Recap
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West Virginia Mountaineers Stumble as Iowa State Cyclones Surge at James H. Hilton Coliseum

The West Virginia Mountaineers faced a challenging matchup against the Iowa State Cyclones, resulting in a 59-80 defeat at the James H. Hilton Coliseum. This outcome leaves the Mountaineers with a record of 0-1, while the Cyclones improve to 1-0.


Jan 2, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA;  Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) grabs the rebound against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

First Half


The first half saw both teams vying for control, but it was the Cyclones who established an early lead with their effective shooting and ball movement. The Clones managed to score 41 points in this period, showcasing their offensive prowess with a field goal percentage of 53 percent. The Mountaineers struggled to keep pace despite Chance Moore's efforts, who contributed significantly with his scoring ability.


Second Half


In the second half, WVU attempted to mount a comeback but were hindered by turnovers and missed opportunities. The team's field goal percentage stood at 43 percent overall, while they managed only seven successful three-point shots out of twenty-four attempts. DJ Thomas added some spark off the bench for WVU; however, it wasn't enough to close the gap created by ISU's consistent performance.


Jan 2, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers center Harlan Obioha (55) defends Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3)  during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

The West Virginia Mountaineers vs Iowa State Cyclones turning point came when ISU extended their lead significantly during this period through strong defensive plays and capitalizing on fast breaks.


Final Outcome


Ultimately, despite some spirited play from individual members like Treysen Eaglestaff and Amir Jenkins contributing assists and rebounds respectively throughout both halves - it was not sufficient against an efficient opponent like ISU who ended up taking home victory honors comfortably by maintaining pressure till game end whistle blew marking West Virginia Mountaineers full-time result as unfavorable one yet again!


Jan 2, 2026; Ames, Iowa, USA;  West Virginia Mountaineers center Harlan Obioha (55) defends the shot from Iowa State Cyclones forward Blake Buchanan (23) during the first half at James H. Hilton Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Fans can look forward now towards next encounter where they will host Cincinnati Bearcats on January sixth starting seven PM Eastern Time inside Hope Coliseum located within Morgantown city limits broadcast live via ESPN2 network channel available nationwide across United States territories ensuring wide accessibility coverage reach potential audience base eager witness upcoming clash unfold firsthand themselves directly tuning into televised event scheduled air date mentioned above accordingly without fail whatsoever guaranteed satisfaction assuredly indeed so stay tuned folks!


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