineers to a 26–2 record, with a 12–0 conference record. The Mountaineers began the season with a #8 ranking, as they earned defeats over Penn State, #19 Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, and a 77–70 victory over #5 Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
in the Kentucky Invitational Tournament. The following game, the Mountaineers upset the #1-ranked nationally North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
, 75–65, to win the Kentucky Tourney. After the UNC victory, the Mountaineers rose to the first-ever #1 ranking in school history. In the two wins in the tourney, West totaled 29 points and 19 rebounds. Over the next six-game winning streak, the Mountaineers produced wins over Canisius
Canisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
, Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, Pittsburgh, and Furman
Furman University
Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
. However, the Mountaineers were finally toppled by the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, 72–68. The squad retained their #1 ranking however, as they produced victories over Florida State, St. John's, VMI
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, Penn State, and Pittsburgh. In the final regular season game, against George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, the team went into double overtime to pull out a 113–107 victory, with West earning 25 points and 9 rebounds. The squad swept the Southern Conference Tournament
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
, with their closest victory an 11-point win over Richmond in the semi-finals. However, the one-loss squad lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
1958 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1958 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 24 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 11, 1958, and ended with the championship game on March 22 in...
for the fourth consecutive season, this loss coming to Manhattan
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
, 84–89.
The following season, West's junior season at West Virginia, the squad posted a 29–5 record with another undefeated conference record, 11–0. The squad's highest ranking of the season was at a #4 ranking after a Penn State victory in the third game of the season. However, they lost shortly afterwards to Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
to drop to #7. The Mountaineers posted two more wins, but lost in the Kentucky Invitational Tournament to #2 Kentucky, 91–97. They rose to #5 after the loss, but then lost the following game to #12 Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in double overtime, 109–118. The Mountaineers bounced back however, with a victory over the #11-ranked Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
. The team dropped to #11 in the rankings, but posted ten straight victories afterwards. The streak included an overtime victory over Penn State and a Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
victory over Pittsburgh as the Mountaineers were ranked #10. As soon as the team rose to #9, they lost in overtime to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, but posted two straight wins following. The team ended the season with wins over Pittsburgh and George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. They swept the Southern Conference Tournament
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
for a third straight season. For the first time in Fred Schaus'
Fred Schaus
Frederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
coaching career at WVU, the Mountaineers advanced further than the NCAA Tournament
1959 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1959 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 7, 1959, and ended with the championship game on March 21 in Louisville,...
. The team eventually won the East Region with victories over #14 St. Joseph's in the semi-finals and Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in the finals. In the two games, West scored 69 points as he led the Mountaineers to the farthest ever ventured in school history in the tourney. The Mountaineers won their Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
matchup against the Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
, 94–79; with West scoring 38 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. However, in the Championship game, the Mountaineers were bested by California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, 70–71. Jerry West was named the tournament's MVP at the conclusion, as he scored 28 points with 11 rebounds in the Championship loss.
In the following season after their NCAA Tournament Championship loss, 1960, West led the Mountaineers to a 26–5 record as a senior. The team posted eight straight wins before being ranked, including victories over Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
, Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, and Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
to win the Kentucky Invitational Tournament. Upon being ranked #2 in the nation, the Mountaineers won over the Stanford Cardinal
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
and UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
in the Los Angeles Classic, before losing to #3 California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
in the Championship game. The squad dropped to #3, but posted six straight victories afterwards. The victories included Penn State, Virginia
Virginia Cavaliers
The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, and Pittsburgh. They lost to William & Mary, but continued with three more victories before their loss to St. John's as they were ranked #5. They finished the season with a victory over Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
, before sweeping the Southern Conference Tournament
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
for the fourth straight season, ranking #7 in the nation during the tourney. The squad made it to the semi-finals of the East Region of the 1960 NCAA Tournament
1960 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1960 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 7, 1960, and ended with the championship game on March 19 in Daly City,...
, but lost to #12 New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, 81–82. They did finish out their tourney resume with a 106–100 victory over St. Joseph's in the Regional Third Place matchup.
Rod Thorn
After the departure of Jerry WestJerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
to the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
, sophomore guard Rod Thorn stepped in to fill his place for new head coach George King
George King (basketball)
George Smith King was an American professional basketball player and collegiate coach. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia.-1946-1950:...
