Enter the DeVries family
The man tapped to lead West Virginia going forward was Darian DeVries, who was coming off his sixth season as the head coach of the Drake University men's basketball program. DeVries immediately led Drake to a 24-10 record in 2018-19 — its first 20-win season since Keno Davis' one-and-done 2007-08 season. In his time with the Bulldogs, he compiled a 150-55 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
DeVries' worst season as a head coach was his second, where Drake went a respectable 20-14 in the COVID-19-shortened season. In his third year, though, he helped power the Bulldogs to a 26-5 (15-3 in Missouri Valley Conference) record and an NCAA Tournament appearance. His five losses were tied the second-fewest ever in a season for Drake, and this was just Drake's fifth appearance in the big dance and first since 2008.
The real fun started in 2021, when Tucker DeVries committed to play for his father. Tucker DeVries has blossomed into one of the better college basketball players in the nation, and has earned MVC Player of the Year for two straight years. Last year was a career-year for the younger DeVries, who averaged 21.6 points per game — good for sixth in the nation — while shooting at a 44% clip.