West Virginia @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 12, 2019 ) Oklahoma State 85, West Virginia 77

Both West Virginia and Oklahoma State have endured difficult campaigns at the bottom of the Big 12 standings, but neither has stopped competing. The Mountaineers and Cowboys will try to build off upset wins and avoid a last-place finish when they play their regular-season finale at Oklahoma State on Saturday.

West Virginia, which has made the NCAA Tournament in nine of 11 seasons under coach Bob Huggins, opened 2-12 in conference play before winning two of the last three - including an impressive 90-75 win over tourney hopeful Iowa State on Wednesday. "We're not talking about the same team," Huggins told reporters of the Mountaineers' sudden 2-1 burst. "This is not the same team. We've had so many different teams ... obviously (this is the best team we've had this year)." The Cowboys have become much more competitive as well, first losing nail-biters to ranked foes Texas Tech and Kansas before upsetting Baylor 67-64 on the road Wednesday. Freshman guard Isaac Likekele tied career highs with 23 points and nine rebounds as Oklahoma State won its first road game since an 85-77 triumph at West Virginia on Jan. 12.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (12-18, 4-13 Big 12): Junior guard Jermaine Haley scored in double figures in just three of his first 26 games but has suddenly done so in four straight outings, including a career-high 28 against the Cyclones on Wednesday. Freshman guard Jordan McCabe has also taken advantage of the team's many injuries, dismissals and departures, averaging 18.8 points over his last four games to raise his average to 4.9. "I know coach needed a couple guys to step up and Jordan has been doing a great job night in and night out," Haley told reporters Wednesday. "Especially in practice, he's keeping us together as a group. I'm just playing with a lot of confidence and staying aggressive lately."

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE (11-19, 4-13): Likekele and fellow freshman Yor Anei (14 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots) gave the rebuilding program a potential sign of things to come in the surprising win at Baylor. "It's a testament to these guys because even though they keep getting knocked away, they never stop coming back," coach Mike Boynton told reporters. "I'm really excited about the future we have because we get all these kids back and add some more pieces." Likekele also had 23 points and nine rebounds in the win at West Virginia earlier this season, when teammate Cameron McGriff posted one of his seven double-doubles with 16 points and 10 boards.

TIP-INS

1. The loser gets the No. 10 seed and faces No. 7 Oklahoma in the first round of the Big 12 tournament Wednesday night. The winner is the No. 9 seed and will take on No. 8 TCU.

2. Mountaineers freshman F Derek Culver ranks second in the Big 12 in rebounding (9.7) and picked up his eighth double-double in the win over Iowa State.

3. Oklahoma State won three of the last four meetings, scoring at least 82 points in each victory.

PREDICTION: Oklahoma State 78, West Virginia 76