Even though there were a lot of heartbreaking losses in Big 12 play, the Bearcats first season in the best and toughest conference in the country is one of offering hope for the future. And that future starts Tuesday afternoon in the Big 12 Tournament, where the 11th-seeded Bearcats are set to face the 14th-seeded West Virginia Mountaineers at 3 p.m. E.T./2 p.m. C.T..
The Bearcats are actually in a favorable position. Beat West Virginia, and they should, and they can take down Kansas in the Second round Wednesday night. Kansas is going to be without their two leading scorers in Kevin McCullar Jr. and Hunter Dickinson, so the road for the Bearcats does offer some favors and opportunities early. And once a team gets rolling in a conference tournament where they know their NCAA Tournament hopes depends on their performance in the conference tournament, it can be very tough to stop that team’s momentum. Just ask 2011 UConn and 2006 Syracuse. With that, here are my Players to Watch, notes from the regular season matchups between the Bearcats and Mountaineers and my keys to the game Tuesday afternoon.
West Virginia in the Regular Season: 9-22, 4-14 in the Big 12 (14th in the Big 12 standings)
It was a rough regular-season for West Virginia, who were dealt a big blow in the offseason when their Hall of Fame head coach Bob Huggins resigned after a DUI. He later said he never officially resigned, but the chaos had already begun in a season that never got off the ground. West Virginia ranked last in the Big 12 in scoring and points allowed. The Mountaineers also gave up 90+ points five times in Big 12 play, all in their last nine games. They enter Tuesday afternoon’s game having lost eight of their last nine games. They do have four double-digit scorers, but they were all held to single-digits just three days ago in Cincinnati. Head coach Josh Eilert said that his team has had an inconsistent mindset throughout the season. That’s not something you want to hear after getting blown out by 36 points leading into the Big 12 Tournament.
Players to Watch
1. #21 RaeQuan Battle, 6’5″, 195 lbs., 5th-Year Sr., G, Tulalip, Wash., Montana State Transfer
16.2 ppg, 4.1 rebs, 40.4 FG%, 33.6% 3-PT FG, 83.5 FT%, 13 ast.-41 TO, 12 blk, 20 stl, 28.3 mpg
January 31st vs. Cincinnati: 10 pts, 2 rebs, 2-6 FG (1-2 3-PT FG), 5-6 FT, TO, blk, 23 mins
March 9th @ Cincinnati: 9 pts, 4 rebs, 4-10 FG (1-4 3-PT FG), ast, TO, blk, 2 stl, 23 mins
Battle, along with West Virginia’s other three double-digit scorers, were all held to single-digit points Saturday afternoon against Cincinnati. He will have to hit his average, if not exceed it, if West Virginia is going to advance just three days after losing by 36 points to the Bearcats.
2. #7 Jesse Edwards, 6’11”, 240 lbs., 5th-Year Sr., C, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Syracuse Transfer
15 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 60.3 FG%, 0-4 3-PT FG, 52.7 FT%, 27 ast.-42 TO, 37 blk, 13 stl, 28.4 mpg
January 31st vs. Cincinnati: 25 pts, 10 rebs, 11-17 FG, 3-9 FT, ast., TO, 4 blk, 29 mins
March 9th @ Cincinnati: 8 pts, 4 rebs, 4-7 FG, 0-1 FT, TO, blk, stl, 18 mins
West Virginia head coach Josh Eilert gave Bearcats center Aziz Bandaogo credit for his physicality limiting Edwards to just eight points and four rebounds Saturday afternoon, a huge drop off from his 25-point, 10-rebound performance in the first game against the Bearcats. But make no mistake, Edwards is a huge presence in the frontcourt. He’s long, he’s athletic, and he’s efficient around the rim. He can take over a game easily, as evidenced by his 36-point, 13-rebound performance against TCU last week, so the Bearcats will have to limit his production again Tuesday afternoon.
