With a physically imposing front line that includes 6-foot-9, 260-pound Oscar Tshiebwe and 6-10, 255-pound Derek Culver, West Virginia men’s basketball has opened some eyes around the Big 12 heading into the 2020-21 season.

Now, the trick is to validate the respect bestowed upon the Mountaineers by conference head coaches, who picked them to finish third behind preseason No. 1 Baylor and No. 2 Kansas.

WVU finished 21-10 in a 2019-20 season shortened by the coronavirus. The Mountaineers were 9-9 in the Big 12 and in a four-way tie for third place.

Also returning are five guards: Jordan McCabe and Miles McBride at the point and shooting guards Sean McNeil, Taz Sherman and Spencer Macke.

For the first time, Baylor was picked to finish atop the regular-season standings. Baylor’s second-place conference finish last season was its highest in history.

Baylor received seven first-place votes in the preseason poll while Kansas picked up the other three. This is first time the Jayhawks have not been picked to win the regular season title since 2011-12. West Virginia, Texas and Texas Tech rounded out the top five. Oklahoma was picked sixth, followed by Oklahoma State, Iowa State, TCU and Kansas State.

Tshiebwe (Kennedy Catholic) was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team. Culver received honorable mention.

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