the daily athenaeum March 11, 2015
BIG 12 TOURNAMENT
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2 | big 12 tournament edition
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Wednesday March 11, 2015
West Virginia’s path to Big 12 Tournament title
West Virginia freshman guard Jevon Carter battles Baylor’s Taurean Prince and Royce O’Neale for a rebound during a game earlier this season. by connor murray the team that finished fifth is faced with its Goliath in passing as they could, sports writer in the standings, No. 18 the first round, and will be but the moment became @dailyathenaeum West Virginia, was led by forced to come up with a a bit too large as the secthe conference’s Coach of way to contain rebound- onds dwindled and Kansas The road to a confer- the Year. ing machine Rico Gathers clinched its 11th-straight Bob Huggins has done and the Bears’ sharp guard regular season conference ence tournament championship, especially in a quite the job transform- play in order to avoid a title. Should they get past power-five conference, is ing this fresh-faced and third loss to Baylor in a litBaylor for the first time, it’s almost always filled with inexperienced team into tle over a month’s time. With each game Juwan likely the Jayhawks will be plenty of challenges. As a fearless group of upthe end goal of being called and-comers, but his big- Staten and Gary Browne awaiting the Mountaineers conference champion be- gest challenge awaits at miss, and their playing sta- in the semifinal. comes more and more tan- the Sprint Center in Kan- tus for the tournament still Though it lost the game, gible, the pressure mounts sas City. up in the air, West Virgin- West Virginia seemed to WVU’s path to the con- ia’s young guards get a lit- gain some invaluable conand the wheat is separated ference championship be- tle more comfortable han- fidence against the Jayfrom the chaff. This is true across the gins with a hurdle it has dling a lion’s share of the hawks in Lawrence, and nation, but especially this yet to clear this season: responsibility on offense. considering the Mounseason, it could not be the fourth-seeded Baylor Their first major test taineers beat KU in Mormore accurate when de- Bears. came at the Phog Allen gantown in early February, Much like last season Fieldhouse, and the Moun- there is no reason to expect scribing the Big 12. How deep is this league? Well, with Texas, West Virginia taineers came as close to this potential matchup to
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be another barn burner. With that said, without at least one of their senior guard tandem, the Mountaineers might be lost yet again in the clutch situations against a team that has been there time and time again. The calming presence of an emergent leader like Staten or Browne would be a critical addition in the formula to get to the final. While I foresee West Virginia’s side of the bracket as being less of a threat for a dose of March Madness, the same can’t be said for the bottom of the field. Second-seeded Iowa State awaits the winner of
Texas and Texas Tech, and the winner of that game will take on whoever survives the Bedlam matchup between third-seeded Oklahoma and sixth-seeded Oklahoma State. No matter who comes out of that chaos, it would be a good matchup if West Virginia was to make it to the final. The Mountaineers have been close, but have yet to get over the hump against Iowa State this year and have split their two games with Oklahoma and Texas, while sweeping Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. dasports@mail.wvu.edu
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Wednesday March 11, 2015
big 12 tournament edition | 3
Top five players to watch in Big 12 Tournament
Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield flashes threes during a game earlier this season.
nbcsports.com
Baylor forward Rico Gathers celebrates during a game earlier this season.
by david schlake sports editor @dschlake_wvu
All of these players made the All-Big 12 First Team, all of them are at the top of the stat sheets, and all of them will likely determine how the Big 12 Tournament plays out. Buddy Hield, Oklahoma: Not only did the junior guard out of Freeport, Bahamas just win Big 12 Player of the Year, but he can take a healthy portion of the credit for the Sooners’ success this season. He’s averaged a conference-best 17.4 points per game on the year, shooting 42.4 percent and 38 percent from beyond the arc. He’s registered at least 20 points in 11 games, including a 31-point day against Kan-
sas State, and put back the winning tip at the buzzer to knock off Kansas in the Sooners’ last regular season game. As Oklahoma faces state-rival Oklahoma State in their first matchup on Thursday, Hield will look to repeat a 27-point outing he had against the Cowboys earlier this season. Perry Ellis, Kansas: Ellis suffered an injury during Kansas’ overtime thriller against West Virginia last Tuesday and missed the Jayhawks’ final game of the season against Oklahoma, but if he’s healthy come Thursday, be ready for him to pick up where he left off. The junior forward out of Wichita, Kan., has been one of the most important pieces for the Jayhawks all year, as his consistent play helped
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Kansas forward Perry Ellis takes a jumper during a game earlier this season.
