Hodge hopeful time off proves beneficial to Mountaineers in matchup at UCF

The team that can better capitalize on a near full week between games figures to put themselves in the best position for success Saturday when West Virginia takes on Central Florida at 6 p.m. inside Addition Financial Arena.

The first of two regular season matchups OVER 21 days between the two squads will air on FS1.

Both teams last played Sunday and lost. WVU suffered a second-straight home defeat against then-No. 13 Texas Tech, 70-63, while UCF was handled at Cincinnati, 92-72.

Between time away from the court and time to improve on it, first-year Mountaineer head coach Ross Hodge is hopeful an extended break between games proves beneficial.

“I’ve never been part of the league that didn’t have at least one bye, but hearing people talk about last year and going through that gauntlet with no bye, it’s hard enough as it is,” Hodge said. “It’s such a physical league and you have to be so sharp mentally each night that as much as you need a physical break, you need a mental break as well.”

The Mountaineers (15-9, 6-5) took Monday and Tuesday off as part of what represents their most time between games since before the Big 12 Conference opener at Iowa State back on January 2.

WVU has faced a halftime deficit in three straight games and five of its last six, but has managed to split those six contests, thanks in large part to its steady defensive play. The Mountaineers are surrendering the second-fewest points on average of any Big 12 team at 63.6, a number that jumps to 67.7 in conference action, leaving Hodge’s squad third in the league.

“One thing this team has done particularly well that some of the previous teams I’ve coached didn’t do well is we do a good job playing without the foul,” Hodge said. “We’ve consistently done that well. It’s given us an advantage. We’ve made more free throws than our opponents have attempted in several games and that’s even with some of the struggles from the foul line. That can improve — really cashing in on those opportunities when you get to the foul line. You continue to evolve as a team and get better.”

The Mountaineers have not exceeded 63 points in any of their last five games, a mark they’ll almost certainly have to surpass to give themselves a realistic chance at defeating the Knights.

UCF (17-6, 6-5) is the sixth-highest scoring Big 12 team on average at 82.2 points, though that mark dips to ninth within conference games at 75.9.

Having reworked its entire roster from last season, balance is among UCF’s top traits. 

Guards Riley Kugel and Themus Fulks are the team’s top scorers at 14.3 and 13.3 points, respectively. Forwards Jordan Burks (12.7) and Jamichael Stillwell (12.3) follow closely behind, with Stillwell averaging eight boards to serve as the team’s top rebounder.

Kugel and Burks lead the squad with 43 and 39 three-pointers, respectively.

“It starts with Fulks,” Hodge said. “He’s probably been as impactful as any player in the Big 12 this year. Those freshmen get a lot of attention as they should and they’re special players, but just as it pertains to the impact one player has had on their team and the impact on winning, you’d be hard-pressed to find anybody having a more impactful year than Fulks. He’s so reliable and so strong. He takes care of the ball and they put good shooting around him and good length and some interchangeable pieces. They’ve been very consistent at home, which is where we have to play them next.”

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Hodge indicated several weeks ago a decision would need made in the near future on the status of senior Jackson Fields.

After undergoing surgery in July for a wrist injury, Fields did not make his season debut until November 30 against Mercyhurst in what marked the eighth game of the season for WVU.

That was the first of nine contests Fields appeared in, with the most recent back on January 13 at Houston. 

“All signs are trending towards applying for that medical redshirt,” Hodge said. “We want to be supportive of him and like any of these guys, you don’t want to put him out there unless he’s 100 percent right. We haven’t made a final call on it, but all signs are pointing in that direction.”

A Troy transfer, Fields is averaging 4.3 points and 3.4 rebounds.