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Big 12 team-by-team preview: Texas, Baylor battle for the top

By Jada Butts

COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 17: West Virginia Mountaineers center Lanay Montgomery (15) with teammates at the start of the Div. 1 NCAA Women's basketball 1st. round game between Elon and West Virginia on March 17, 2017, at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. West Virginia defeated Elon 75-62. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - MARCH 17: West Virginia Mountaineers center Lanay Montgomery (15) with teammates at the start of the Div. 1 NCAA Women's basketball 1st. round game between Elon and West Virginia on March 17, 2017, at Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. West Virginia defeated Elon 75-62. (Photo by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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HARTFORD, CONN. – MARCH 3, 2012: Mike Carey, head coach of the West Virginia University Mountaineers in action against the Syracuse University Orange during the second round of the 2012 BIG EAST Conference Women’s Basketball Championships at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut on March 3, 2012. The Mountaineers won 63-48. (Photo by Bob Stowell/BIG EAST Conference/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, CONN. – MARCH 3, 2012: Mike Carey, head coach of the West Virginia University Mountaineers in action against the Syracuse University Orange during the second round of the 2012 BIG EAST Conference Women’s Basketball Championships at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut on March 3, 2012. The Mountaineers won 63-48. (Photo by Bob Stowell/BIG EAST Conference/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /

West Virginia

Projected finish: 3rd

Key returners:

Tynice Martin 18.6 ppg, 40%, 4.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 36 mpg

Teana Muldrow 14.5 ppg, 48%, 8.5rpg, 2.5 apg, 30 mpg

Biggest losses:

Lanay Montgomery 10.6 ppg, 67%, 8.9 rpg, 25 mpg

Newcomers:

Naomi Davenport G/F, 6-0, Cincinnati, OH, Junior

Theresa Ekhelar C, 6-6, Woodbridge, NJ, Redshirt sophomore

Destiny Harden G/F, 6-0, Chicago, IL, Freshman, #12 guard (Hoopgurlz)

Ashley Jones G, 5-7, Philadelphia, PA, Freshman, #15 PG (Hoopgurlz)

Kystaline Mccune F, 6-4, Louisville, KY, Redshirt freshman, #15 forward (Hoopgurlz)

Makayla Stanley C, 6-3, Glen Allen, VA, Freshman, #14 post (Hoopgurlz)

Nia Staples G, 5-9, Cincinnati, OH, Redshirt freshman, #27 PG (Hoopgurlz)

Head coach: The intensity of head coach Mike Carey is shown in how the Mountaineers play. He sets high standards for his team and expects them to achieve those standards. West Virginia did what they knew they were capable of, but no one else expected of them. They won the 2016-2017 Big 12 tournament.

Although a big piece, literally and figuratively, left in Montgomery, Carey was able to recruit some size to replace her. Carey also has to figure out how to hold this team afloat until his star player Tynice Martin returns to the floor. “”It’s tough,” Carey said. “Where do you find all of your points right now? You were counting on 20 points from her every game, so now you have to find those points.”

Key non-conference games:

Virginia Tech 11/25

Texas A&M 12/3

Outlook: Tynice Martin is still in West Virginia, so West Virginia will be a good basketball team. Her ability to score effortlessly will have the defense on their heels. But the topic of conversation now is how quickly she will recover from her foot injury. Some questions are if she will be as explosive or if she will be in shape.

Luckily, Teana Muldrow returns for her senior season and is looking to do big things. Muldrow can be deceiving but is able to score from all three layers of the floor. She is such a dependable player so she will need to step up big in Martin’s absence. The newcomers will have to be able to fly all over the floor defensively to help this team be successful.

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