As I said in my last Big 12 breakdown, this is the most competitive conference in the country and that's been proven out so far this year. We've seen multiple upsets thus far and very few blowouts, so you know every game is going to be tough. It's also very hard to win on the road in this conference, and while it may not always be pretty, you're going to see a lot of close games in the conference. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Big 12 on Twitter @ThreePointRange on Twitter, and I'm always open to taking your questions, and they may even be featured in the 3 Questions segment.
Power Rankings
1. Texas Tech (2)
Record: 14-1, 3-0
My Thoughts: Texas Tech has been better than anyone expected this year, and that is almost solely on their defense being ridiculously good and the play of Jarrett Culver, who is possibly the frontrunner for Big 12 Player of the Year. However, what has been flying under the radar is their offense is kind of bad. It's borderline top 100 in KenPom and they really struggle to make shots from deep. Culver and Davide Moretti are really the only guys who are making shots consistently from behind the arc, although I think Matt Mooney is a very solid shooter and his numbers will go up, and Kyler Edwards has shown touch in limited attempts. Still, they haven't scored 70 or more points in Big 12 play, and Culver is often their only option offensively, and we really saw them struggle against West Virginia when he was on the bench with foul trouble. I'm interested in seeing if the role players can step up on the offensive end.
2. Kansas (1)
Record: 12-2, 1-1
My Thoughts: Kansas had a bad weekend, didn't they. First on Saturday, they lost to Iowa State by 17 points on the road, and didn't look like they were on the same level as the Cyclones. The next night, we learned that Udoka Azubuike would be out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury. Things aren't looking great for the Jayhawks at the moment, and they are going to need to get improved play from everyone on the roster, save Dedric Lawson and maybe Devon Dotson. Five star freshman Quentin Grimes has been a disappoint so far, Marcus Garrett can't make a three to save his life, Lagerald Vick needs to be much more consistent, David McCormack needs to prove he is ready for a lot of Big 12 minutes, as do Charlie Moore and KJ Lawson, and Dotson needs to improve his ball control. I am really interested to see how Kansas responds and what they do to get another Big 12 Championship, because at the moment, I think they are as vulnerable as ever.
3. Iowa State (6)
Record: 12-3, 2-1
My Thoughts: The Cyclones really announced themselves with the win over Kansas, although they lost to Baylor in the follow up game in Waco. Still, that team that came out against Kansas in Ames might have the highest ceiling in the Big 12. When all their wings are playing well and making shots, they are very difficult to stop. I mean Talen Horton-Tucker and Tyrese Haliburton are contributing immediately as freshmen, Mariol Shayok is an offensive force, Nick Weiler-Babb does everything he needs to do, and Lindell Wigginton is still recovering and making his way back into form. They were dealt a major blow with Cameron Lard sustaining a foot injury of unknown severity when I'm writing this, but if he's healthy, he's a very good interior player and the best shot blocker on the roster, and Michael Jacobson is a solid big. There might be Big 12 champion potential on this roster, but I don't know if they can hit it.
4. TCU (4)
Record: 12-1, 1-0
My Thoughts: Jaylen Fisher is arguably the most important player to his team in the Big 12 outside of Jarrett Culver. TCU is a different team with him on the court, and it's no coincidence that the Horned Frogs lost their only game to Lipscomb basically without Fisher and they struggled with Baylor at home. His health is always a question mark though, and he missed the aforementioned Baylor game to open Big 12 play. With games against Kansas and Oklahoma on the road coming up, it is crucial that he is both healthy and playing well, since TCU has as good a shot as anyone to win this conference.
5. Oklahoma (3)
Record: 12-3, 1-2
My Thoughts: Oklahoma got a lot of hype heading into Big 12 play, and I think they ended up being slightly overrated heading into conference play. Yes, they had nice wins over Florida, Notre Dame, Creighton, and Northwestern, but three of those wins were by by single digits, and I don't think those non-conference games against good, but not great, teams are the same as a Big 12 away game, with only the Northwestern game came on the road, and the Sooners needed overtime to handle the Wildcats. Oklahoma played Kansas at Phogg Allen, and I think they sort of got exposed a little bit. They struggled to shoot the ball, and they turned it over 17 times. I don't think Oklahoma is bad, but I don't know if this is a top 25 team, and I don't think they are a Big 12 title challenger.
