WVU faces tough test vs No. 4 Baylor
No. 4 Baylor (26-3, 15-2) vs. West Virginia (20-10, 8-9)
WVU Coliseum, Morgantown, West Virginia; Saturday, 1 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: No. 4 Baylor presents a tough challenge for West Virginia. West Virginia has won two of its five games against ranked opponents this season. Baylor beat Texas Tech by three points at home on Monday.
TEAM LEADERSHIP: West Virginia’s Oscar Tshiebwe has averaged 11.1 points and 9.2 rebounds while Derek Culver has put up 10.5 points and 8.6 rebounds. For the Bears, Jared Butler has averaged 15.8 points while Freddie Gillespie has put up 9.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks.
FACILITATING THE OFFENSE: Butler has had his hand in 41 percent of all Baylor field goals over the last five games. Butler has 33 field goals and 19 assists in those games.
THREAT FROM DISTANCE: Baylor’s MaCio Teague has attempted 165 3-pointers and connected on 36.4 percent of them, and is 7 for 18 over his past three games.
ACCOUNTING FOR ASSISTS: The Bears have recently gotten buckets via assists more often than the Mountaineers. West Virginia has an assist on 35 of 73 field goals (47.9 percent) across its previous three contests while Baylor has assists on 44 of 78 field goals (56.4 percent) during its past three games.
DID YOU KNOW: The Baylor defense has forced opponents into turnovers on an impressive 22.9 percent of all possessions, which ranks the Bears 27th among Division I teams. The West Virginia offense has turned the ball over on 20.8 percent of its possessions (ranking the Mountaineers 292nd, nationally).