THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2014
PAGE 9B
WEST VIRGINIA
DEREK SKILLETT
@Derek_Skillett
OKLAHOMA ST.
BEN CARROLL
@BCarroll91
TCU
SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
LAST SEASON:
17-16 (9-9)
TEXAS TECH.
CHRISTIAN HARDY
@HardyNFL
AT-A-GLANCE:
Projected to finish seventh in the preseason conference standings by Big 12 coaches, the West Virginia Mountaineers look to improve from a 2013-14 season in which they finished seventh in the Big 12 standings and were eliminated in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament by the Georgetown Hoyas. The Mountaineers also have to deal with the loss of former sophomore guard Eron Harris, who elected to transfer to Michigan State University
and play for Tom Izzo. Harris averaged 17.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 2013-14, according to ESPN. Replacing that kind of production will be tough for Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Juwan Staten — Staten was selected as the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year and was named to the Preseason All Big 12 team. A year after forming one of the best backcourt duos in the conference with Harris, Staten will be looked at as the clear leader for the 2014-15 Mountaineers. He is the conference's leading returning scorer, averaging 18.1 points
BURNING QUESTION:
How far can Staten carry the Mountaineers?
per game in 2013-14.
Staten is undoubtedly one of the most talented returning players in the country. Huggins will need to rely on his scoring and playmaking ability to carry the Mountaineers to some kind of success this season. The top half of the Big 12 conference is loaded, with Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas State and Iowa State are expected to occupy the top five spots, respectively, of the Big 12 for much of the conference season. The
Mountaineers may not end up seriously threatening those top teams, but Staten will certainly try to help his team's cause. Staten can certainly lead the conference in many statistical categories, but he will need to be better than his stats for the Mountaineers to have a successful season.
Jevon Carter (guard), Daxter Miles (point guard), Elijah Macon (power forward), Jaysean Paige (guard).
KEY ADDITIONS:
KEY LOSSES:
PROJECTED STARTERS/
2013-14 STATS:
Juwan Staten, guard — 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists Devin Williams, forward —
Devin Williams, forward — 8.4 points, 7.2 rebounds
Eron Harris, Remi Dibo,
Terry Henderson
Jaysean Paige, guard — did not play last season
Jonathan Holton, forward did not play last season
Jevon Carter, guard did not play last season
Edited by Casey Hutchins
LAST SEASON:
21-13 (8-10)
AT A GLANCE:
The Cowboys will have eight newcomers—three transfers, one redshirt and four freshmen—that will join the other eight returning letterman on the roster. They lost their leading scorer, Marcus Smart, and their leading rebounder in Kamari Murphy. Coach Travis Ford brought in small forward Joseph Burton, who is the No. 59 recruit, according to ESPN's top 100. He is the only top 100 recruit to commit with the Cowboys. They also received LSU transfer Anthony Hickey who will fill the point
guard role that was lost when Smart left for the NBA. They are projected to finish eighth in the Big 12 in the Preseason Coaches' Poll.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Le'Bryan Nash — Made the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention List earlier this month and is ready to take on a leadership role this season with the Cowboys. The senior forward has averaged at least 30 minutes and at least 13 points per game his first three seasons in Stillwater, Okla., and is the team's leading returning scorer. At 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds, he can block shots (27 a year ago) and rebound on
both sides of the ball.
BURNING QUESTION:
Can the inexperienced players on the roster succeed and help lead the Cowboys to a winning season?
The Cowboys' roster looks much different than it did a year ago and is mainly filled with unproven talent. In fact, only two players returning from last year's team averaged more than 20 minutes on the hardwood last season: Phil Forte, III and Le'Bryan Nash. The only other player coach Ford can look to as a leader is senior center Michael Cobbins, who suffered an
injury that kept him out most of his junior season but still averaged playing 19.6 minutes per game. This team will need to work on sharing the ball more instead of relying on a few select star players to keep them afloat in the Big 12 standings.