, much like West did when star guard Hot Rod Hundley graduated for former head coach Fred Schaus
Fred Schaus
Frederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
in 1958. Thorn helped the Mountaineers to a 23–4 record, 11–1 in conference. Their highest ranking of the season came in the Southern Conference Tournament
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
, where they finished it out with a #8 ranking as they lost the Championship for the first time in four years. The Mountaineers season resume included wins over Wake Forest
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, #19 Memphis State
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
to win the Sugar Bowl Tournament
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, NC State, and four more victories to end the season over Penn State, Pitt, Penn State again, and George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
, respectively. The Mountaineers lost in the second round of the Southern Conference Tournament to William & Mary, 76–88, which kept them out of the NCAA Tournament.
The following season, Rod Thorn guided the Mountaineers to a 24–6 record, 11–1 in conference. The Mountaineers won the first six games of the season, but lost the seventh game of the season against #7 Duke
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
, 65–69. They lost the following two games as they earned a #7 ranking, but finished out the three-game Los Angeles Classic with a victory over Army. They once again posted a seven-game win streak after the Classic, including a key win over #5 Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
. But the squad lost to Virginia Tech, 82–85, before starting another win streak: of four games. The team lost to New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, but won three games to finish the season. The squad swept the Southern Conference Tournament
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
with a Championship win over Virginia Tech, but lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
1962 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-Mideast region:-Midwest region:-West region:-Final Four:-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....
to the same Villanova team they had defeated earlier in the season.
In Thorn's final season as a Mountaineer, effectively ending the era of WVU basketball, the team posted a 23–8 record with an 11–2 conference record. The team began the season ranked #5, but would end the season with unranked with a loss in the NCAA Tournament
1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1963 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball in the United States. It began on March 9, 1963, and ended with the championship game on March 23 in Louisville,...
semi-finals and a victory in the Regional Third Place matchup over #9 New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. The #3 Mountaineers began the season with a loss to Ohio State in the third game of the season, 69–76. They followed three games later with a loss to #9 Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
, as they were ranked #7. The team went unranked before they posted two wins over Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
in overtime and St. Bonaventure, before losing to #4 Illinois. The team went on a six-game run, where they reached a #9 ranking, but lost as the #6 team nationally to the #4 Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils
Duke University's 26 varsity sports teams, known as the Blue Devils, compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The name comes from the French "les Diables Bleus" or "the Blue Devils," which was the nickname given during World War I to the Chasseurs Alpins, the French Alpine light infantry...
, 71–111, and then the following loss to Furman
Furman University
Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
. The squad posted three more wins, but then lost again to William & Mary and Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
. The team won five straight games to finish the season, including sweeping the Southern Conference Tournament
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
for the consecutive season. The squad opened up the NCAA Tournament with a victory over Connecticut, but then lost in the East Region semi-finals to St. Joseph's.
2001–2005 senior class
Other than the late 1950s teams of Jerry WestJerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
, Rod Hundley
Rod Hundley
Rodney Clark "Rod" Hundley is a former professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley's life has revolved around the game of basketball. His love and talent for the game led him to achieve honors in high school and most notably during his college years...
, Rod Thorn, and such other greats, the senior squad of 2001–2005 was one of the greatest teams of the school's history, mainly in the 2005–2006 campaign. The starting lineup consisted of Johannes Herber
Johannes Herber
Johannes Herber is a basketball player who plays for WALTER Tigers Tübingen in the German Basketball Bundesliga. In 2006, he completed a U.S. college career at West Virginia University...
and Frank Young (junior) at forward, while J.D. Collins and Mike Gansey
Mike Gansey
Michael Gansey is an American basketball player who played on an NBA roster for the Los Angeles Clippers on their 2007 Vegas Summer League team. After the summer league was over, he signed a contract for the 2007/08 season with the Italian team Indesit Fabriano...
played guards. Kevin Pittsnogle
Kevin Pittsnogle
Kevin Lee Pittsnogle Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the Pittsburgh Xplosion of the CBA and the Austin Toros and the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League....
started at center, though he led the team with three-point shots. Senior Patrick Beilein (former coach John Beilein's
John Beilein
John Beilein is an American college basketball coach and current men's basketball head coach at the University of Michigan. He is the 16th head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. The 2010–11 season was his fourth at Michigan, with whom he has a six-year contract...
son) got considerable playing time as well. The senior class was led by team MVPs Gansey and Pittsnogle, who were both named to the All-Big East team. The team advanced to the Sweet 16
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Texas 74–71 due to a game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer. This loss marked the end of an era. It consisted of back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, the first since the 1959 and 1960 teams of Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
, and an overall record of 77–51.
