Most of the time a teams mascot will represent something from the team’s area. Sometimes it is a fierce animal to strike fear into the hearts of opponents. Sometimes it is a heritage nickname that represents the founders of the school. Sometimes none of those things are true and you name your team the opposite of anything that makes sense.

Enter the Youngstown State Penguins. There is nothing intimidating or geographically correct about the mascot, or the Youngstown State team that welcomes West Virginia to town on Saturday.

This is a homecoming for two Mountaineers. Derek Culver is a Youngstown, Ohio native and Oscar Tshiebwe played high school basketball in nearby Hermitage, PA.

WHEN/ WHERE

Date: Saturday, December 21

Tip-off Time: 1:00 PM ET/ 2:00 PM CT

Where: Corvelli Center, Youngstown, Ohio

Tickets: YSUSports.com

WATCH/ LISTEN

TV: Today’s game is not televised or streamed anywhere. We’re taking it back to the olden days, so break out the radio.

Radio: WZST Variety 101 (100.9 FM in Morgantown) or the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG (Radio Affiliates)

Streaming Audio: Locate the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG on TuneIn Radio (or the TuneIn Radio app for smartphones)

Satellite Radio: XM Internet 976

THE ENEMY

Where are they from? Youngstown, Ohio

Series History: WVU leads the series 5-0

Last Time: December 1, 2018 - WVU 106, Youngstown State 72

2019-20 Record: 7-5, 73-55 over Binghamton

Head Coach: Jerrod Calhoun (former WVU assistant)

Key Players: G Darius Quisenberry 14.6 ppg (only double digit scorer)

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Play it again sam. This team is much smaller than WVU and this should be a repeat of the last several games. WVU will dominate the boards, be pestered throughout by a smaller guard who will have a decent game, and then win the game by 25 points. Finally, in the waning minutes we will one again be treated to the crowd (I expect a pro-WVU crowd) cheering for Spencer Macke to make some shots in cleanup time

HOW AFRAID SHOULD WE BE (ON A SCALE OF 1-10)

One. This should be another easy win for the Mountaineers.

West Virginia 91, YSU 62