Busting Brackets
Fansided

West Virginia Basketball: Will interim HC Josh Eilert keep the roster together?

By Tristan Freeman

Mar 16, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins reacts against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2023; Birmingham, AL, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins reacts against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament at Legacy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

West Virginia Basketball has made a decision on its replacement for head coach Bob Huggins. But now Josh Eilert has a tough task in the next two weeks.

It was around a week ago since West Virginia Basketball was forced to part ways with long-time head coach Bob Huggins after a DUI incident in Pittsburgh. The suddenness of the situation had the program scrambling to find a replacement, as well as which route to go.

There were several different types of options. They could go the interim route with assistants Josh Eilert and Ron Everhart, mid-major up-and-coming stars (Pat Kelsey and Dusty May), former Huggins assistants (Andy Kennedy and Jerrod Calhoun), and even former Mountaineer head coach, Jon Beilein.

There were pros and cons with each option, and time was running out. Three players on Friday entered the transfer portal in Tre Mitchell, Joe Toussaint, and Kerr Kriisa and more could’ve followed had a decision not been made.

But one did happen on Saturday night, with Coach Eilert not in charge on an interim basis. It’s essentially a one-year move, allowing West Virginia Basketball to have another coaching search on a better timetable. He’s been with the program for 16 years and has been on the staff for 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.

The big hope with hiring someone from within is to bring back the roster, which was built through the transfer portal. If no one ultimately leaves, it’s a top-25 caliber roster for the 2023-24 season. As of now, no one else has entered the portal, including former Syracuse big man Jesse Edwards and Montana State guard, RaeQuan Battle.

However, there’s a chance that the three players in the portal might not come back. Mitchell reportedly is on a visit to Kentucky, while Toussaint reportedly is set to see both Texas Tech and Kansas State next week. Kriisa plans on going through the process as well.

Next. 8 teams that should target WVU transfer, Tre Mitchell. dark

West Virginia’s staff will be set for next season but not its roster. And two starters are currently in the portal. Getting them back is key but with other programs capable of offering them NIl and potentially larger roles in the rotation, it’s going to be a big first test for Eilert as he looks to make this a permanent hire down the road.

Home/West Virginia Mountaineers