West Virginia, Big 12 foes ready to begin wide-open conference race

With a rough bowl season mercifully put to bed, Big 12 fans have something to look forward to this week: the start of the conference basketball schedule.

And it’s no exaggeration to say every Big 12 fanbase should be at least a little eager for this year’s 18-game slate. According to the metrics site kenpom.com, only the Big Ten rates better nationally than the Big 12 with the national non-conference schedule largely completed.

But even the Big Ten has some weaklings at the bottom of it barrel. The Big 12 stands as one of two leagues — along with the Big East — where every team has legitimate NCAA tournament aspirations if everything breaks the right way.

“It’s a hard league, and a really different league,” explained West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. “You don’t see the same stuff. There’s a lot of different nuances people do in this league. The preparation is different for each team, which is good.”

Here is a look at each team’s non-conference resumes.

Kansas Jayhawks guard Devon Dotson (1) drives the ball against Stanford Cardinal guard Bryce Wills (2) during the second half at Maples Pavilion.

Kansas Jayhawks

Coach: Bill Self, 17th season

Record: 10-2

NET ranking: 2

KenPom ranking: 2

Best win: Beat NET No. 14 Dayton, 90-84 to win Maui Invitational

Leading scorer: PG Devon Dotson, 18.8 ppg

Leading rebounder: C Udoka Azubuike, 8.8 rpg

Assist leader: Dotson, 4.6 apg

The Jayhawks look to restart their reign of Big 12 dominance after a one-year break. Azubuike and David McCormack give Kansas the only frontcourt in the league bigger than West Virginia’s, plus a star point guard in Dotson running the show.

Baylor Bears head coach Scott Drew yells from the bench during the first half against the Butler Bulldogs at Ferrell Center.

Baylor Bears

Coach: Scott Drew, 17th season

Record: 10-1

NET ranking: 5

KenPom ranking: 10

Best win: Beat No. 4 Butler, 53-52 in Waco

Leading scorer: SG Jared Butler, 17.6 ppg

Leading rebounder: C Freddie Gillespie, 9.3 rpg

Assist leader: PG Davion Mitchell, 3.4 apg

Scott Drew’s team is ferocious on defense, ranking 11th in two-point shooting percentage, 17th in steal percentage and 33rd in blocked shot percentage. The Bears make up for any offensive issues by ranking 11th in offensive rebounding.

West Virginia Mountaineers forward Oscar Tshiebwe (34) dunks the ball during the second half against the Nicholls State Colonels at WVU Coliseum.

West Virginia Mountaineers

Coach: Bob Huggins, 13th season

Record: 11-1

NET ranking: 10

KenPom ranking: 17

Best win: Beat No. 3 Ohio State, 67-59 in Cleveland

Leading scorer: PF Oscar Tshiebwe, 11.8 ppg

Leading rebounder: PF Derek Culver, 9.5 rpg

Assist leader: PG Miles McBride, 2.7 apg

Just a year after having one of his worst teams ever, Huggins may be coaching one of his best. Tshiebwe and Culver give West Virginia size in the post that many teams can’t match. Consistency shooting from the outside to keep defenses honest will be crucial to how far the Mountaineers team can go.

Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Isaac Likekele (13) dribbles while defended by West Virginia guard Jermaine Haley (10) at Gallagher-Iba Arena last season.

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Coach: Mike Boynton, third season

Record: 9-3

NET ranking: 36

KenPom ranking: 42

Best win: Beat No. 43 Houston, 61-55 in Houston

Leading scorer: PG Isaac Likekele, 13.1 ppg

Leading rebounder: PF Cameron McGriff, 6.6 rpg

Assist leader: Likekele, 4.9 apg

The Pokes are a sleeper to contend for the conference crown. They’ve been dinged by three losses, but all of them came in a four-game stretch that Likekele missed due to illness. West Virginia’s back-to-back games to open league play — at Kansas and at Oklahoma State in a three-day stretch — are as challenging a formula as you could ask for.

Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Chris Beard and guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (1) celebrate a win over Cal State-Bakersfield at United Supermarkets Arena.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

Coach: Chris Beard, fourth season

Record: 9-3

NET ranking: 40

KenPom ranking: 34

Best win: Beat No. 13 Louisville, 70-57 at Madison Square Garden

Leading scorer: SF Jahmi’us Ramsey, 17.4 ppg

Leading rebounder: PF Chris Clarke, 8.8 rpg

Assist leader: Clarke, 5.3 apg

Discount Chris Beard at your own risk. The defending national runners-ups lost a ton of talent from last year, including Big 12 Player of the Year Jarret Culver. They found a freshman, Jahmi’us Ramsey, to fill that scoring void.

