MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — West Virginia officials did not confirm the news reported on social media by CBS’ Jon Rothstein on Tuesday that the Mountaineers would host Missouri this season in the annual Big 12/SEC Challenge, but it’s likely the final piece to WVU’s non-conference schedule.
Only the Big 12 portion remains, which is generally released in August, but you already know every team plays twice in the league.
Without any further ado, here is your breakdown to the 2019-20 men’s hoops season:
By the numbers
205-190 — That’s the combined records (not including South Carolina and Wichita State, who either one could face West Virginia on the second day of the Cancun Challenge) of the 12 non-conference schools.
3 — The number of teams that reached the postseason. That does include Wichita State, which went to the semifinals of the NIT. Ohio State reached the second round of the NCAA tournament and St. John’s was eliminated in the First Four in Dayton by Arizona State.
5 — The number of schools on the schedule that won 20 games last season, which were Wichita State (22-15), Austin Peay (22-11), Northern Colorado (21-11), St. John’s (21-13) and Ohio State (20-15).
1 — The number of schools that lost 20, with that honor going to Youngstown State (12-20).
Surprises and key games
Northern Colorado returns six of its top seven players and is expected to be a contender for the Big Sky title.
Rhode Island, which beat WVU, 83-70, at the Mohegan Sun Arena last season, returns four starters, as well as Georgetown transfer Antwan Walker. The Rams are a trendy pick to make a run near the top of the Atlantic 10 standings.
By any stretch, the Ohio State game on Dec. 29 in Cleveland is the biggest test of the non-conference schedule.
Scheduled just before the start of Big 12 play, it could be a measuring-stick game toward the conference season.
The Buckeyes return three starters and Kaleb Wesson (6-foot-9, 270 pounds) will likely be one of the top big men in the Big Ten. He averaged 14.6 points and 6.9 rebounds, while also shooting 35 percent (26 of 75) from 3-point range.
Ohio State’s 2019 recruiting class includes three 4-star freshmen in D.J. Carton, E.J. Liddell and Alonzo Gaffney.
Heard it here first
Remember these two names: Dru Smith of Missouri and Jermaine Couisnard of South Carolina.
Both sat out last season; Smith because of NCAA transfer rules and Couisnard because of an eligibility issue.
Smith is expected to take over at point guard. As a sophomore at Evansville, he shot 48.2 percent from 3-point range (that’s not a typo).
Considering opponents shot 36 percent from three against West Virginia last season, Smith could be a key in that game.
Couisnard is a former high school teammate of Duke’s R.J. Barrett and the Gamecocks have been anticipating his arrival.
In a South Carolina summer league earlier this month, Couisnard went for consecutive 40-point games, so a buzz in that area is already starting.
Sorry we missed you
The leader in the clubhouse for missed storylines is Wichita State, which dismissed former WVU guard Teddy Allen in June, after Allen was charged with domestic violence property crime and petty theft.
Allen averaged 7.0 points per game as a freshman at WVU during the 2017-18 season. He sat out last season at Wichita State after transferring.
Analyze it all
All said, West Virginia’s strength of schedule may not be in the top five in the country as it was last season, but that’s not exactly bad news for a team looking to regroup after a 15-21 season.
St. John’s is in a major rebuild mode after Mike Anderson took over for Chris Mullin. Pitt is still rebuilding under Jeff Capel.
Missouri should be a little better than its 15-17 record from last season, but don’t expect the Tigers to be in the upper echelon of the SEC.
Rhode Island is a tricky game. The second-day Cancun Challenge game against either Wichita State or South Carolina could be interesting, but also far from some sort of national must-see match-up.
Throw in the Big 12 portion of the schedule and you’re looking at probably a top 30 strength of schedule, but also one that can be navigated by what will still be a pretty young team.
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