NCAA Men’s Basketball: Richmond Spiders vs West Virginia Mountaineers – Possible Lineups and Predictions

Published 12/13/2020, 7:00 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

NCAA Men’s Basketball action will continue with a heavyweight ranked matchup. The number 11-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers will host the Richmond Spiders, currently the 19th best team in the NCAA. This game is important for both teams to maintain their competitive rankings, with a lot of changes happening across the current standings. It has been a hard season for a lot of teams.

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West Virginia is 5-1 in their opening fixtures, establishing their position in the middle of the rankings. The Spiders are undefeated thus far and will look to progress further up the rankings.

Both teams have only faced one ranked opponent until now. The Mountaineers fell in their clash with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the best team in the country. The Spiders won their battle against the Kentucky Wildcats, who have since slipped out of the Top 25.

But who wins this important clash, which may send the winner into the top 10?

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NCAA Men’s Basketball: The Spiders remain undefeated?

The Richmond Spiders are a veteran team that know how to win games. That is the reason they are still undefeated. The team’s defense has been stellar all season, with opponent averages under 65 points. While the Mountaineers may not be as defensively adept as the Spiders, they also have a fair share of stoppers on their team.

USA Today via Reuters

The Mountaineers will line up with Oscar Tshiebwe, Gabe Osabuohein, Derek Culver, Sean McNeil, and Taz Sherman. The Spiders will take the court with Tyler Burton, Jacob Gilyard, Grant Golden, Nathan Cayo, and Blake Francis.

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If crowds were around, we would have gone with the Mountaineers. Their home arena can be a daunting challenge for teams on the road. However, considering there are no fans and how the season has played out, a veteran team like the Spiders will be our pick. Their cohesive team play and winning mentality may tilt this game in their favor.

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Written by:

Ishaan Bhattacharya

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is an NBA, NCAA Basketball, and Combat Sports writer at EssentiallySports. Currently, Ishaan is pursuing a Post Graduate Degree in Journalism from Xavier's Institute of Communication. Previously, Ishaan has written for The Indian Express, The Quint, Sportskeeda, and WrestleClub.
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