KEY ADDITIONS:
KEY LOSSES:
Anthony Hickey Jr. (Point Guard), Joseph Burton (Small Forward), Anthony Allen, Jr. (Center), Mitchell Solomon (Power Forward)
Marcus Smart, Markel Brown, Brian Williams, Kamari Murphy
PROJECTED STARTERS/
2013-14 STATS:
Anthony Hickey Jr., guard — Transferred from LSU, 8.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.8 steals.
Leyton Hammonds, forward 1.5 points
Le'Bryan Nash, forward — 13.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Phil Forte, 111, guard — 13.3 points
Michael Cobbins, center — 4.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks
Edited by Ashley Peralita
LAST SEASON:
9-22 (0-18)
AT-A-GLANCE:
Texas Christian University basketball was ranked last in the Big 12 coaches' rankings at the beginning of last season and did nothing to change things since this preseason, winning zero conference games and only 9 games all last year. At least the Horned Frogs' Kyan Anderson, who is the leading scorer with 17 points per game, will return for his senior year. Anderson will be supported by sophomore
center Karviar Shepherd, who led the team in rebounds in 2013-14. The obvious goal for TCU this season is to record a conference win. The team defeated Tulsa, a team that made the NCAA tournament, on two occasions last season.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Kyan Anderson — Leading the team in both points and assists, Anderson stands out as the Horned Frogs' best player. He returns for his senior year and TCU coach Trent Johnson is tasked with surrounding him with competent teammates.
BURNING QUESTION.
What can TCU do to get out of the basement in the Big 12? TCU has been perennially awful since its entrance into the Big 12, and the arrival of Karviar Shepherd last season should have given the team a little more hope. Although Shepherd was one of the team's main contributors, few players surrounded him and Kyan Anderson as big factors. Senior Amric Fields spent large parts of last season out with an ACL injury, but has the potential to be a big
contributor. McDonald's All- American nominee Chauncey Collins was a 3-star recruit, according to ESPN, but at point guard he will play behind the Horned Frogs' best player, Kyan Anderson. Collins was TCU's highest-ranked recruit. TCU has an old team—only 3 freshman coming in.
KEY ADDITIONS:
Chaucey Collins (point guard), Link Kabadyundi (center)
KEY LOSSES:
Jarvis Ray
Karviar Shepherd, center — 9.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks
Kyan Anderson, guard — 17.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists
PROJECTED STARTERS/
2013-14 STATS:
Christian Gore, guard - 4.1 points,2.5 rebounds
Brandon Parrish, forward — 8.0 points,3.1 rebounds
Amric Fields, forward 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds
—Edited by Ben Carrolli
LAST SEASON:
14-18 (6-12)
AT A GLANCE:
After finishing second-to last in the Big 12 in the 2013-14 season, there aren't high expectations for coach Tubby Smith's Red Raiders in 2014-15. Smith tabbed his first ever losing season in 2013-14, and there's reason to believe that will happen again in Lubbock. This is Smith's first year with a few of his own recruits, and the beginning of the program's rebuilding under Smith. Seven of the team's players are new to Texas Tech. With four of last season's five scoring leaders
departing the team, Smith will look to his recruits to make an impact on this team. Smith is searching for Tech's first winning season since 2009-10
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Robert Turner — The strength of this Red Raiders team comes in the backcourt, and it starts with Turner. Turner is the top scorer from the 2013-14 season that is still on Smith's squad, and he'll start at the one-guard spot. Turner was Smith's first signing, coming from the junior college ranks in 2013. He will be accepted to lead this squad both on and off the court this season.
BURNING QUESTION:
The Red Raiders lost four top-five scorers from 2013, including two double-digit scorers. Two graduated, while two transferred out of the program. Those five players also included the top three rebounders. Turner will play a big role in replacing the points left void by those who left, as he started every game last season and has the experience. Toddrick Gotcher also played some time as a starter in 2013, but needs his shot to fall
more consistently to be a real contributor this season. It'll be up to the newcomers to replace the spots left by the frontcourt. Justin Jamison, at 6 feet 9 inches tall and 260 pounds, will give Tech a body in the paint, though he doesn't bring a scoring presence. He's going to play major minutes down low, as will true freshman Norense Odiase.