2007 NIT Championship
The team that followed the 2001–2005 senior class was projected to be weak and undeveloped due to lack of experience. Frank Young was the only senior that got considerable playing time from the previous year, although center Rob Summers was a senior as well. Young started at forward, along with Da'Sean Butler, Wellington Smith, and Joe Alexander who all shared time. The guard position consisted of starter Darris Nichols and Alex Ruoff, although Ted Talkington got small action in a few games. Rob Summers started at center all year but shared time with back up center Jamie Smalligan. The primary starting line up was Nichols, Ruoff, Young, Alexander, and Summers, although all other players shared fairly equal time, including forward Da'Sean ButlerDa'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
off the bench.
The team, projected to have a bad year with a tough Big East schedule, started out their season 5–0 with an easy early schedule. After a loss to Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, they posted an 8–0 record to make their season record 13–1 before suffering two losses to Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
and Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
to make their record 13–3. After a win against USF
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
and an overtime loss at Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, the Mountaineers won four games to make their record 18–4. They were beaten by 13 at home to nationally ranked Pitt
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, followed by one of the biggest upsets in school history. The upset of #2 UCLA 70–65 made the Mountaineers 19–5, although they lost to Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown's nickname is The Hoyas, but its mascot is "Jack the Bulldog." Various breeds of dogs have been used by the sports teams as mascots since the early 1900s. Several notable bull terriers like Sergeant Stubby and "Hoya" were used at football games in the 1920s, as was a Great Dane in the...
the next week to make their record 19–6. After a win against Seton Hall, they lost back-to-back against Providence
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
and Pittsburgh both on the road. They then finished out the regular season with a home blowout of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
to make their record 21–8.
The Mountaineers then beat Providence in the first round of the Big East tournament. In the second round, the Mountaineers held with the Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
for two-overtimes, but lost 82–71. The Mountaineers failed to be selected for the NCAA Tournament, to the surprise of many West Virginia fans, but they managed to accept a #1-seed in the NIT Tournament. The Mountaineers then posted an easy win against Delaware State. The second round the Mountaineers won a shootout 90–77 against UMass
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
, then a nail biting win against North Carolina State at home to win the East Region, making the first NIT-semifinal appearance since 1981. The semifinal contest against Mississippi State was one of the great wins in Mountaineer history, in which Darris Nichols hit the game-winning three-point shot to win the game 63–62 for the Mountaineers. Two days later in the NIT Championship
2007 National Invitation Tournament
The 2007 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams which did not participate in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
, the Mountaineers, led by Frank Young's 24 points and Da'Sean Butler's
Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
20 points off the bench, beat Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
to win the club's second
1942 National Invitation Tournament
The 1942 National Invitation Tournament was the 1942 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 8 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
NIT-crown, 78–72.
2007–2008
A few days after WVU's winning the 2007 National Invitation TournamentNational Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
, coach John Beilein
John Beilein
John Beilein is an American college basketball coach and current men's basketball head coach at the University of Michigan. He is the 16th head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. The 2010–11 season was his fourth at Michigan, with whom he has a six-year contract...
announced he would be leaving the school to accept a head coaching job at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. His official departure on April 4, 2007 was followed a day later by the announcement that Morgantown native Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins
Bob Huggins, nicknamed "Huggy Bear", is the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team. Huggins previously held the head coaching positions at the University of Cincinnati and Kansas State University...
was resigning his post at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
to take the vacant head coaching job at WVU. Huggins was followed by assistant coach Billy Hahn
Billy Hahn
Billy Hahn is a basketball assistant coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers under head coach Bob Huggins. During his head coaching and assistant coaching career, Hahn has coached and recruited 19 future NBA players and set various school records at Maryland with numerous NCAA Tournament...
.
