MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Team chemistry is one of the most unappreciated aspects of team sports.
 
It's probably also the most misunderstood by the common fan. But coaches are keenly aware of it, and when you are talking about a roster of 15 players, it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the entire basket.
 
Mark Kellogg, who is out in Kansas City this afternoon for Big 12 media day with players JJ Quinerly, Jordan Harrison and Kyah Watson, discussed the topic earlier this month.
 
"Whatever your coaching personality identity is, I want to surround myself with those types of people. I think character creates culture," he explained.
 
"We all use culture, and we all use family, but I think character is what creates those things, so when you have a disagreement with your family, and you have great character, you'll work through that," he said.
 
Great chemistry played a vital role in West Virginia's impressive 25-8 record last season that included a down-to-the-wire NCAA Tournament second-round loss at eventual national runner-up Iowa. The players had clearly defined roles, embraced them and supported each other.
 
The nucleus of that team is returning - something Kellogg was mindful of when he was recruiting the pieces to fit around them this season.
 
"I think there are some coaches that kind of relish in creating chaos, or they want some chaos in their program. If they don't have it, they will create it, and that's never been me," he admitted. "I've been more of the consistent guy, 'Let's show up and do the right thing. If there is conflict, we'll deal with it, but why are we creating conflict for no reason? So, let's not have to spend our time working on that or dealing with those issues and let's truly work on the things that we can.'
 
"It's finding the right kids that fit and who do the right things," he continued. "Low maintenance is a term I use all the time. Last year, we were as low maintenance as any team that I've had. I didn't have off-the-court issues. I wasn't getting 2 a.m. phone calls because their character was really good. So, I didn't worry about them after that. When we had them in the office it was about, 'How are you doing? How can I help you on the basketball court?' It wasn't, 'Hey, you are not living up to this standard.'"
 
Kellogg said he didn't know what he had when he first got here, but as he began learning the players and seeing their willingness to get along and support each other, he knew their unity was strong enough to support any type of personality he brought into the program.
 
In essence, a high tide rises all boats.
 
"The strength of the team is how you to figure out what you bring into it, so you might have one that you can't quite figure out their personality or if they fit in, but if your nucleus is really strong, then they are not going to have a choice," he explained. "You either come in and get along or you are going to be extradited really quick, and we haven't even really had to do that.
 
"We vet it the right way through the recruiting process," he continued. "You learn about these kids and their families, and you learn which ones probably fit our culture and those who have high character, do the right things, go to class and understand of that; we've got our little pillars to the program, so as long as they kind of understand those and align with those then we are in a good spot."
 
Some coaches today are leery of having a full roster of 15 players because players 12, 13, 14 and 15 are occasionally not happy with their limited roles.
 
Kellogg has always made it a policy to be transparent and up front with each player.
 
"A year ago, when we only had 10 or 11 players and everyone pretty much knew who was going to play and how many minutes they were going to get, the roles were defined, and it was pretty easy," he said. "This year we have 14, and I told them at our team retreat, 'Hey, you are not all playing. I'm sorry. I don't know who yet, and I'm not defining that today, but I just want you guys to start looking around the room and realizing there are 14 in here, and we are probably not playing 14 on most nights. If we can get to 10, that's ideal, and we can shorten that later in the year if we need to. The score or foul trouble might dictate 11 or 12, so there are three or four of you who might not get to play.'"
 
Kellogg says he has four tiers of players right now, although he didn't identify which ones are in each tier.
 
"There are about seven of them, 'Yep, you're in. You've got a role. It's established.' We call it a bank account, and their bank accounts are pretty significant right now," he said. "There are probably two that are in that next tier, 'Okay, I'm counting on you, but we haven't quite figured all of this out yet.' I've got three in the next tier and maybe two that are just not quite there yet. 'Let's keep working and see if we can move and bump the tiers.' Over the next (few weeks), we'll try to figure it out a little."
 
Once that is determined, Kellogg said then it becomes a matter of choosing the right player combinations.
 
"Who plays well together? What's the rotation going to look like? Are we going to move people around? Do we have them in the right spots? I've told them numerous times I'm looking for some separation right now," he said. "Some of the players need to start separating themselves. I don't determine playing time. I get the final say, but they're the ones who determine this by how they practice. We stat it all. We've got all the numbers and metrics, so we know who's doing what?"
 
In reality, Kellogg said he's most comfortable with the number of players he has on the roster right now, taking into account injuries and other circumstances.
 
"We get 15 in women's basketball and, honestly, that's probably too many to keep happy, and 14 can be too," he admitted. "Back in the day, we could redshirt kids, so you were really working with about 12, and that was okay. A lot of these kids now don't want to redshirt a whole lot, so we don't have that conversation quite as much, but we'll manage it. We've got to communicate better, and more often, to let them know exactly where they are."
 
The Mountaineers, ranked 16^th in this year's Associated Press preseason poll, will open the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the WVU Coliseum against Towson. 
 
West Virginia plays six home games in November before facing High Point in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Florida, on Friday, Nov. 29. The Mountaineers will play either Boise State or Southern Illinois the second day and could conclude the three-game event with a matchup against fourth-ranked Texas.
 
Tickets for the 2024-25 season remain on sale through the Mountaineer Ticket Office and can be purchased by logging on to WVUGAME.com.