West Virginia preview capsule

 

West Virginia preview capsule
Eds: With: BKC–West Virginia Preview
By The Associated Press=
West Virginia
Last season: 25-10, lost in NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional semifinals.
Nickname: Mountaineers.
Coach: Bob Huggins.
Conference: Big 12.
Key returners: Forward Devin Williams (11.6 points, 8.1 rebounds), forward Jonathan Holton (7.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg), guard Jevon Carter (8.1 ppg). Williams and Holton are the focal points of a team trying to establish more of an inside presence. But the pair committed by far the most fouls and were responsible for one fourth of West Virginia’s turnovers last season.
Who left: Leading scorer Juwan Staten, Gary Browne. The starting guards were the Mountaineers’ top two assists leaders.
The Skinny: The Mountaineers will continue to press to force turnovers but need to improve a 40.8 shooting percentage that was second worst in the Big 12. Highly touted freshman forward Esa Ahmad could be a key to the Mountaineers returning to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in Huggins’ nine seasons.