6. Texas (7)
Record: 10-5, 2-1
My Thoughts: I actually haven't watched Texas yet, but the main thing of note has been their shooting. In their first two contests, the Longhorns shot 40.4% from deep, but in their loss to Oklahoma State, Texas went just 2-22 from downtown. Their shooting has always been an issue, and when they are making shots, they are a scary team. But, I don't think they can make those sort of shots consistently, so we'll see those losses to Oklahoma State as the season goes on.
7. Kansas State (5)
Record: 10-4, 0-2
My Thoughts: I get into Kansas State a little more later, but there might not be a more disappointing team in my eyes. This offense has fallen off a cliff from last season, and I'm not really sure why. The Dean Wade injury plays a part, but even when he's been on the court, they team is nowhere near as good as it what last season. They weren't the best offensive team, but they were roughly 75 in KenPom last week, and they are now around 200. That's insane, especially since this is basically the same team as last year, and I'm really not sure how to explain it.
8. Baylor (9)
Record: 9-5, 1-1
My Thoughts: Baylor isn't the best team in the tournament. I don't think the Bears are a tournament quality team. But this is a team that is going to come out and compete every single night, and there is never an easy game against this team. They played TCU close and then knocked off Iowa State in Waco. I think they will be really close for at least 15 of their 18 Big 12 games and they are going to catch a few wins throughout conference play against some of the top teams.
9. Oklahoma State (10)
Record: 7-8, 1-2
My Thoughts: This team is basically exactly who I thought they were. They aren't going to win a ton of games, but they are fun to watch, and they've been in three close games so far. Cameron McGriff has been really good for the Cowboys so far, and he's averaging 12 points and 9.7 rebounds in Big 12 play thus far, and he's a very good big man with some range who is very fun to watch.
10. West Virginia (8)
Record: 8-6, 0-2
My Thoughts: This team really misses Jevon Carter. Not only was he amazing on the court, but his toughness and leadership helped this team in ways I don't think anyone fully appreciated. He worked harder than just about anyone over his 4 years in college, playing shutdown defense and improving his offensive game every year. And when we hear Bob Huggins talking about starting a walk-on because he is working harder than anyone else, and we see incredibly inconsistent effort on both ends from basically every player on the roster. Sure, Sagaba Konate is hurt and that hurts this team, but there are talented players on this roster that could be a lot better than they are. I am really out o nWest Virginia at the moment, and I don't think they are going to be much better than they are now.
What I Saw
- Texas Tech 62 @ WVU 59: This game was absolutely brutal to watch. Neither team had anything going on the offensive end, and it was a foul fest in Morgantown. Each team committed 25 fouls in this one, and the product on the floor really suffered. Texas Tech star Jarrett Culver missed most of the first half due to having 3 fouls, and he was basically getting subbed off for defense throughout the second half. He still had 18 second half points for the Red Raiders, but Tech only managed 20 points without him in the first half and they looked lost at times trying to get buckets without him. West Virginia had two things that stood out. First was the play of Derek Culver, a big man who was suspended for the beginning of the year, and he scored 12 points and looked very good in the low post. The other thing has to be the fact that they went to a zone in this game. That's something I never would have expected to see from a Bob Huggins team, but as I mentioned earlier, this just isn't a team that is as tough or skilled on the defensive end, and I think the zone could be an intriguing option to cover their defensive deficiencies.
- Oklahoma 63 @ Kansas 70: I was impressed by Devon Dotson, who is one of my favorite players to watch given his speed and ability to finish around the rim. He is also a solid shooter from the arc as well, and he had 16 points in this game, along with 5 rebounds and 4 steals. I like him a lot and I think he's one of the more underrated freshman in college basketball. The entire outlook on Kansas changed after this game, so I won't spend too much time here.
- Kansas 60 @ Iowa State 77: The Cyclones announced themselves on a national stage in this game, and dominated Kansas. I love Iowa State's talent and I think they are sneakily a better team than Kansas. Maybe they don't have more talent than the Jayhawks, although I think it's close, but they have a team where every player compliments each other really well, and I'm going to steal something from Rob Dauster of NBC Sports here. He has been championing Iowa State as this year's Villanova in their system of position less basketball, and all of their guards are amazing. The fact that Lindell Wigginton is coming off the bench is insane. Nick Weiler-Babb, Tyrese Hailburton, and Talen Horton-Tucker have been excellent, and that's not even including Big 12 leading scorer Mariol Shayok. They shoot the ball so well and have rock solid big men and they had 18 assists, showing just how well they play together. This is a legitimately great team, and I'm very excited to see them continue to play in the Big 12.
