9. West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia is the one team in the Big 12, other than Kansas, that I feel like I know what to expect from each year. Though the Mountaineers haven’t been the same team that reached three Sweet Sixteens in four years early in head coach Bob Huggins’ tenure, they are a squad capable of reaching the NCAA Tournament and hanging with the top teams in the conference on any given night.
The entire Mountaineer starting lineup was made up of seniors this past year, but thanks to the Covid year, Joe Toussaint and Tre Mitchell are expected to return and be major contributors.
Next year’s team will have to deal with losing sharpshooter Erik Stevenson, point guard Kedrian Johnson, and forward Emmitt Matthews, Jr., but good news came the Mountaineers’ way this week as they secured a commitment from one of the most coveted players in the transfer portal, Arizona point guard Kerr Kriisa. Bob Huggins, who has always been adept at building his roster with transfers, has also added a pair of guards from Manhattan, Omar Silverio and Jose Perez.
Outside of Stevenson and sophomore Seth Wilson, West Virginia wasn’t very good from outside, but their offense was effective because they were excellent at offensive rebounding and getting to the free throw line. With the team’s top two rebounders returning, there’s no reason that should change. Kriisa can step in for Stevenson, Wilson can get more minutes, and if Huggins can add one more shooter from the portal, the Mountaineers will again be a dangerous team.