The Mountaineers earned a 88–65 win over Mountain State
Mountain State University
Mountain State University is a private nonsectarian university based in Beckley, West Virginia, United States. The university offers undergraduate and master's degree programs, as well as a doctoral degree program. Most of the university's programs focus on the professions in business,...
in an exhibition game to start the season. West Virginia then entered a matchup against #7 Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
with a 2–0 record. However, the Mountaineers lost 74–72. The Mountaineers then posted an 8-game win streak on the way to a 10–1 record. The streak consisted of wins over Auburn
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, Winthrop
Winthrop Eagles men's basketball
The Winthrop Eagles basketball team represents Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina and competes in the Big South Conference. The Eagles are currently coached by Randy Peele and play their home games in the 6,100 seat Winthrop Coliseum. Winthrop has appeared in nine NCAA Tournaments...
, and New Mexico State. West Virginia would then lose to Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
88–82 and then Notre Dame 69–56. They defeated #11 Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
79–64, but followed up with a loss to Louisville
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
63–54. They then posted four-straight wins over Syracuse, St. John's, South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
, and Marshall
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
. The Mountaineers then lost to #9 Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
58–57, after a questionable block (or goaltending
Goaltending
In basketball, goaltending is the violation of interfering with the ball when it is on its way to the basket and it is in its downward flight, entirely above the rim and has the possibility of entering the basket, and not touching the rim...
) call to end the game. However, West Virginia could not rebound in the next game, and lost to Huggins' former job, at Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, to a final score of 62–39. They rebounded with a 77–65 victory at Providence
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
, but then lost at #25 Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in the Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
on a buzzer-beating three-point shot by Pitt's Ronald Ramon to win the game, 55–54.
With their record at 16–7, the Mountaineers followed up with a 81–63 victory over Rutgers, then a 89–68 victory over Seton Hall. The Mountaineers were then upset by Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, 56–78, but bounced back with an 80–53 victory over Providence. The Mountaineers earned their 20th win of the season in the 85–73 victory over DePaul
Depaul
Depaul, de Paul or DePaul may refer to:* DePaul University, is the largest Catholic university in North America located within and around Chicago, IL* Vincent de Paul* DePaul Catholic High School...
. With their record at 20–8, the Mountaineers extended its 20-win season streak to four seasons, the best ever since a seven-season streak from 1981–1987. Bob Huggins' 20-win season moved his record to at least 20-wins in 22 of his 26 seasons coaching. His 20 20-win seasons in his collegiate career at the Division 1 level is tied for 12 place all-time. "I'm old," Huggins said of the accomplishment.
After the DePaul victory, the Mountaineers lost a critical game to #16 Connecticut, 79–71. However, Joe Alexander scored a then career-high 32 points and added another 10 rebounds. In the following game, the Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
and Senior Night, the Mountaineers won their home game finale over their arch rival, the Pittsburgh Panthers, 76–62, to improve to 10–7 in the conference and move to 6th place. Joe Alexander again had a career day by posting a consecutive 32-point performance, also adding 6 rebounds.
The Mountaineers finished the year with an 83–74 overtime victory over St. John's, then opened the Big East Tournament with a 58–53 victory over Providence. In the second round of the tourney, the Mountaineers upset the #15-ranked Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
, 78–72. Joe Alexander contributed with a career-high 34 points and 7 rebounds. The Mountaineers then, however, lost to the #9 Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown's nickname is The Hoyas, but its mascot is "Jack the Bulldog." Various breeds of dogs have been used by the sports teams as mascots since the early 1900s. Several notable bull terriers like Sergeant Stubby and "Hoya" were used at football games in the 1920s, as was a Great Dane in the...
, 55–72, in the tourney semifinals.
The run to the Big East semifinals paved the way for the team to reach the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
in coach Bobby Huggins' first season. The Mountaineers received a #7 seed in the West Region, set to play #10 seed Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
team, on March 20. The Mountaineers were victorious over Arizona in their first game of the NCAA tournament with a final score of 75–65. This would advance the Mountaineers in to the second round of the tournament to play the Duke Blue Devils for the third time in school history. The team then beat #2 seed Duke, 73–67. They lost the Sweet Sixteen match to #3 seed Xavier in overtime 79–75. West Virginia finished the season ranked #17.
2008–2009
West Virginia began the 2008 season projected to finish 9th in the Big East under Huggins. However, they began the season 4–0, led by senior Alex RuoffAlex Ruoff
Alexander Marc Ruoff is an American professional basketball player currently playing for Okapi Aalstar from the Belgium basketball league...
