Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big 12 Basketball: Kansas State, Texas Tech leads before conference tournament

By Jason Kinander

AMES, IA - MARCH 9: Texas Tech Red Raiders Tariq Owens #11, Davide Moretti #25, Deshawn Corprew #3, Kyler Edwards #0 run off the court after defeating the Iowa State Cyclones 80-73 in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on March 9, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. The Texas Tech Red Raiders won 80-73 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images)
AMES, IA - MARCH 9: Texas Tech Red Raiders Tariq Owens #11, Davide Moretti #25, Deshawn Corprew #3, Kyler Edwards #0 run off the court after defeating the Iowa State Cyclones 80-73 in the second half of play at Hilton Coliseum on March 9, 2019 in Ames, Iowa. The Texas Tech Red Raiders won 80-73 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David Purdy/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 04: Lamont West #15 of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts after a call during the second half of the game against the Florida Gators at Madison Square Garden on December 04, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 04: Lamont West #15 of the West Virginia Mountaineers reacts after a call during the second half of the game against the Florida Gators at Madison Square Garden on December 04, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

10. West Virginia Mountaineers (12-19, 4-14 Conference Play)

The Good:

While the 2019 season was a lost season pretty much from the start, the West Virginia Mountaineers amazingly managed to have a couple of bright spots.

Of their four wins, two came against ranked opponents, including a signature win against then-ranked #7 Kansas at home.

What West Virginia lost in dismissals and injuries, they gained in freshman production. Two freshmen, Derek Culver and Jordan McCabe, stepped up their play significantly down the stretch, showing flashes of potential, and keeping West Virginia competitive against good teams.

The Bad

If we’re being blantantly honest here, just about everything else was as bad as it could get for West Virginia.

The Mountaineers went a startling 0-10 on the road, which exemplifies the lack of experience and leadership on this West Virginia team.

Moreover, West Virginia lost perhaps its three best players, as Esa Ahmad and Wesley Harris were dismissed from the program midway through conference play, and guard Jonah (Beetle) Bolden announced that he is transferring.

The Bottom Line

Nobody expected a last place season out of West Virginia, even with the numerous losses from last season. This West Virginia team was expected to have some growing pains, but the lack of any impact from upperclassmen such as Ahmad and Harris was what made these season such a disaster for West Virginia.

The late emergence of McCabe and Culver, as well as a solid incoming recruiting class for Bob Huggins should give West Virginia some momentum heading into next season, but this season was a pure disaster and there is absolutely no way to sugar coat that.

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