The Red Raiders had an early three-game losing streak, but snapped it with a win over then-No. 1 Louisville. Texas Tech hasn’t lost since.

Oklahoma Sooners forward Kristian Doolittle (21) dribbles the ball against Missouri Tigers guard Mark Smith (13) during the first half at Sprint Center.

Oklahoma Sooners

Coach: Lon Krueger, ninth season

Record: 9-3

NET ranking: 45

KenPom ranking: 52

Best win: Beat No. 30 Minnesota, 70-58 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Leading scorer: PF Kristian Doolittle, 16.7 ppg

Leading rebounder: Doolittle, 8.9 rpg

Assist leader: PG Jamal Bieniemy, 2.8 apg

Doolittle is one of three Sooners — joined by fellow big Brady Manek (15.4 ppg) and guard Austin Reaves (16.2 ppg) averaging at least 15 points per game. Krueger has gone deep into his bench in non-conference with nine Sooners averaging at least 10 minutes a game.

Oklahoma is a terrible shooting team — 214th in effective field goal percentage — but ranks fifth nationally in fewest turnovers.

TCU Horned Frogs head coach Jamie Dixon reacts during the first half against the Xavier Musketeers at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena.

Texas Christian Horned Frogs

Coach: Jamie Dixon, fourth season

Record: 9-3

NET ranking: 67

KenPom ranking: 51

Best win: Beat No. 106 George Mason 87-53 in Fort Worth

Leading scorer: SG Desmond Bane, 17.1 ppg

Leading rebounder: C Kevin Samuel, 8.5 rpg

Assist leader: PG RJ Nembhard, 4.0 apg

The Frogs didn’t exactly exert themselves in non-conference, losing all three games against comparable opponents — Clemson, USC and Xavier.

TCU’s defense is 10th nationally in forcing turnovers, and ranks 18th in two-point shooting percentage. Teams are exploiting the Frogs from outside, though. TCU is 281st defending the 3. Falling behind the Frogs also seems like little reason to panic — they’re 321st in the country in free-throw shooting at 63.8 percent.

Purdue Boilermakers forward Trevion Williams (50) shoots over Texas Longhorns guard Andrew Jones at Mackey Arena.

Texas Longhorns

Coach: Shaka Smart

Record: 10-2

NET ranking: 76

KenPom ranking: 63

Best win: Beat No. 44 Purdue, 70-66 in West Lafayette, Ind.

Leading scorer: PG Matt Coleman, 12.6 ppg

Leading rebounder: PF Jericho Sims, 7.4 rpg

Assist leader: Coleman, 4.8 apg

Texas has one of the feel-good stories in college basketball this season as guard Andrew Jones is back after undergoing cancer treatment two years ago. He’s averaging 11.5 points per game off the bench.

The Longhorns need to learn how to hold onto the basketball if they want to get anywhere. They’re currently 200th nationally in turnover percentage on offense, and don’t shoot or rebound well enough to overcome that weakness.

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Steve Prohm watches his team play the Iowa Hawkeyes at Hilton Coliseum.

Iowa State Cyclones

Coach: Steve Prohm, fifth season

Record: 7-5

NET ranking: 89

KenPom ranking: 56

Best win: Beat No. 28 Seton Hall, 84-76 in Ames

Leading scorer: PG Tyrese Haliburton, 17.3 ppg

Leading rebounder: PF Michael Jacobson, 6.6 rpg

Assist leader: Halliburton, 7.7 apg

Haliburton may be the Big 12’s best pure playmaker, but his teammates will have to start making some plays around him if the Cyclones are to pick up the slack in league play after a sluggish non-conference performance.

Iowa State has one of the worst losses in the country this year, a stunning 70-68 defeat to No. 245 Florida A&M. The Rattlers are only rated that high because they have yet to play a home game this season. FAMU was a 25.5-point underdog to the Cyclones.

Kansas State Wildcats head coach Bruce Weber yells at the officials during a game at Bramlage Coliseum.

Kansas State Wildcats

Coach: Bruce Weber, eight season

Record: 7-5

NET ranking: 99

KenPom ranking: 88

Best win: Beat No. 118 Tulsa, 69-67 in Manhattan

Leading scorer: SF Xavier Sneed, 14.4 ppg

Leading rebounder: PF Makol Mawein, 5.3 rpg

Assist leader: PG Cartier Diarra, 5.8 apg

A year after ending Kansas’ 12-year run atop the Big 12, the Wildcats are missing graduated standouts Barry Brown and Dean Wade.

Bruce Weber’s club can still play hellacious defense and figures to spring a few upsets in league play. K-State is eighth in the nation in forcing turnovers. But the Wildcats are 261st when it comes to turning the ball over themselves. They won’t be repeating as champs if that doesn’t improve dramatically.





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