, junior Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
, and a freshman class highlighted by Devin Ebanks
Devin Ebanks
Devin Ebanks is an American professional basketball player selected 43rd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Draft...
and Darryl Bryant. They lost the Las Vegas Invitational Tournament Championship Game to Kentucky
Kentucky Wildcats
The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky , a founding member of the Southeastern Conference...
54–43, but then bounced back with two wins to move to 6–1. However, they lost a last-second game to #22 Davidson and Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry (basketball)
-Freshman season:Before Stephen Curry played even one college game, head coach, Bob McKillop, said at a Davidson Alumni event, "Wait till you see Steph Curry...
in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, 68–65.
Following the loss, WVU posted five straight victories; ending at the beginning of 2009. This streak included a 76–48 win over #13 Ohio State
Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate sports teams and players of The Ohio State University, named after the state tree, the Buckeye. The Buckeyes participate in the NCAA's Division I in all sports and the Big Ten Conference in most sports...
in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, snapping the Buckeyes' nation-long 14-game win streak and handing OSU their biggest home loss since 1998. However, the streak ended in a 61–55 loss to #5 Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
which was followed by a 75–53 loss to #15 Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
. The Mountaineers bounced back with a three game win streak that included a 75–58 victory over #14 Georgetown
Georgetown Hoyas
Georgetown's nickname is The Hoyas, but its mascot is "Jack the Bulldog." Various breeds of dogs have been used by the sports teams as mascots since the early 1900s. Several notable bull terriers like Sergeant Stubby and "Hoya" were used at football games in the 1920s, as was a Great Dane in the...
in D.C. However, the streak ended in the 79–67 loss to #4 Pittsburgh in the Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
. WVU defeated St. John's, but then lost to #7 Louisville
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
and #20 Syracuse back-to-back. The Mountaineers ended the losing streak with a 86–59 win over Providence
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
, but then lost to #4 Pitt for the second time.
West Virginia followed the loss to Pitt with a 93–72 victory over #13 Villanova
2008–09 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team
The Villanova Wildcats had a 22–13 record in the 2008 season. Their season resulted in a trip to the Final Four, with their last second win over the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Elite 8.For the 2008–09 season, Villanova returned all but one from their entire roster that made it to the Sweet 16 of...
, featuring Da'Sean Butler's
Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
career-high 43 point performance. The Mountaineers then defeated Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
and Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey...
before losing to Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
70–59 in Huggins' return to Cincinnati. The Mountaineers bounced back with consecutive wins against USF
South Florida Bulls
The South Florida Bulls are the athletic teams for the University of South Florida. The university competes in NCAA Division I, USF is a member of the Big East Conference, and has been since 2005...
and DePaul
Depaul
Depaul, de Paul or DePaul may refer to:* DePaul University, is the largest Catholic university in North America located within and around Chicago, IL* Vincent de Paul* DePaul Catholic High School...
, but lost to #6 Louisville
Louisville Cardinals
The Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
62–59 in Morgantown while hosting College GameDay
College GameDay (basketball)
College GameDay is an ESPN program that covers college basketball and is a spin-off of the successful college football version. Since debuting on January 22, 2005, it airs on ESPN Saturdays in the college basketball season at 11am ET and 8pm ET at a different game site each week...
.
West Virginia earned a first round bye in the Big East Tournament, and opened the second round of play with a 74–62 victory over Notre Dame. In the quarterfinals round, West Virginia defeated rival #2 Pittsburgh 74–60 in a shocking upset. The Mountaineers next played the #20 Syracuse Orange in the semi-finals, losing 74–69 in overtime. WVU's second consecutive trip to the Big East semi-finals paved the way for a #6 seed in the NCAA tournament
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
, where they would play the #11 seed Dayton Flyers
Dayton Flyers men's basketball
The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Ten Conference representing the University of Dayton. They are known for a rivalry with Xavier University, playing for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy each year.-History:The...
. However, the Mountaineers would be upset by Dayton to the score of 68–60, ending the season.
2009-2010
The 2009–10 West Virginia Mountaineers team captured the first Big East Tournament Championship in school history and won the East Region to advance to the second Final Four in school history, where they lost in the national semi-finals to eventual National Champion Duke, 78-57. The team finished #3 in the final Coaches Poll with a record of 31-7, setting the record for most wins in school history. Da'Sean Butler scored nine game-winning baskets over the course of the season, including one in each game of the Big East tournament2010 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Championship Game:-See also:*2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season*Big East Men's Basketball Tournament*2009–10 Big East Conference men's basketball season*2010 Big East Women's Basketball Tournament- External links :*...