-Iowa State 70 @ Baylor 73: I honestly like Baylor more than I thought coming into the year. They've got some very good players in King McClure and Mario Kegler, who were pretty quiet in this one, Devonte Bandoo, who had 13 points in just 11 points, Tristan Clark, who is criminally underrated and finished with 16. Makai Mason was the real star for the Bears in this one, scoring 25 points and led the team the entire game. As for Iowa State, what I said above still stands. There is no such thing as an easy road game, especially in conference play, and they battled back from multiple deficits in this one, but ultimately just couldn't ever take the lead for good. I think it was a little bit of a letdown game following that huge Kansas win, so I think they are going to be fine.
- Oklahoma 59 @ Texas Tech 66: The Red Raiders grinded out another win here in Lubbock in a Big 12 rock fight. They held the Sooners to 32.3% shooting from the floor, and for the fifteenth time this season in fifteen games, held the Sooners under 1 point per possession. The biggest key for the Red Raiders in this one was their free throw shooting, going 17-17 from the stripe, a number that will make Tony Patelis very happy. I also think we saw something key that separates these two teams with the play of their stars in crunch time. Jarrett Culver took over down the stretch for Texas Tech, and he finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Christian James faded for Oklahoma, although he finished with a team high 14 and had 6 rebounds. Texas Tech's star shined brighter, and it got them the win.
What To Watch
- TCU will travel to Kansas in one of the most fascinating game in all of college basketball this week. TCU enter at 12-1 on a 9 game winning streak. Kansas is currently reeling after a 17 point loss to Iowa State and the loss of Udoka Azubuike for the year. I think the health of Jaylen Fisher is huge. The oft-injured TCU guard didn't play in their last game against Baylor, and he is so key for the Horned Frogs. If he can't go, I would go with Kansas. TCU's lone loss cam against Lipscomb when Fisher was out, and they struggled with Baylor without him, only winning by 4 at home. If he is healthy, the game becomes much more intriguing. Without Azubuike, Kansas is going to go small and play Dedric Lawson at the 5, which could actually help them against TCU, who has some front court players like Kouat Noi who can stretch the floor, and if Kansas was playing with two bigs, he'd be nearly impossible to guard. However, I think Kansas could struggle to protect the rim, and given that TCU shoots 58.4% from two, seventh highest in the nation, that could end up being a problem for the Jayhawks. The other thing working in the Horned Frog's favor is their strength defending the three point line. Opponents are only shooting 28.1% from three, and Kansas' struggles from deep have been well documented. There is certainly a path to victory for TCU, and I think Kansas will still be trying to figure out its new identity, so I'm going to say TCU pulls then upset off in Phogg Allen.
- Kansas State will travel to Iowa State and they really need a win. I'll talk a little bit about the Wildcats a little more later on, but I really don't like this matchup. Iowa State is riding a six game win streak, while Kansas State could be on a three game losing streak when they head to Ames. It's really a matchup of offense against defense, with Iowa State's high powered offense taking on Kansas State's lockdown defense. However, the Wildcats can't score and Iowa State plays solid enough defense, so I don't think K-State can get enough buckets to take down the Cyclones, especially on the road.
- Texas has started off Big 12 play really well, sitting at 2-1 and lost a close game on the road to Oklahoma State. They return home to take on Chris Beard and Texas Tech in an interesting game on Saturday. They are both excellent defensive teams, both checking in at the top 10 in KenPom. I think in this defensive battle, I would normally lean the home team, which would lead to the Longhorns. But for me, I think Texas has been really hot shooting from three, which isn't something they do all that well, and the Red Raiders defend the arc so well and I wouldn't be shocked if Texas only makes like 3 shots from deep. Texas Tech also has the best player on the court in Jarrett Culver, so I'll give the Red Raiders a big away win in the Big 12.
- TCU doesn't get a break after going to Phogg Allen, as they have to travel to Norman and take on Oklahoma. TCU could find itself at a disadvantage against a stout Sooners defense. As I mentioned earlier, TCU is very good at getting to the rim, but Oklahoma does an excellent job of protecting the rim, only letting opponents shoot 41.9% on two point attempts. These two teams are pretty well matched on the other end of the court, so I think the battle of the boards is huge. Whoever can control rebounds throughout the game will have an advantage, and I love the way Oklahoma crashes the glass, so I give them a slight advantage there. I think they key matchup is Christian James against Desmond Bane. Both lead their teams in scoring and are good wing defenders, so whoever outdoes his counterpart gets an advantage, and I think James' bruising style gives him the advantage against Bane. It should be a close matchup, but with the Sooners at home, I think they pull it out.
