Tonight will be the first taste of the Backyard Brawl for West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries.
And for the bulk of his team for that matter considering the only player that has suited up against the Panthers in Ofri Naveh is taking a redshirt this season.
It will be the 193rd meeting on the hardwood between the two with West Virginia holding a 103-89 edge in the series between rivals separated by only 75 miles.
But the contest will be quite the introduction to DeVries into the series considering it is also his team’s first road game of the season.
It’s hard to prepare for that type of situation or environment but it should allow the Mountaineers to get a good idea of where the basketball team sits at this stage of the season against a 3-0 Pitt team.
“We’re going to figure out a lot of things in those 40 minutes on Friday and what we’re ready for and prepared for and see where we’re at with things,” DeVries said. “I think our guys are excited about it. I know they’re ready to play and they’re ready for the challenge.”
It didn’t take long to get the players to understand the importance of the Brawl to both fan bases and the significance of finding a way to win in the once a year matchup.
DeVries has coached and played in rivalry games before such as the one at Creighton against Nebraska which also was a rotating once a year match up as well as at Drake when he would square off against Northern Iowa twice a year.
But this is likely to be a different experience given the history and proximity between the programs and the high emotions that often come with the Brawl. There is just a different aura around rivalry games and DeVries is excited to see what the Backyard Brawl will be like.
“You want to play in these types of games and these types of environments. And we’re excited about that opportunity but know it’s going to be a big test,” he said.
While this will be the first opportunity for DeVries, he is hopeful that the series will continue into the future past what is currently contracted between the two.
“I think it’s a great game. I think you’re an hour apart and it’s a great challenge for both teams. Early in the year to be tested like that, with a great atmosphere and environment it’s certainly a series I’d like to see us continue to do for as long as possible,” he said.
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