West Virginia vs. Louisiana Monroe Basketball Preview & How To Watch: Mountaineers Return Home To Face Warhawks

Game Day Vitals

• West Virginia Mountaineers (7-1, Big 12 0-0, ESPN RPI 62) vs. Louisiana Monroe Warhawks (4-4, 1-0 Sun Belt, NCAA RPI 135)
• Series Record: WVU leads series 1-0
• Location: WVU Coliseum (Capacity: 14,000) Morgantown, West Virginia
• Vegas Lines: WVU (-21.5) O/U 133
  
• Date: Sunday, December 13, 2015, 5 pm ET
• Television: WV Media (WBOY Clarksburg, WOWK Charleston, WTRF Wheeling, WVNS Beckley and WJAL Chambersburg, Pa)
  
• TV Announcers: (Rob King, Warren Baker and Robby Incmikoski)
• Online Streaming: None available
• Radio Affiliates

Opponent Information

• Louisiana Monroe Warhawks (4-4, 1-0 Sun Belt, NCAA RPI 135)
• Head Coach - Keith Richard, 6th year at ULM (52-108), career 15th year (198-230)
  
• Last Result - Lost to Penn State 54-50 on Saturday
• Official Louisiana Monroe Athletics website

The West Virginia Mountaineers are looking to get back to their winning ways after dropping a tough game against a good Virginia Cavaliers squad. When the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks make their way to Morgantown this weekend, it will mark the second time the two schools have met on the hardwood. The Warhawks have started off their season 4-4 and are 1-0 in the Sun Belt Conference.

West Virginia will have to contend the 3 and protect the paint as the Warhawks are shooting just over 30% from behind the arc while outscoring opponents 166-102 inside. The ULM defense is also stingy in three point land allowing opponents only 26.1% (they held their last opponent to 2-18). The Warhawk defense may even be as strong as their name considering they've held opponents to under 75 points in 49 of their last 50 games. One player the WVU team will need to focus on is Majok Deng, a senior averaging 18.3 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per game.

The Mountaineers will need to again rely on its aggressive defense and force turnovers early and often to put the ULM Warhawks away early. Luckily, WVU does not typically rely on the three, so the strength of the Warhawk defense may be a moot point in this contest. While this may be a Mid-Major team, they could make things interesting if WVU comes out flat after their loss to UVA. However., ULM is playing their third game in four days, so the press should be able to wear them down. It should be a matter of when, not if.

Prediction: WVU 75 ULM 50