MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Mountaineer men's basketball fans will get their first opportunity to see coach Darian DeVries' new-look team on Friday night when they play the University of Charleston in an exhibition game inside the WVU Coliseum.
 
DeVries' WVU roster is comprised of 14 new players and holdovers Ofri Naveh and football player Aden Tagaloa-Nelson, both guards.
 
Two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Tucker DeVries, Oklahoma State transfer Javon Small and high-scoring Detroit Mercy guard Jayden Stone headline a large transfer portal group that includes Illinois transfers Amani Hansberry and Sencire Harris, Washington State transfer Joseph Yesufu, Fresno State transfer Eduardo Andre, Illinois-Chicago transfer Toby Okani, Laval University transfer Haris Elezovic and Rockhurst transfer Jake Auer.
 
Ohio Mr. Basketball Jonathan Powell and Tennessee Mr. Basketball KJ Tenner are part of a freshman class that also includes guard Dylan Jay and late addition Abraham Oyeadier from Accra, Ghana.
 
West Virginia's 16-player roster is broken down into five fifth-year seniors, three seniors, four sophomores and four freshmen.
 
"Those first-game butterflies I know, for sure, we'll get out," DeVries said earlier today. "I know our guys are extremely excited to get into the Coliseum and get a chance to play in front of our fans and play somebody else. It's time for us to get out there and go play."
 
It will be the first time most of these players will hear the Mountaineer fire the musket and run out onto the carpet during pregame introductions.
 
"I'm excited to see that, to be truthful," DeVries said. "I was going over that yesterday because that's one of the things we haven't really talked a lot about, 'Alright, we have a game tomorrow, what's that look like?' We don't have a ton of players to ask so Ofri (Naveh) is going to have to tell us where to go."
 
Associate head coach Chester Frazier has coached games in here and is familiar with the firing of the musket.
 
"Yeah, he said he ducked a little bit the first time he heard that thing go off," DeVries laughed. "I'll try to be as aware as possible."
 
The Mountaineers were recently picked to finish 13^th in this year's Big 12 Preseason Poll ahead of Utah, Colorado and Oklahoma State.
 
Blue Ribbon Magazine forecasts an 11^th place finish above Utah, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Colorado and TCU and gives the Mountaineer backcourt a B grading, the frontcourt a B grading, depth/bench a B- grading and intangibles a C grading.

Last year's team under interim coach Josh Eilert finished the season 9-23 overall and 4-14 in Big 12 play.
 
"(Friday) will give us an opportunity to see where we're at from an execution standpoint on both ends of the floor," DeVries explained. "We won't show a lot, but we'll play and be free and open, so we're certainly excited to be out there."
 
The Golden Eagles are coached by former Mountaineer player James Long, whose coaching staff includes former WVU graduate assistant coach Payton Sturm and student manager Cal Davis.
 
Long's roster includes former Baylor player Zach Loveday, a 7-footer from Gallipolis, Ohio; Marshall transfer CJ Meredith, a 6-foot-6 senior from Huntington; Coastal Carolina transfer Trevor Barrett, a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman from Cary, North Carolina; and junior Belmont Abbey transfer Jalen Rivens from Charlotte, North Carolina.
 
UC's team also features West Virginians Eli Robertson from Elkview, Ben Coleman from Teays Valley, Cameron Marks from Parkersburg, Tate Adkins from Huntington and Charleston residents Michael Lowe and Jayallen Turner.
 
"Our style of play is what we want to establish tomorrow," DeVries pointed out. "Playing fast in transition, playing tough defensively and without a scouting report to go through every set and every play, you've got to be really good at the stuff that you're working on. Those fundamentals need to be sound, and they will be challenged in situations where we don't know what is coming."
 
Friday night's exhibition game will tip off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN+ with Nick Farrell and Warren Baker handing the call.
 
Mountaineer Sports Network radio coverage with Tony Caridi and new analyst Brad Howe will get things underway at 6 p.m. on stations throughout West Virginia, online via WVUsports.com and the Varsity Network and WVU Gameday apps.
 
Tickets are available through the Mountaineer Ticket Office and can be purchased by logging on to WVUGAME.com.