WVU basketball to play Indiana in Jimmy V Classic
The WVU basketball team recently learned it will again take part in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.
The Mountaineers last played in the Garden, and as part of the annual Jimmy V Classic, in December 2015. West Virginia played Virginia, which turned out to be a three-game series between the border rivals.
The WVU basketball team beat Virginia the past two years but was outclassed by the Cavaliers in the game played in Madison Square Garden. The Mountaineers have to hope that this next invitation to the Jimmy V Classic will pay off more than the last time.
This week it was announced through various media outlets, including the Charleston Gazette-Mail, that Indiana will take on the WVU basketball team next season. Both teams have deep roots and traditions in the framework of college basketball, so this game should garner a ton of national attention. Putting it in Madison Square Garden, the mecca of hoops, will make the stakes even higher.
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This season, though, the Mountaineers are on pace to make some national waves. This week, it was announced that the WVU basketball team has risen back to where it stared the year ranked No. 11 in the country. Indiana has struggled this season and is currently 5-5.
This will be the first meeting between Indiana and the WVU basketball. According to WVUstats.com, the Mountaineers are 3-0 against Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Even with the Indiana Hoosiers falling back this season, IUP would have no chance against them.
West Virginia will look to improve on its record against Big 10 teams with this match up. The WVU basketball team is 16-27 all-time against Big 10 programs but are winners of the last two. The last two match ups, against Illinois and Maryland, were on neutral courts, like the Jimmy V Classic.
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West Virginia will have a different look next season with seniors Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles set to graduate. It will be interesting to see the prospectus of both the Mountaineers and Hoosiers heading into this one. IU might just be taking on the reigning national champions.