West Virginia Looks to Turn its Fortune Around at Baylor

Waco, TX – West Virginia has found it hard to capture a win at Baylor since joining the Big 12 Conference. The Mountaineers (15-9, 6-7) were 3-7 at the Ferrell Center but will make their first appearance inside Foster Pavilion on Saturday where the Bears (15-9, 7-6) are 11-1 on the season.

Overall, Baylor has controlled the series, holding a 18-7 advantage, including a six-game winning streak.

The Bears has battled through several injuries this season and recently lost junior forward Josh Ojianwuna to a season-ending injury two games ago, but guard Jeremy Roach and Langston Love have returned to the lineup since.

“This year we just haven’t had the time to really get stability and really be able to build, it’s been more reactive – plug and play,” Baylor head coach Scott Drew said.”

Baylor is led forward Norchad Omier and is the only player in the Big 12 Conference averaging a double double. The senior is averaging 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

“He’s one of those guys that just has a great knack for going and getting the ball,” West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries said. “He’s a physical guy, so he’s someone you have to put a body on and keep him as far away from that basket as possible.”

In Big 12 play, Top 10 NBA Draft prospect V.J. Edgecombe is leading the Bears in scoring with 17.7 p points and 2.0 steals per game.

The key to West Virginia’s success has been its defense. The Mountaineers are 14-2 when holding opponents to under 44% shooting from the field, but when they don’t hit the mark, WVU is 1-7 with the only win coming against Arizona in November during the Battle 4 Atlantis midseason tournament.

West Virginia held BYU to 35.7% from the floor Tuesday night but allowed the Cougars to shoot 55.6% in the second half to fall 73-69, despite the Mountaineers eclipsing the mark and a better overall shooting percentage on the night (FG 46.6% to 45.5%).

“In the games we lost, it’s been our defense that has let us down,” DeVries said. “That’s how we are going to win is when our defense is really solid and disciplined. I thought the other night against BYU, that’s why we lost the game. We allowed them to shoot 55% in the second half, well, you’re not winning those games, and we actually played good offense. We shot 55% in the second half, but defensively, we made too many mistakes and we just don’t have that big of a margin of error to allow that to happen.”

Senior point guard Javon Small leads the Mountaineers in scoring, averaging a league-best 18.5 ppg.

“Javon Small is a heck of a player and somebody that we’re very familiar with at Oklahoma State - played very well against us,” Drew said. “We recruited him last year in the portal and a lot of respect for him as a player.”

Jospeh Yesufu has provided a spark off the bench, especially on the offensive end when the Mountaineers needed it the most. In the last four games, the senior has averaged 13.0 ppg.

West Virginia and Baylor will tip-off at 2:00 p.m. EST and the action will broadcast on ESPN2.

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