2023-11-01 23:14:40
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Less than one week separates the beginning of the Mark Kellogg era for West Virginia’s women’s basketball program, which will be led by its third different head coach in as many seasons.
Kellogg has made it known throughout the preseason that for the Mountaineers to possess the type of team and depth required for success within the Big 12, they’ll need at least several newcomers to the program to live up or surpass his expectations.
One is 5-foot-9 fifth-year guard Lauren Fields, who between time at Oklahoma State and Arizona is proven at the Power 5 level. Fields figures to heavily factor into Kellogg’s plan at both ends in what marks the first season in Morgantown for both and her last season playing college basketball.
“I don’t know that she’s a true point guard, but she can handle it enough to initiate some offense and do some things like that,” Kellogg said. “She’s a wing that can shoot the three, put it on the floor and she’s pretty good at the midrange as well, which is a little bit of a lost art. We don’t want her to fall in love with that but she certainly has that in her arsenal and an ability to get to the rim. And she’s a phenomenal defender and active on the defensive end. She’s pretty complete right now and it’s starting to slow down just a little bit for her, which is a good thing.”
Lauren Fields meets with the media. Photo by Greg Carey
Fields spent the first three seasons of her college career at Oklahoma State and greatly increasing her production as she gained more experience. Fields earned all-Big 12 second-team honors in 2022 after averaging 15.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals.
She then moved on to Arizona and started 30 games for the Wildcats last season, and while Fields’ production dipped, she was a key part of a team that eliminated West Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Over the summer, I thought about that and would it be weird when I got here,” Fields said. “The transition has been real smooth and it’s been good for me. A large reason for that is my teammates. They’ve made me feel welcome. It feels like I’ve been here for all four years, so it’s a good transition.”
Kellogg, who was formally introduced as WVU’s head coach on April 5, wasted no time in trying to add Fields, one of the more sought after players in the NCAA Transfer Portal.
On April 18, Kellogg announced the signing of Fields, something that came about in large part because of her strong relationships with other people within the WVU program.
Fields worked with West Virginia assistant coaches Jessica Grayson (during her final season at Oklahoma State) and Erin Grant (during her lone season at Arizona). She was also familiar with Kayla Scott, WVU’s Director Basketball of Operations who held that title last season at Arizona, and is a past AAU teammate of Mountaineer guard Zya Nugent, who followed Kellogg to Morgantown but will miss the upcoming season due to a knee injury.
“She was one of the first ones we did recruit and get because we had that knowledge with her family,” Kellogg said. “Not me as much, but certainly my staff did.”
Fields was more of a defensive-minded player in her lone season with the Wildcats as her scoring average dropped nearly 11 points to 4.5 from during her final season with the Cowgirls. She also attempted only 5.2 shots per game — 10.5 fewer than the season before. One thing that remained, however, was her defensive prowess, which allowed Fields to average 1.7 steals.
“It wasn’t my best year, but it actually matured me,” Fields said. “We all have to go through some type of adversity. I don’t regret it at all. It was something I needed. It was good for me.”
Fields is now one of seven first-year players at West Virginia, though the Mountaineers remain unsure how many will be eligible to play or part of the rotation. Nugent is sidelined for the season and WVU is awaiting word on the status of Ashala Moseberry and Ainhoa Holzer. Kellogg confirmed Moseberry’s waiver for immediate eligibility was denied, though the program has appealed that ruling and awaits a decision. Holzer is still waiting to discover whether or not her waiver is approved.
Yet as point guard JJ Quinerly has battled an ankle injury of late, Kellogg has gotten an extended look at several other players and tinkered with lineups during practice and West Virginia’s two closed scrimmages.
The combination of Fields and Stephen F. Austin transfer Jordan Harrison together has impressed the Mountaineers’ first-year head coach.
“Her and Jordan have been working pretty well together when they’re on the same team and you hear some of their communication, which has been really good,” Kellogg said. “She’s going to have her best year. She has to have her best year of her career this year. I don’t know if she’ll get to 15.5 points, but her efficiency is going to go up and she’ll still score the ball really well and she’s going to have big nights. She has a chance to be an all-Big 12 defender. She’s that good on that end.”
Fields, who described West Virginia’s identity as its defense, will look to continue pestering opponents and making her presence felt on that end.
“When I go into games to get myself going, I’m like, ‘OK, let’s get a stop, get a steal.’ That’s how I get my offense going,” Fields said. “Defense also creates a lot of energy and we’re a team that needs to play with energy to be successful, so that’s a big key.”
Fields should benefit from being at the head of the Mountaineers’ press with players such as Quinerly and Harrison, known for their quickness and ability to disrupt.
“It’s funny, because me and Jordan will joke around in practice to say we’re not going to be on the same team today. It’s crazy seeing us on the court together,” Fields said. “A large part of that is our quickness on defense. We’re able to get so many deflections and turn people over in the front line of the press.”
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