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Iowa State forward Georges Niang shoots a free throw during a game this season. West Virginia guard Juwan Staten stares down the defense earlier this season. them seal their 11th-straight conference title. Averaging 14.2 points and seven rebounds per game, Ellis has posted at least 20 points in four games this season, including a 28-point performance against Texas three days before his injury. As the Jayhawks lost to Oklahoma and almost had to swallow a season-sweep against West Virginia without him, it’s clear the Jayhawks need him healthy. Rico Gathers, Baylor: Finishing best in the conference in rebounding averaging 11.7 per game, there is no mistaking Gathers is an animal in the paint. He’s had numerous outings in which he’s grabbed more than 15 boards, but none stand out more than the 18
he recorded against TCU or the 28 and 25 points he recoded against Huston-Tillotson. Gathers has a likeable matchup to begin the tournament against West Virginia. The Bears managed to complete the sweep against the Mountaineers, largely in part to Gathers’ gargantuan physicality down low. In both games against West Virginia, the 6-foot-8, 280-pound junior forward put up doubledouble numbers, collectively registering 26 rebounds and 34 points. Georges Niang, Iowa State: For a significant portion of the season, Niang was thought to have had a shot at Big 12 Player of the Year honors, averaging 15.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Niang
has consistently been the engine under the Cyclones’ hood that has kept them in games throughout the season. With seven games in which he’s posted at least 20 points, including a 30-point performance against Oakland and a 28-point performance against Alabama, no one will be looking past the 6-foot-8, 230-pound junior forward. However, in the event that Texas Tech tops Texas on Wednesday and matches up with the Cyclones on Thursday, Niang will try to avoid repeating a season-low 7-point performance against the Red Raiders from a month ago. Juwan Staten, West Virginia: After the departure of West Virginia’s second and third-
leading scorers, Eron Harris and Terry Henderson, Juwan Staten made the decision to return to Morgantown and play his senior season. Many thought the Mountaineers would struggle without Henderson and Harris, but Staten took more of a leadership role. He led the team in scoring for the second year in a row and finished fifth in the conference, averaging 14.5 points per game, and has claimed several highlight moments, including a gamewinning basket against Kansas in overtime. Staten has missed the Mountaineers’ last three games, so assuming he’s good to go for the tournament, expect him to be hungry. dschlake@mail.wvu.edu
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
4 | big 12 tournament edition
Wednesday March 11, 2015
SCENES OF THE SEASON
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Freshman Jevon Carter is carried off the court after making game-winning free throws against TCU in overtime.
Fans storm the court at the WVU Coliseum after West Virginia beat Kansas, 62-61.
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Five-year old Nick Wince becomes a Mountaineer for a day as part of Make-A-Wish.
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West Virginia players celebrate after upsetting UConn to win the Puerto Rico Tip- Juwan Staten drives to the basket during the Mountaineers’ 86-65 win against Seniors Juwan Staten and Gary Browne are honored during Senior Day before the Mountaineers’ game against Oklahoma State. Oklahoma. off Tournament Nov. 23.
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Wednesday March 11, 2015
2015 FIRST ROUND
Wednesday, March 11
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CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMIFINALS
Thursday, March 12
Saturday, March 14
Friday, March 13
4 Baylor 5 West Virginia
8 Kansas State
1 Kansas
9 TCU
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6 | BIG 12 TOURNAMENT EDITION
Wednesday March 11, 2015
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Senior guard Juwan Staten drives into Oklahoma defenders in a game earlier this season.
