Undefeated Rivals Clash in Backyard Brawl Basketball Showdown

On Thursday, November 16, 2025, the undefeated Pitt Panthers and West Virginia Mountaineers will face off in the annual Backyard Brawl basketball game in Morgantown, West Virginia. Both teams enter the highly anticipated matchup with 3-0 records on the season.

First-year Mountaineers coach Ross Hodge was quickly made aware of the significance of this rivalry game when he took the job. "I had this job for about one minute and somebody (asked me about this game)," Hodge said. "I think everyone associated with our program understands how big the game is." The Backyard Brawl is the 192nd meeting between the two programs, with West Virginia holding a 101-90 series lead.

In their most recent outing, the Mountaineers picked up a 69-47 home win over Lehigh on Sunday, November 12th. Senior transfer Brenen Lorient had a breakout performance, scoring 26 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and recording 3 steals. Pitt, meanwhile, secured a 78-66 victory over Eastern Michigan on Monday, November 13th, led by 16 points and 7 rebounds from Cameron Corhen.

The Backyard Brawl is sure to be a hard-fought, emotional affair, as both teams look to remain undefeated and gain an early advantage in the rivalry. Fans can expect to see intense energy and passion from the players, as they compete for bragging rights in this storied matchup.