. Butler and Devin Ebanks were both selected in the second round of the NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
.
2010-2011
The West Virginia Mountaineers finished the regular season with a record of 20-11 overall and 11-7 in the Big East, good for sixth place in the conference. They earned a 5th seed in East region of the 2011 NCAA Tournament2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
, one of the record eleven Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
teams selected. They defeated the Clemson Tigers
2010–11 Clemson Tigers men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Clemson Tigers men's basketball team represented Clemson University during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Tigers, led by first year head coach Brad Brownell, played their home games at Littlejohn Coliseum and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They...
in the second round, 84-76, to advance to the Round of 32. In a rematch of last season's Elite Eight match-up, the Mountaineers played the Kentucky Wildcats
2010–11 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky in the college basketball season of 2010–2011. The team's head coach is John Calipari, who entered his second season after posting a 35–3 record in his inaugural season....
. Despite holding a 41-33 halftime lead, the Mountaineers lost, 71-63. WVU finished their season with a record of 21-12.
Notable figures
- Joe Alexander
- Babe BarnaBabe BarnaHerbert Paul "Babe" Barna was a left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , New York Giants and Boston Red Sox . Barna batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
- John BeileinJohn BeileinJohn Beilein is an American college basketball coach and current men's basketball head coach at the University of Michigan. He is the 16th head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. The 2010–11 season was his fourth at Michigan, with whom he has a six-year contract...
- Da'Sean ButlerDa'Sean ButlerDa'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
- Jarrett BrownJarrett BrownJarrett Brown is an American football quarterback who is currently with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He played college football at West Virginia, and was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent following the 2010 NFL Draft...
- Devin EbanksDevin EbanksDevin Ebanks is an American professional basketball player selected 43rd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Draft...
- Gale CatlettGale CatlettGale Catlett was a basketball player and longtime basketball coach for West Virginia University....
- Mike GanseyMike GanseyMichael Gansey is an American basketball player who played on an NBA roster for the Los Angeles Clippers on their 2007 Vegas Summer League team. After the summer league was over, he signed a contract for the 2007/08 season with the Italian team Indesit Fabriano...
- Marshall GlennMarshall Glenn-External links:*...
- Johannes HerberJohannes HerberJohannes Herber is a basketball player who plays for WALTER Tigers Tübingen in the German Basketball Bundesliga. In 2006, he completed a U.S. college career at West Virginia University...
- Bob HugginsBob HugginsBob Huggins, nicknamed "Huggy Bear", is the head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team. Huggins previously held the head coaching positions at the University of Cincinnati and Kansas State University...
- Rod HundleyRod HundleyRodney Clark "Rod" Hundley is a former professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley's life has revolved around the game of basketball. His love and talent for the game led him to achieve honors in high school and most notably during his college years...
- Greg Jones
- Jim McCormick
- Darris Nichols
- Kevin PittsnogleKevin PittsnogleKevin Lee Pittsnogle Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the Pittsburgh Xplosion of the CBA and the Austin Toros and the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League....
- Alex RuoffAlex RuoffAlexander Marc Ruoff is an American professional basketball player currently playing for Okapi Aalstar from the Belgium basketball league...
- Fred SchausFred SchausFrederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
- Rod Thorn
- Bucky WatersBucky WatersRaymond Chevalier "Bucky" Waters is a current basketball broadcaster with ESPN and MSG Network and a retired NCAA basketball head coach. He served as head coach for the West Virginia University men's basketball team from 1965–69 and was head coach for the Duke University men's team from 1969-1973...
- Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
- Ron 'Fritz' WilliamsRon Williams (basketball)Ronald Robert Williams was an American basketball player.A 6'3" guard from Weirton, West Virginia, Williams starred at West Virginia University in the mid-1960s, where he was one of the school's first African American basketball players...
- Mark WorkmanMark WorkmanMark Cecil Workman was an American professional basketball player. Workman played two years for the NBA's Philadelphia Warriors and Baltimore Bullets. He was the first overall pick in the 1952 NBA Draft, selected by the Milwaukee Hawks. He attended West Virginia University.-External links:*...
