The West Virginia Mountaineers and the Houston Cougars continue Big 12 Conference men’s basketball action on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Houston, Texas.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. central. West Virginia (12-3, 3-1 in Big 12) barely dropped out of the latest AP Top 25, while Houston (12-3, 4-0) is ranked No. 10.
The West Virginia Mountaineers have quickly become one of the best stories in college basketball this season under first-year head coach Darian DeVries, with the team significantly outperforming preseason expectations. Houston has continued its Big 12 dominance this season with another veteran crew led by legendary head coach Kelvin Sampson.
Here is a preview of Wednesday’s game.
How to Watch West Virginia vs. Houston
Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Time: 8 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN+
Site: Fertitta Center, Houston, Texas
West Virginia vs. Houston Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: Houston -16
Current Line: Houston -16
Over/Under: 124
West Virginia vs. Houston Predictions
Darian DeVries has been one of the most successful first-year hires of anyone in the Big 12 Conference after leaving Drake University for Morgantown. He has his team comfortably in the race for a Big 12 title this season with an overall record of 12-3 and a league record of 3-1. The team has already amassed three Top 25 wins this season against No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 24 Arizona, and No. 7 Kansas, and now sets their sights on another vs. Houston.
Related: West Virginia’s Darian DeVries Talks Difficulty of Coaching in America’s Best Basketball Conference
Led by the Big 12’s leading scorer Javon Small, the Mountaineers have looked very impressive in their first four conference games. They are finding ways to win without their top portal pickup of the offseason, Tucker DeVries, who was posting 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 41.2% shooting from the field before sustaining a season-ending injury.
Houston has continued their impressive style of basketball, winning games with intense defense, balanced scoring, and some of the best effort shown of any team in collegiate basketball. The Cougars have lost three games this season, two of which to AP Top 10 teams, by a combined 14 points.
The backcourt duo of LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp have been doing some serious damage in the 2024-25 season, averaging a combined 28.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. They also are connecting on a blistering 44.9% from three-point land this season.
Houston 74, West Virginia 68
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Houston (93.3% Chance of Winning)
Odds Shark: Houston 72, West Virginia 64
