The Final Four banner is now a permanent part of the WVU Coliseum.

West Virginia celebrated its 2010 run to the Final Four in Indianapolis by raising its Final Four banner during Mountaineer Madness, presented by Coke Zero, on Oct. 15.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams were introduced and the WVU men conducted a slam dunk contest before taking part in a brief scrimmage for the crowd. MSN’s Tony Caridi presided over the evening.

The Mountaineers officially began practice earlier Friday. The West Virginia women’s team, ranked No. 9 in two preseason polls, has already started preseason practice.

The men will play an exhibition game against UNC Pembroke on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. while the women will take on Fairmont State on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in their only exhibition contest.

Six days later, the women will open the regular season at the WVU Coliseum against Loyola, Maryland, on Nov. 12, while the men will open their season later that night against Oakland at 9 p.m.

-WVU-

ja/10/18/10

CONTACT: Bryan Messerly, Sports Information Director
304-293-2821; bryan.messerly@mail.wvu.edu