- Frank Young
Notable games
- March 2, 1949 against GenevaGeneva CollegeGeneva College is a Christian liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, north of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1848, in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in...
in Morgantown, West VirginiaMorgantown, West VirginiaMorgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
with a 75–38 win when Fred SchausFred SchausFrederick Appleton Schaus was an American basketball player, head coach and athletic director for the West Virginia University Mountaineers, player for the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons and New York Knicks, general manager and head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, head coach of Purdue University...
scored 1000th career point. - February 26, 1951 at PittsburghUniversity of PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
with a 72–74 loss when the final basketball game played in Pitt Pavilion was held. - February 9, 1957 at RichmondUniversity of RichmondThe University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, VirginiaRichmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
with an 87–81 win when Rod HundleyRod HundleyRodney Clark "Rod" Hundley is a former professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley's life has revolved around the game of basketball. His love and talent for the game led him to achieve honors in high school and most notably during his college years...
scored 2000th career point. - March 22, 1959 CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
defeats West Virginia 71 to 70 for NCAA national title. Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
nearly wins the game with a last second shot from half court. - February 11, 1960 at St. John's in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with a 73–79 loss when Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
scored 2000th career point. - February 7, 1966, West Virginia defeats #2 DukeDuke UniversityDuke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
94–90 in Coach Bucky Waters'Bucky WatersRaymond Chevalier "Bucky" Waters is a current basketball broadcaster with ESPN and MSG Network and a retired NCAA basketball head coach. He served as head coach for the West Virginia University men's basketball team from 1965–69 and was head coach for the Duke University men's team from 1969-1973...
most memorable win. - January 14, 1970 at Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a 67–66 Overtime win when a Pittsburgh fan threw a large dead fish onto the court after a technical foul against Pittsburgh.
- March 3, 1970 against Pittsburgh in Morgantown, West Virginia with an 87–92 loss in the final game in Mountaineer Fieldhouse.
- February 19, 1977, West Virginia's 81–68 upset of the #17 Notre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
, who were led by Digger PhelpsDigger PhelpsRichard "Digger" Phelps is a former American college basketball coach, most notably of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team from 1971 to 1991. Since 1993, he has served as an analyst on ESPN.-Career:...
. - March 2, 1978, West Virginia upset the #1-seed Rutgers 81–74 in Pittsburgh, with help from sophomore Lowes Moore.
- February 24, 1982, marked West Virginia's 82–77 win over Pitt in front of a school-record 16,704 fans.
- February 27, 1983, West Virginia defeated #1 UNLV at home, 87–78, in what is considered the greatest win in Mountaineer basketball history.
- March 9, 1984, West Virginia tallied a 67–65 win over #15 TempleTemple UniversityTemple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament. - December 12, 1988, West Virginia defeats the Pittsburgh Panthers in double-overtime, 84–81.
- December 9, 1989, 97–93 in favor of West Virginia against the Pittsburgh Panthers in an overtime classic.
- February 11, 1998, West Virginia's 80–62 win over #6 UConn.
- March 15, 1998, #10 Seeded West Virginia defeats #2 seeded Cincinnati by a bank 3-pointer by Jarrod West with 0.8 seconds to play. Cincinnati was coached by current WVU head coach Bob Huggins.
- February 20, 2001, West Virginia walks away at WVU ColiseumWVU ColiseumThe WVU Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena which is located in the Evansdale campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The circular arena features a poured concrete roof....
with a double-overtime 107–100 win against VillanovaVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
. - March 19, 2005 in a 111–105 double overtime win against Wake ForestWake Forest UniversityWake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
in the second round of the NCAA tournamentNCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. - March 18, 2006, West Virginia defeats Northwestern State 67–54 in Kevin PittsnogleKevin PittsnogleKevin Lee Pittsnogle Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He played for the Pittsburgh Xplosion of the CBA and the Austin Toros and the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League....
, Mike GanseyMike GanseyMichael Gansey is an American basketball player who played on an NBA roster for the Los Angeles Clippers on their 2007 Vegas Summer League team. After the summer league was over, he signed a contract for the 2007/08 season with the Italian team Indesit Fabriano...
