Barning Stays with Mountaineers, Boosts Depth

0:00On April 23rd, West Virginia Hoops fans can breathe easy. Freshman Wing Evans Barning Jr. That 6'7-200-pound athlete looked like he might head the transfer portal earlier this month. But the portal shut down without his name showing up, so he's locked in with the mountaineers for the 2026-2027 season. This keeps their roster at 8 players, 7 on scholarship. Coach Hajj hyped him up last year, calling him a versatile forward with killer length, athleticism, and a coachable vibe that's perfect for growth in. Morgan Townne Barning flew under the radar out of Archbishop Carol Highen DC, reclassifying to join early and treat this past year as peer development. In his final prep season, he dropped 10.4 points and grabbed 6.3 boards per game. Plus, he lit up the Nike EYBL with A, 29-point explosion on 78% shooting. Looking ahead, West Virginia still needs more wings and might grab some soon, or tweak to a 3-guard lineup.

1:00For Barning, expect him easing in against non-coference teams for reps. Then deep bench in Big 12 play, he's got bounce but needs another year to. Rotate. With guards like Miles Sadler and Amir Jenkins leading, plus forwards and bigs like Tevon Buchanan and Muhammad Silla, the mountaineers build depth, while Barning keeps developing into a key piece down the line.