Bob Huggins' Mountaineers didn't enter the season with the same high expectations – or even a preseason ranking – as last season's other three Final Four participants, but West Virginia showed it's still plenty talented by coasting past Oakland 95-71 in the opener for both at the WVU Coliseum.

John Flowers led six Mountaineers in double digits with 16 points, and Casey Mitchell scored all 12 of his points in the first half as West Virginia mounted a 55-31 halftime lead.

Mitchell was recently reinstated following a mid-October suspension for a violation of team rules. Joe Mazzulla added 15 points, and Darryl Bryant and Deniz Kilicli also had 12 apiece for West Virginia, which finished 31-7 last season and lost to Duke in the national semifinals.

Oakland had no defense for West Virginia, which made 22 of its 33 field goals (67 percent) in the opening 20 minutes. The Mountaineers, meanwhile, kept Summit League Player of the Year Keith Benson in check in the first half, limiting the senior center to six of his eventual 22 points.

Oakland also reached the NCAA tournament last year, ending a 26-8 season with an 89-66 first-round loss to Pittsburgh.