George Washington Revolutionaries vs West Virginia Mountaineers Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1
No. 24 West Virginia needed all forty minutes to beat Rhode Island by 4 in its opener, and George Washington won its opener by 61. They meet on Thursday night at Hope Coliseum with the Mountaineers favored by 20.5. One of those openers says this spread is too big, and it is not the favorite's.
The Matchup
George Washington opened with an 84-23 win over District of Columbia, a score that says the opponent was overmatched and the Revolutionaries were not sloppy about it. Jaeda Wilson scored 16 points in 16 minutes, Alicia Newell added 13, and Sara Lewis and Gabby Reynolds scored 12 each.
Wilson, Newell, Lewis and Reynolds carry no injury designations for Thursday. Last season George Washington finished 18-18, scoring 61.0 points per game and allowing 60.7, a team that lived in low-scoring games. George Washington was not sloppy about its walkover, and West Virginia's opener stayed close all the way.
West Virginia's opener was the opposite kind of night: a 68-64 win over Rhode Island that stayed close all the way. Gia Cooke was excellent, scoring 28 points, and Zahirah Walton added 12, but the Mountaineers never pulled away from an Atlantic 10 team at home. Last season West Virginia finished 28-7, scoring 76.3 points per game and allowing 58.4, and the Mountaineers start this season ranked No. 24. The talent gap is real. The opener, though, is evidence, and it points the other way.
Key Factors
Pace is George Washington's friend. A team that allowed 60.7 points per game last season and just held an opponent to 23 plays slowly, defends in the half court, and shortens games. Short games are how 20-point underdogs cover: fewer possessions mean the favorite has to be efficient almost every trip, and West Virginia was not efficient enough to shake Rhode Island on Monday.
Rhode Island's Delanie Hill scored 26 points with 7 three-pointers in that game, which says the Mountaineers' perimeter defense can be had by a confident shooter. Wilson just scored 16 in 16 minutes.
The counterpoint is Cooke, who is the best player in this game and looked it. She scored 28 on Monday on 8 of 17 shooting, and George Washington has nobody who guards her one on one. West Virginia's defense is also the best unit on the floor over a full season: 58.4 points allowed per game last season is a standard the Revolutionaries' modest offense will struggle against. If the Mountaineers defend anywhere near that level, George Washington may not reach 55 points, and no underdog covers without scoring.
The pick comes down to which opener to believe, and the honest answer is both. West Virginia is the better team with the best player, and George Washington is a deliberate, balanced team that makes favorites work for every basket. Twenty and a half points is a lot to ask of a favorite that just won by 4 at home against a team from the underdog's own conference. Take the points.
West Virginia needed every minute to survive its opener at home, and George Washington arrives with a defense-first team that just held its first opponent almost scoreless for long stretches. The Revolutionaries may not score enough to win in Morgantown, but their pace and balance make a blowout hard to build. Take the points with George Washington Revolutionaries +20.5 at -110.
Game Information
| Date | Thursday (11/5) |
|---|---|
| Start Time | 6:00 PM CT |
| How to Watch | ESPN+ |
| Venue | Hope Coliseum, Morgantown |
| Spread | West Virginia Mountaineers -20.5 |
| Total | 130.5 |
| Moneyline | West Virginia Mountaineers -3,600 / George Washington Revolutionaries +1,500 |
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