, and the other seniors' last win as a Mountaineer. Five days later, in the Sweet 16NCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, the Mountaineers lost to #2-seed Texas, 74–71 on a buzzer beater three point shot. - February 10, 2007, West Virginia defeated #2 UCLA 70–65 at the WVU ColiseumWVU ColiseumThe WVU Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena which is located in the Evansdale campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The circular arena features a poured concrete roof....
in front of a national television audience on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. - March 29, 2007, West Virginia defeated ClemsonClemson UniversityClemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
78–72 to win the university'sWest Virginia UniversityWest Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
second NIT Championship crown, the other in 1942. West Virginia was led by senior Frank Young's 24 points (6 of 7 for three pointers) and five rebounds and freshman Da'Sean Butler's 20 points to win the championship. - March 22, 2008, West Virginia defeated Duke, 73–67 at the Verizon Center, DC To advance to the Sweet 16.
- December 27, 2008, West Virginia defeated #13 Ohio State 76–48 in Columbus, OhioColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
– snapping the Buckeyes' 14 game home win streak which led the nation - January 22, 2009, West Virginia defeated #13 Villanova2008–09 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball teamThe Villanova Wildcats had a 22–13 record in the 2008 season. Their season resulted in a trip to the Final Four, with their last second win over the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Elite 8.For the 2008–09 season, Villanova returned all but one from their entire roster that made it to the Sweet 16 of...
93–72, led by Da'Sean Butler'sDa'Sean ButlerDa'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
43 points - March 7, 2009, against #6 LouisvilleLouisville CardinalsThe Louisville Cardinals are the athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. A member of the Big East Conference since 2005, they are known nationally as traditional powers in men's basketball, women's volleyball, and dance team...
in MorgantownMorgantown, West VirginiaMorgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
, featuring the largest crowd ever for ESPN'sESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
College GameDayCollege GameDay (basketball)College GameDay is an ESPN program that covers college basketball and is a spin-off of the successful college football version. Since debuting on January 22, 2005, it airs on ESPN Saturdays in the college basketball season at 11am ET and 8pm ET at a different game site each week... - March 12, 2009, West Virginia upset the #2 Pittsburgh Panthers in the quarterfinals round of the Big East Tournament 74–60
- March 13, 2010, West Virginia, led by Da'Sean Butler's game-winning running jump-shot defeated #8 Georgetown to win its first Big East Conference Tournament Championship.
- March 25, 2010, West Virginia sets a new record for most wins in a season with 30, in its 69–56 Sweet Sixteen win over WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. - March 27, 2010, West Virginia advances to its first Final Four since 1959 with a 73–66 victory over #1 seed Kentucky.
Career leaders
- Points Scored: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
(2,309) - Rebounds: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
(1,240) - Assists: Steve Berger (574)
- Steals: Greg Jones (251)
- Games Played: Da'Sean ButlerDa'Sean ButlerDa'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
(146) - Games Started: Johannes HerberJohannes HerberJohannes Herber is a basketball player who plays for WALTER Tigers Tübingen in the German Basketball Bundesliga. In 2006, he completed a U.S. college career at West Virginia University...
(128) - Double-Doubles: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
(70) - 30-point Games: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
(29) - 3-pointers: Alex RuoffAlex RuoffAlexander Marc Ruoff is an American professional basketball player currently playing for Okapi Aalstar from the Belgium basketball league...
(261)
Single-season leaders
- Points Scored: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
(908, 1960) - Rebounds: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
, (510, 1960) - Assists: Ron "Fritz" Williams (197, 1967)
- Steals: Damian Owens (97, 1998)
- Double-Doubles: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
(30, 1960) - 30-point Games: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
(15, 1960)
Single-game leaders
- Points Scored: Rod HundleyRod HundleyRodney Clark "Rod" Hundley is a former professional basketball player and television broadcaster. Hundley's life has revolved around the game of basketball. His love and talent for the game led him to achieve honors in high school and most notably during his college years...
(54, vs FurmanFurman UniversityFurman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
1957) - Rebounds: Jerry WestJerry WestJerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
/Mack Isner (31, vs George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
/Virginia Tech 1960/1952) - Assists: Steve Berger (16, vs PittsburghUniversity of PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
1989) - Steals: Drew Schifino (11, vs Arkansas-Monticello 2001)
- Triple-Doubles: Rod Thorn (28 points-13 rebounds-11 assists, vs St. Bonaventure 1962)
External links
- West Virginia University Basketball
- West Virginia University Athletics
- WVMountaineerSports Your Source for WVU Mountaineers Football and Basketball