WVU vs Stetson Basketball Preview: WVU Opens Up Las Vegas Invitational Tournament At Home Against Stetson

Game Day Vitals

• West Virginia Mountaineers (2-0, Big XII 0-0, NCAA RPI 68) vs. Stetson Hatters (0-2, 0-0 Atlantic  Sun, NCAA RPI 309)
• Series Record: 1-1, last matchup was a loss J. Ollie Edmunds Center in 1983, L 76-69 
• Location: WVU Coliseum (Capacity: 14,000) Morgantown, West Virginia
• Vegas Lines: (-28) for the good guys
  
• Date: Friday, Nov. 20th, 2015, 7:00PM EST
• Television: ROOT Sports (Rob King, Warren Baker, and Amanda Mazey)
  
• Radio Affiliates

Opponent Information

• Stetson Hatters (0-2, 0-0 Atlantic  Sun, NCAA RPI 309)
• Head Coach - Corey Williams, Third year with the Hatters 16-48 (.250 career)
  
• Last Result - Lost in Charleston to The Citadel L 94-93
• Official Stetson Hatters athletics website

The Interwebs

Huggs on Stetson:

Huggs always talks about wanting to get teams above RPI 200 on the schedule, but this one isn't too great. I guess the deal is that this and the Bethune-Cookman games are somehow part of the Las Vegas Invitational Tournament, but doesn't count toward the bracket. Whatever.

West Virginia has played two games in which they should win and cover and they have done both in each. Devin Williams is playing like a GAM, which is up to expectations, averaging 18.5pts/12.5rebs. Those rebound numbers have him tied for 15th nationally, by the way. Jevon Carter has started better than I expected out of the gate averaging 21.5pts/3.5stls which puts him on the national statistics list as well at 14th in steals per game. (Fun fact: Oregon State's Gary Payton II leads the nation with 13 steals over three games.) The truth is that these high numbers are pretty much what you would expect playing Northern Kentucky and James Madison to start the season and this trend should continue up until, at least, the team travels to Las Vegas to play Richmond. Even then, the Mountaineers have the capability to lock down the Spiders, but that's for next week. Tonight is Stetson and it's not gonna happen for the Hatters.

Seriously. John. B Stetson himself could rise from the dead with his coveted cavalry hat that somehow also contains magical ankle-breaking and rim-rattling powers and West Virginia still wins this game by 25. The Hatters shoot pretty well, but they are third from last in the entire nation in defensive efficiency. The Mountaineers do a good job of creating shots by themselves, but Stetson gives up easy ones to teams. Expect WVU to break triple digits again and cover the spread for the third time this year.

Prediction: WVU 107, Stetson 60

PLEASE NOTE TONIGHT'S PARKING POLICIES WITH WVU WOMEN'S SOCCER HOSTING THE NCAA TOURNAMENT 2ND ROUND AT 6 PM.