Full Big 12 Schedule 1/9-1/15
1/9
West Virginia @ Kansas State
TCU @ Kansas
1/12
Kansas State @ Iowa State
Oklahoma State @ West Virginia
Texas Tech @ Texas
TCU @ Oklahoma
Kansas @ Baylor
1/14
Texas @ Kansas
Baylor @ Oklahoma State
1/15
West Virginia @ TCU
3 Questions
1. What will Kansas look like going forward?
This has to be the biggest question not only in the Big 12, but maybe in the country. I don't think anyone really knows, not even Bill Self at this point. The prevailing theory is that Kansas will go with Dedric Lawson at the center position and play 4 guards, which is what they have done the past two seasons. However, I don't know if the personnel on this Jayhawks team is suited for that. Marcus Garrett is a complete non-threat shooting the ball, and that doesn't really work when you need people to stretch the floor and make shots. And given Quentin Grimes' slow start shooting the ball and Lagerald Vick's wild inconsistency from the perimeter, it seems like that strategy may not work. That being said, the alternative is playing David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot at the five and keeping Lawson at the four. It would get the best out of Lawson in my opinion by allowing him to showcase his passing and being more able to work on the low block than he could with Azubuike, but neither one of those two are particular good, and I don't know what Kansas' best lineup is at the moment. It will be fascinating to see their next 3 games which are at home against a good TCU team, at a scrappy Baylor squad who just beat Iowa State at home, and then return home to play Texas. It's not the hardest schedule, but they are by no means easy games and Bill Self will have to figure out what to do very quickly or risk falling out of the Big 12 title race.
2. Can Iowa State win the Big 12?
Not gonna lie, I had this question written before Iowa State lost at Baylor. That being said, I still think they have a legitimate chance to win this conference. All the things I said earlier about their style of postitionless basketball and their multi-talented wings give them a great shot to win every game in Big 12 play. They seem to do everything well on the offensive end, and they are underratedly good on the defensive end. I'm all in on the Cyclones this year, but I don't know if they can win the Big 12. Texas Tech doesn't look like they are going to lose a game anytime soon, Kansas is still Kansas, I really like TCU, and Oklahoma and Kansas State is still a threat especially with Dean Wade on his way back, and of course Texas, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia are not easy games. I need to see them win a few more games, especially against these very good defensive teams.
3. Can Kansas State bounce back?
Kansas State has not been good this year, to put it plainly. With losses to Marquette and Tulsa in their non-conference schedule, barely eeked out a win over George Mason, and they lost their first two conference games, one of which was a 20 point blowout at home against Texas. Their offense has been pretty horrible this year, ranking 205 in KenPom. Now, part of that has to come from Dean Wade's injury that has kept him out since mid-December and Kamau Stokes being slowed down by injuries as well, but even then, they are just unable to make shots at the minute with a 47.2% effective field goal percentage, which is at 279 in the country. When they are fully healthy, I think they will be better, and their defense has still been shutdown, coming in at fifth in KenPom. Still, Wade was healthy when the Wildcats lost to Tulsa and scored just 46 points. I still need to see this team perform offensively to put them back in the top tier Big 12 conversation.
Power Rankings
1. Texas Tech (2)
Record: 14-1, 3-0
My Thoughts: Texas Tech has been better than anyone expected this year, and that is almost solely on their defense being ridiculously good and the play of Jarrett Culver, who is possibly the frontrunner for Big 12 Player of the Year. However, what has been flying under the radar is their offense is kind of bad. It's borderline top 100 in KenPom and they really struggle to make shots from deep. Culver and Davide Moretti are really the only guys who are making shots consistently from behind the arc, although I think Matt Mooney is a very solid shooter and his numbers will go up, and Kyler Edwards has shown touch in limited attempts. Still, they haven't scored 70 or more points in Big 12 play, and Culver is often their only option offensively, and we really saw them struggle against West Virginia when he was on the bench with foul trouble. I'm interested in seeing if the role players can step up on the offensive end.
2. Kansas (1)
Record: 12-2, 1-1
My Thoughts: Kansas had a bad weekend, didn't they. First on Saturday, they lost to Iowa State by 17 points on the road, and didn't look like they were on the same level as the Cyclones. The next night, we learned that Udoka Azubuike would be out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury. Things aren't looking great for the Jayhawks at the moment, and they are going to need to get improved play from everyone on the roster, save Dedric Lawson and maybe Devon Dotson. Five star freshman Quentin Grimes has been a disappoint so far, Marcus Garrett can't make a three to save his life, Lagerald Vick needs to be much more consistent, David McCormack needs to prove he is ready for a lot of Big 12 minutes, as do Charlie Moore and KJ Lawson, and Dotson needs to improve his ball control. I am really interested to see how Kansas responds and what they do to get another Big 12 Championship, because at the moment, I think they are as vulnerable as ever.