Big 12 Tournament should be priority for WVU by jacob bojesson editor-in-chief @dailyathenaeum
Considering how things looked coming into this year’s men’s basketball season, we’re lucky to still be a part of it at this point. WVU has been off the radar for the past few years, missing two-straight NCAA Tournaments, so we should have no shame in taking a loser-mentality right now. Going into the Big 12 Tournament, knowing West Virginia will be part of the big bracket Sunday night, is above any-
one’s expectations. While the Mountaineers will likely sit their starting guards if there is even the slightest risk for their health, the tournament can still give them a huge advantage going into March Madness. Bracketologists, the definition of a sports nerd, currently predict WVU to hold a No. 5 seed going into the NCAA Tournament. This is under the assumption WVU will lose to Baylor in the quarterfinals this Thursday, so dropping in the rankings is unlikely at this point.
What a No. 5 seed essentially means is a matchup with a No. 12 seed, which at least on paper should result in a win. As of Monday, WVU has an extremely preliminary prediction to play either Iowa or BYU in this game. Far from sleepers, but on a level the Mountaineers should feel confident going up against. Where it starts getting tricky is the round of 32. Here WVU would possibly face a No. 4 seed, which means a ranked regular season team on the bottom half of the Top
25 such as Louisville and Utah. Should the Mountaineers on the other hand make a run in Kansas City, Mo., and beat Baylor (climb to No. 4), and maybe Kansas (possibly climb to No. 3), the outcome going into the NCAA Tournament would be slightly or even considerably different, meaning an easier route to the Sweet 16. At that point, you’re original seeding means less and less as teams pull upsets on one another along the way. Playing at No. 4 or No. 5
might not sound like that big of a difference, and for most teams it probably isn’t, but with the exception of Kansas, West Virginia has had a hard time with teams higher than itself in the rankings. Further, history has shown a clear correlation between you’re seeding and how far you go in the tournament, even when it comes to the difference of starting as a No. 4 or No. 5. And that’s why West Virginia should really make this Big 12 Tournament a priority. When things work, the Mountaineers
play at a high level where they can compete with some of the best in the nation. When things don’t work, they can get blown out by any of 40 or so teams in the nation. There is depth, but you never know what you’re going to get from this West Virginia team since the core talent is probably well below its season record. It’s been teamwork all season long. Striving to gain any advantage they still can, is essential to make any sort of push later on this month. carl.bojesson@mail.wvu.edu
Wednesday March 11, 2015
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
BIG 12 TOURNAMENT EDITION | 7
No. 18 West Virginia faces No. 16 Baylor in round one by ryan petrovich sports writer @dailyathenaeum
With the regular season in the books, No. 18 West Virginia will enter the Big 12 Conference tournament in an effort to make one last push for a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. Standing in the Mountaineers way, however, is No. 16 Baylor. Baylor earned a four seed in the Big 12 Tournament, while West Virginia achieved a five seed. This isn’t a favorable matchup for West Vir-
ginia. The Bears completed a season sweep of the Mountaineers, following a 78-66 win just a few weeks ago. “I was kind of excited (to play Baylor),” said Jevon Carter. “We lost to them two times and haven’t beaten them yet. Having them first in the Big 12 (Tournament), that’s a good opportunity for us.” Baylor boasts a lot of talent and head coach Scott Drew has done a marvelous job with his team this season. Baylor finished fourth in the Big 12 standings, displaying identical finishing records with
West Virginia (23-8 overall and 11-7 in the Big 12). But, it’s not just the fact that West Virginia lost twice to Baylor during the regular season that makes this a less than ideal matchup, there’s a reason the Mountaineers lost to this team and why it could spell an early exit for WVU. Both times West Virginia met Baylor, the Bears did a good job handling the Mountaineers’ pressure. Applying pressure has been the key component for West Virginia all season, but when it’s ineffective it doesn’t fair well for the Mountaineers.
