WVU Basketball Excited to Host ISU in Sold-Out Coliseum

WVU basketball has already had to play a couple of top teams in enemy territory. On Saturday, the Mountaineers will get to flip the script a little when they host No. 2 Iowa State inside the WVU Coliseum.

WVU has already played in brutal road environments at No. 9 Kansas and at No. 10 Houston and now has a chance to show its home-court advantage is just as significant.

“I’m expecting this place to be rocking,” WVU coach Darian DeVries said Friday. “Our reputation as a fanbase in the Coliseum is highly thought of across the basketball world.”

Saturday’s game against the Cyclones (ESPN+) has been sold out for over a week, making it the first official sell-out of the season for West Virgina.

“We’ve got to put on a show for our fans,” senior guard Joeseph Yesufu said. “(Playing at home) makes a huge difference. You get a lot more rest and being at home, out fans are one of the best. Playing in front of them gives us more energy.”

There have been a number of good crowds in the Coliseum recently — particularly for Georgetown last month and Arizona last week — but the combination of a sell-out and students being back on campus figure to produce a home environment that the team hasn’t seen in at least a couple of years.

“Even when I was looking at what this job was about, that’s one of the first things that came out from almost everybody,” DeVries said of WVU fans. “I’m really excited to feel that. The students are back, it’s sold out and I can’t wait for that energy to fill the arena.”

WVU also plans to use Saturday’s game to honor legendary Mountaineer Jerry West. The team will wear throwback jerseys and members of West’s family will be in attendance. The Mountaineers have worn a No. 44 patch on their jerseys this season in honor of West.

For a related story, Clippers send sizeable financial gift to WVU in honor of Jerry West.