3. #11 Quinn Slazinski, 6’9″, 230 lbs., 5th-Year Sr., F, Houston, Texas, Iona Transfer
13.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 41.2 FG%, 33.7 3-PT FG%, 76.4 FT%, 38 ast.-36 TO, 30 mpg
Slazinski, like Battle and Edwards, is a newcomer to West Virginia after playing at Iona and Louisville to start his career. He’s having a nice first season in Morgantown, with 15 games in double figures including two 20-point efforts. Playing for Rick Pitino at Iona the last two seasons, Slazinski averaged just under nine points per game with 45 made three-point shots and making over 82 percent of his free throws. Slazinski also played 35 games at Louisville under head coach Chris Mack. The former Huntington Prep star in West Virginia, Slazinski has 20 double-digit scoring games including twice scoring 20+ points in his four seasons of college basketball that total 75 games played.
4. #1 Noah Farrakhan, 6’1″, 170 lbs., Sr., G, Newark, N.J., Eastern Michigan Transfer
11.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 39.8 FG%, 6-18 3-PT FG, 26-35 FT, 27 ast.-15 TO, 24.4 mpg
After missing the first nine games of the season, Farrakhan has become steady scorer with six games in double figures. The problem with Farrakhan is he’s not an accurate shooter, with only one game making 50 percent or more of his shots. Then again, it is a big jump from the Mid-American Conference to the Big 12. Farrakhan ranked in the top 25 in the MAC in field goal percentage, free throw percentage and assists in 2022-23. He was also seventh in the MAC in scoring in 2021-22, averaging 16.6 points per game.
5. #3 Kerr Kriisa, 6’3″, 185 lbs., Sr., G, Tartu, Estonia, Arizona Transfer
11 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 41.6 FG%, 43.1 3-PT FG%, 16-20 FT, 49 ast.-35 TO, 32.2 mpg
You may recognize Kriisa’s name from his playing days in Arizona, and he had a productive career in three seasons in Tucson. Kerr led the Pac12 in assists per game in each of the last two seasons and ranked 20th in the country with 180 total assists on the season. In his first season in Morgantown, Kriisa has six double-digit scoring games including twice scoring 20+ points this season. But for as good a passer he is, Kriisa has struggled lately to dish out assists with just three games hitting five in his last eight games overall. But Kriisa can also shoot effectively. Over his last three games, Kriisa is 13-25 from the field including 12-20 from three-point range.
6. #2 Kobe Johnson, 6’3″, 205 lbs., Jr., G, Canton, Ohio
6.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 40.2 FG%, 9-35 3-PT FG, 23-27 FT, 48 ast.-30 TO, 9 blk, 12 stl, 26.4 mpg
Johnson has had some bright moments this season with four double-digit point efforts in West Virginia’s first seven games. In Big 12 play, Johnson has four games shooting 50 percent or better from the floor. He doesn’t take a lot of shots per game, but he can make them when he does.
7. #22 Josiah Harris, 6’7″, 215 lbs., So., F, Canton, Ohio
5.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 32.6 FG%, 28.1 3-PT FG%, 23-27 FT, 21.6 mpg
Harris is a progressing sophomore in the middle of an up-and-down season. He’s had some good performances this season including a 15-point (all 15 points on five three-point makes) and eight-rebound performance at Central Florida last week.
