Ranking WVU’s win over No. 3 Kansas among Mountaineers’ all-time most remarkable

After WVU’s upset of No. 3 Kansas a few days ago, I saw so much joy from the Mountaineer fanbase.

If you’re like me you thought, “Are you kidding? After the implosion surrounding Bob Huggins’ departure? With a potential Final Four roster, including Tre Mitchell (now at Kentucky), Joe Toussaint (Texas Tech), Jose Perez (Arizona State), Mo Wague (Alabama) and James Okonkwo (North Carolina), shattered? After the earlier suspension of Kerr Kriisa, the health issue of Akok Akok, the late start by RaeQuan Battle and the injury to Jesse Edwards?”

It had to be the most remarkable regular season WVU victory ever, considering all the above, right? The most mind-blowing?

Yet when I asked folks on X if that might be the greatest regular season win when you take everything into account, a poll of 304 came back 51 percent “no” and 49 percent “yes.”

Truth be told, I should have phrased it as I did on Facebook. Considering everything might that be the “most amazing” regular season win? Note I said regular season.

So, I did a little research to check my claim and those of others.

The greatest WVU game overall, at least that I’ve seen, is the 2010 NCAA Elite Eight win over a Kentucky team that could have been an NBA all-star team. And there are a ton of others in the tournaments, like the 2005 win over Wake Forest and Chris Paul, the 1998 Jarrod West miracle shot that stunned No. 2 seed Cincinnati – and Huggins.

But OK, OK, let’s get to it. The filter is on. Strictly, now, let’s get to the most amazing, stunning, unbelievable, joyful, whatever you want to call it, WVU regular season men’s hoops win.

I’ve whittled it down to a handful. I’ve taken out wins – like the 2006 one at No. 3 Villanova or that at No. 5 Temple – because the Mountaineer teams were good to very good. In February of 1966, coach Bucky Waters’ Mountaineers upset Duke at the Charleston Civic Center, but WVU finished 19-9. It was surprising, but not unfathomable. Get me?

If you remember, there was a nice stunner just a few years back, 2019 to be exact, when WVU was struggling through one of the seasons Huggins had to “fix” afterwards. The Mountaineers finished the season 15-21. Yet blended in there, in January, after a five-game losing streak, West Virginia held No. 7 Kansas scoreless in the last 2:34 and won after Jermaine Haley connected with seven seconds left.

I think we can agree, though, Saturday’s win tops that.

Which takes me to the game many argue was the best regular season win: the Feb. 27 conquest of No. 1 UNLV at the Coliseum. My man Greg Jones scored 32 to lead the way against Jerry Tarkanian and the Runnin’ Rebels.

It was a great moment. I was there. Yet after graduating from WVU in 1982, I was a sports writer and knew the back story. Yes, UNLV was technically No. 1, but that’s because the new poll had yet to come out. See, the Runnin’ Rebels had lost their prior game at Cal State Fullerton. They’d flown cross country to play in Morgantown three days later. It was fun watching Russel Todd, Dale Blaney and Tim Kearney pull the upset, but… Also, WVU finished 23-8. Good team.

To me, the only game that comes close or equals Saturday’s amazing WVU regular season win over Kansas was that over No. 8 Florida at the Charleston Civic Center.

Again, I was there. And it was set up as a homecoming party for St. Albans native and Florida guard Brett Nelson, courtesy of then-Gators coach Billy Donovan in 2002.

New Mountaineer coach John Beilein had taken over WVU after a disastrous 8-20 season (1-15 in Big East play) in which Gale Catlett left before the season even ended.

WVU fans were squinting for a glimmer of hope. Any glimmer. And, stunningly, Beilein’s Mountaineers gave them one, 68-66 behind Drew Schifino, Joe Herber and Tyrone Salley.

West Virginia still finished but 14-15 that season, but the game served to provide light and the start of much Beilein success.

So, yes, I’m backing off just a tad. I still think last Saturday’s win over Kansas can be the most amazing regular season win. But we must wait until the end of the season to see if it beats Florida 2002. If WVU continues to come together and finishes with a better record than 14-15 (which I believe is doable, especially when Edwards returns), then you can give the Florida win the edge. If not, I’m going back to Saturday’s game. Overcoming so many obstacles to beat the Jayhawks was indeed amazing.

Whatever the case, Saturday’s victory was a bunch of fun for Mountaineer fans. And poring over all these WVU victories for this piece was a fun exercise.

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Mitch Vingle covered sports in West Virginia for 38 years. Follow Mitch on Twitter at @MitchVingle and be sure to check out the rest of Wheelhouse Creative’s website for your marketing and advertising needs. If interested, call us at 304-905-6005.