As Ross Hodge and the West Virginia Mountaineers turn their attention to the matchup with the Pitt Panthers in Thursday night’s Backyard Brawl, there are a number of things we have learned about this new-look team. In the early going, none seems to be more apparent than the fact that they have a really solid player on both sides of the ball in senior transfer Brenen Lorient.
Through three games, West Virginia has had three different players post a game of 20-or-more points. In the season opener against Mount St. Mary’s, it was point guard Jasper Floyd who scored 25 points. Against Campbell on Thursday night, the sharpshooting Honor Huff scored 23. On Sunday afternoon, Brenen Lorient stole the show in a career-high 26-point performance.
But through those three games, Brenen Lorient – affectionately known as "B-Lo" – has stuffed the stat sheet as a starter for the Mountaineers regardless of his scoring production. The 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year in the American Conference is proving to be a vital piece to WVU’s success this season.
Beyond The Arc
Lorient, known for his elite athleticism and defensive ability, put together the most complete offensive game of his career against Lehigh. En route to his 26 points, B-Lo shot an efficient 11-of-15 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from downtown. If you’re being honest with yourself, you didn’t know that B-Lo had a shooting performance like that in his arsenal.
Lorient made just 11 three-pointers last season at North Texas and only attempted 0.6 threes per game. Certainly, B-Lo has worked on his three-point shot in the off-season, and against Lehigh, he displayed the confidence to take and make threes. Should three-point shooting become a consistent part of his game, it adds another dimension to this WVU offense.
Defensive Versatility
In the game prior to his scoring burst against Lehigh, Lorient blocked five shots against Campbell. He’s been active getting in passing lanes and disrupting the flow of opposing offenses, as he also has five steals through 3 games. And against Mount St. Mary's, he managed a double-double in his first game for the Mountaineers with 13 rebounds in addition to a double-digit scoring total – he's added 16 combined rebounds in the two games since.
It is no surprise that B-Lo’s game has translated nicely in Morgantown. The 6-foot-9 forward can guard multiple positions and will be an invaluable asset through the remainder of the non-conference schedule and beyond as WVU faces stiffer competition.
While it’s early, B-Lo certainly appears to be West Virginia’s most complete player based on what he has done on both sides of the ball. While he likely won’t knock down three buckets from behind-the-arc every night, his improved shot-making ability will only enhance his value to Ross Hodge’s squad: and he was already pretty valuable to begin with.