How will the Red Raiders replace the players who graduated?
KEY ADDITIONS:
Justin Gray (small forward),
Justin Jamison (power
forward), Devaugntah
Williams (shooting guard),
Norense Odiase (power
forward),
KEY LOSSES:
Jaye Crockett, Jordan Tolbert,
Dusty Hannahs, Dejan Kravic
PROJECTED STARTERS/
2013-14 STATS:
Devaugntha Williams, guard did not play last season
Robert Turner, guard — 9.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Toddrick Gotcher, guard — 7.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Justin Gray, forward — did not play last season
Justin Jamison, forward did not play last season
Kansan sports editors, men's basketball beat writers predict outcome of the Big 12
Edited by Casey Hutchins
BRIAN HILLIX
BIG 12 PREDICTIONS
1. Kansas
2. Iowa State
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma
5. West Virginia
6. Kansas State
7. Oklahoma State
8. Baylor
9. TCU
10. Texas Tech
In 2011, NBC sports analyst Jack Harry learned the hard way to never pick against Kansas in the Big 12, regardless of the perceived talent level of the team. (He said the Jayhawks wouldn't finish in the top-five of the conference that year.) Of course, the team would go on to win its eighth straight conference title and every one since. This year is no different. An impressive recruiting class
and more experience from the rest of the team will give Kansas its 11th straight title of the year. Behind the Jayhawks, look for a close race between the Cyclones, Longhorns and Sooners. At the bottom, I expect TCU to leave its previously permanent spot at No.10
BLAIR SHEADE
associate sports editor
1. Texas
2. Kansas
3. Iowa State
4. Oklahoma
5. Kansas State
6. West Virginia
7. TCU
8. Baylor
9. Oklahoma State
10. Texas Tech
The Big 12 Conference will have a different result as the previous ten seasons - Kansas
will not finish on top. The Texas Longhorns basketball program returns four starters and adds top 5 recruit Myles Turner to the starting five. The Longhorns' experience will help them run the table, and the only loss in their Big 12 season will come to Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse.
KYLE PAPPAS
basketball beat writer
1. Kansas
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. Iowa State
5. Baylor
6. Kansas State
7. West Virginia
8. Oklahoma State
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU
Kansas, is the preseason coaches' pick to win the Big 12 for the eighth time
in the past 11 years, and why wouldn't it be? With the return of Selden and additions of several impact freshmen, this team appears primed to strengthen Kansas' "We don't rebuild, we reload" mantra. On paper, it seems that Texas, Oklahoma, and Iowa State could all conceivably challenge the Jayhawks for their 11th-consecutive title but the Longhorns likely pose the biggest threat. They return all five starters from last season and snagged Myles Turner and Jordan Barnett this offseason to boot. It wouldn't be surprising if the conference's top four teams are only separated by a couple of games in the final standings.
basketball beat writer
BEN FELDERSTEIN
1. Kansas
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. Iowa State
5. Kansas State
6. Baylor
7. West Virginia
8. Oklahoma State
9. TCU
10. Texas Tech
The Kansas Jayhawks have what it takes to win an 11th straight Big 12 Title. However, the Big 12 will be just as, if not more, competitive than it was last season. With the addition of Myles Turner to an already impressive Texas team, they will push Kansas as far as any recent team has for the title. Fred Hoiberg's Iowa State team has the experience of Geo Niang and the transfer
power of Dejean Jones. Tech will replace TCU in the cellar this season, as they lost six key players last season. Oklahoma State will fall to the bottom as well, losing Marcus Smart, Markel Brown and Stevie Clark. LeBryan Nash will look to take the reigns in Stillwater. Last season the Big 12 sent 70 percent of their teams to the NCAA tournament, an all-time high. This season, the Big 12 could improve that number by sending eight teams to the dance this season.
.
Edited by Ashley Peralta