Javon Small delivered 18 points and several key plays down the stretch as West Virginia topped its interim coach from last year, Josh Eilert, in a 71-69 victory over Utah on Tuesday in Salt Lake City.

The postseason is here for the Utah women’s basketball team. The Utes will kick off the Big 12 tournament on Thursday with a second-round matchup against Texas Tech at 7 p.m. MST (ESPN+) at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Utah’s running backs rotation could include transfer pickups NaQuari Rogers (74 carries for 382 yards and five touchdowns in junior season at New Mexico) and Devin Green (29 carries for 123 yards and one touchdown in freshman season at UNLV), but RB1 is expected to be Parker.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Utes quarterback Isaac Wilson (11) looks to pass as he avoids a tackle from Iowa State Cyclones linebacker Jack Sadowsky V (33) during the game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.

The Utes were one week removed from beating Kansas and Kansas State. They were a tick under .500 in Big 12 play, and they had a manageable stretch upcoming — so manageable that it was easy to envision the Utes, who were picked dead last in the Big 12’s preseason media poll, finishing as high as sixth or seventh place.

Ty Goettsche has added another offer to his growing list, this time from Kyle Whittingham and the Utah Utes. The 6-foot-7, 230-pounder could be a force in 2026