Baylor presents a lot of challenges for the West Virginia basketball team.
For one, the Bears are very talented on the offensive end and have a number of guys who not only can shoot the basketball but can put pressure on the rim from all over the floor. A focus for the Mountaineers will be to prevent them from getting into the paint where they can have shots at the rim or kick it out for open threes.
“They create some challenges from that point,” head coach Darian DeVries said.
Now, that’s easier said than done because the roster has so many gifted players when it comes to getting by you but that makes the effort on the defensive end from West Virginia and staying connected even more critical. That was an issue in the loss to BYU, especially in the second half, but has to improve in this game.
Especially with how effective the Bears can be in that department.
True freshman guard VJ Edgecombe is one of those many threats that Baylor possesses and has been playing at a high level averaging 15 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 39-percent from three. That total from three is even better in Big 12 games at around 50-percent.
“When you watch the film, his speed just stands out, too. Especially in the open floor. It’s impressive,” DeVries said. “I mean, and then when you have a guy like that that can put it on the ground and get to the rim, can also shoot threes at that high of a clip, it's, that's a tough matchup.”
And a big reason why the true freshman is so highly thought of when it comes to NBA Draft Boards.
“It certainly shows up on tape,” DeVries said.
But that isn’t the only challenge. Forward Norchad Omier presents plenty of problems in the post and is the leading scorer for the Bears with 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. A relentless option on the block, DeVries actually squared off against him two years ago in the NCAA Tournament when he was at Miami.
“So, we got to see him, you know, up close and personal, so I know exactly what he's capable of. But, yeah, he's one of those guys who just has a great knack for going and getting the ball,” DeVries said. “He's a physical guy, so he's someone that you've got to put a body on and keep him as far away from that basket as possible.”
The Bears currently sit at 15-9 overall, the same as West Virginia, but this matchup presents a golden opportunity for both teams to notch another potential high-level win for their respective resumes.
Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon in Waco.
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