Baylor possesses quick and lengthy forwards who are able to aid their guards in breaking West Virginia’s full court press. It’s also a challenge inside the lane for West Virginia to compete with the likes of Rico Gathers and Royce O’Neale. While the stats show West Virginia isn’t that far off in terms of rebounding, make no mistake that Baylor is aggressive under the basket and has proven to be a challenge for West Virginia’s forwards. Leading Baylor on the season is Taurean Prince, who is averaging
14 points per game. Gathers sits behind him averaging 11.6 points per contest. Over the two games versus the Mountaineers, Gathers scored a combined 34 points and reeled in 26 rebounds. He had a double-double in both outings. It will once again be up to forwards Devin Williams and Jonathan Holton to make their presence inside the lane felt. Should both flounder close to the basket, Baylor will profit. In the team’s first meeting, West Virginia was at full force, meaning point
guard Juwan Staten and guard Gary Browne were on the floor. In the second meeting, however, Staten missed the entire game due to his knee injury and Browne left the game with an ankle injury just three minutes into the game. With or without Staten and Browne, both games were blowout losses. Despite the losses, Carter remains confident in his team. “I got a good feeling, I think we’re going to go far,” he said. dasports@mail.wvu.edu
WVU finishes season on somewhat of a high note by nicole curtin
associate sports editor @nicolec_wVU
The regular season for the West Virginia men’s basketball team came to a close over the weekend in a win over Oklahoma State. After a 17-16 finish with a 9-9 conference record last year, the Mountaineers missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and looking to the 2014-15 season there was a very uncertain feel. After last season, WVU lost three players: Eron Harris, Terry Henderson and Remi Dibo. Harris and Henderson were right under guard Juwan Staten in scoring, averaging 17.2 and 11.7 points per game respectively. With these two leaders leaving, eyes were locked on Staten to see how his leadership might turn things around this year. The Mountaineers went on an eight-game win streak to start the season before losing to LSU in early December. After
winning the Puerto Rico Tip-Off over Thanksgiving break, West Virginia hit the AP Top 25 in the No. 21 spot and reached as high as No. 16 this season. One of the only teams to use a full court press defense in every game, WVU led the nation in total steals, steals per game and is second nationally in turnover margin. Averaging 11.1 steals per game, the Mountaineers grabbed 343 as of the end of the regular season. The turnovers that a press defense creates establish constant opportunities for easy buckets and West Virginia finished with a turnover margin of 6.9 per game. For the 618 turnovers it forced upon its opponents, WVU only gave up 404. While utilizing such a strong defense may have made scoring somewhat easier, the schedule WVU faced was in no way easy. Before conference play got underway in January, the Mountaineers were rolling with their early season games. By Jan. 3, the first Big 12 game of the
season, WVU was ranked No. 17 and had a record of 12-1. Adversity was not something the Mountaineers were able to stay away from with injuries to Staten, Browne and sophomore Devin Williams. Staten averaged 14.5 points per game but missed the last three games. Aside from his scoring, he racked up 125 assists on the season, so having him out at all was something that West Virginia dreaded. Having him and Browne out for the final two games of the season showed the true colors of freshman Jevon Carter and other underclassmen who had an opportunity to step up to the plate. In their overtime loss to No. 8 Kansas last week and defeating Oklahoma State over the weekend, Mountaineer fans got to see firsthand how the team operates without Staten and may have had their faith restored. West Virginia was never able to defeat Baylor or Iowa State in regular season play, but it has
an opportunity for some redemption in the conference tournament this week. The Mountaineers finished with a season record of 23-8 and a Big 12 record of 11-7, fourth in the league. They are holding on to second place in the conference for scoring offense, first in turnover margin and several other top positions in season averages. Head coach Bob Huggins was awarded Big 12 Coach of the Year; Staten was named to AllBig 12 First Team; Williams earned an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and Carter was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team. After two years of not entering the NCAA Tournament, West Virginia is projected to enter as a five-seed this year. It’s safe to say while there were doubts about how this season would pan out in late October, it was a comeback year for the Mountaineers. ncurtin@mail.wvu.edu
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Devin Williams puts in a layup in Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State.
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THE DAILY ATHENAEUM
Wednesday March 11, 2015