3. Iowa State (6)
Record: 12-3, 2-1
My Thoughts: The Cyclones really announced themselves with the win over Kansas, although they lost to Baylor in the follow up game in Waco. Still, that team that came out against Kansas in Ames might have the highest ceiling in the Big 12. When all their wings are playing well and making shots, they are very difficult to stop. I mean Talen Horton-Tucker and Tyrese Haliburton are contributing immediately as freshmen, Mariol Shayok is an offensive force, Nick Weiler-Babb does everything he needs to do, and Lindell Wigginton is still recovering and making his way back into form. They were dealt a major blow with Cameron Lard sustaining a foot injury of unknown severity when I'm writing this, but if he's healthy, he's a very good interior player and the best shot blocker on the roster, and Michael Jacobson is a solid big. There might be Big 12 champion potential on this roster, but I don't know if they can hit it.
4. TCU (4)
Record: 12-1, 1-0
My Thoughts: Jaylen Fisher is arguably the most important player to his team in the Big 12 outside of Jarrett Culver. TCU is a different team with him on the court, and it's no coincidence that the Horned Frogs lost their only game to Lipscomb basically without Fisher and they struggled with Baylor at home. His health is always a question mark though, and he missed the aforementioned Baylor game to open Big 12 play. With games against Kansas and Oklahoma on the road coming up, it is crucial that he is both healthy and playing well, since TCU has as good a shot as anyone to win this conference.
5. Oklahoma (3)
Record: 12-3, 1-2
My Thoughts: Oklahoma got a lot of hype heading into Big 12 play, and I think they ended up being slightly overrated heading into conference play. Yes, they had nice wins over Florida, Notre Dame, Creighton, and Northwestern, but three of those wins were by by single digits, and I don't think those non-conference games against good, but not great, teams are the same as a Big 12 away game, with only the Northwestern game came on the road, and the Sooners needed overtime to handle the Wildcats. Oklahoma played Kansas at Phogg Allen, and I think they sort of got exposed a little bit. They struggled to shoot the ball, and they turned it over 17 times. I don't think Oklahoma is bad, but I don't know if this is a top 25 team, and I don't think they are a Big 12 title challenger.
6. Texas (7)
Record: 10-5, 2-1
My Thoughts: I actually haven't watched Texas yet, but the main thing of note has been their shooting. In their first two contests, the Longhorns shot 40.4% from deep, but in their loss to Oklahoma State, Texas went just 2-22 from downtown. Their shooting has always been an issue, and when they are making shots, they are a scary team. But, I don't think they can make those sort of shots consistently, so we'll see those losses to Oklahoma State as the season goes on.
7. Kansas State (5)
Record: 10-4, 0-2
My Thoughts: I get into Kansas State a little more later, but there might not be a more disappointing team in my eyes. This offense has fallen off a cliff from last season, and I'm not really sure why. The Dean Wade injury plays a part, but even when he's been on the court, they team is nowhere near as good as it what last season. They weren't the best offensive team, but they were roughly 75 in KenPom last week, and they are now around 200. That's insane, especially since this is basically the same team as last year, and I'm really not sure how to explain it.
8. Baylor (9)
Record: 9-5, 1-1
My Thoughts: Baylor isn't the best team in the tournament. I don't think the Bears are a tournament quality team. But this is a team that is going to come out and compete every single night, and there is never an easy game against this team. They played TCU close and then knocked off Iowa State in Waco. I think they will be really close for at least 15 of their 18 Big 12 games and they are going to catch a few wins throughout conference play against some of the top teams.
9. Oklahoma State (10)
Record: 7-8, 1-2
My Thoughts: This team is basically exactly who I thought they were. They aren't going to win a ton of games, but they are fun to watch, and they've been in three close games so far. Cameron McGriff has been really good for the Cowboys so far, and he's averaging 12 points and 9.7 rebounds in Big 12 play thus far, and he's a very good big man with some range who is very fun to watch.
10. West Virginia (8)
Record: 8-6, 0-2
My Thoughts: This team really misses Jevon Carter. Not only was he amazing on the court, but his toughness and leadership helped this team in ways I don't think anyone fully appreciated. He worked harder than just about anyone over his 4 years in college, playing shutdown defense and improving his offensive game every year. And when we hear Bob Huggins talking about starting a walk-on because he is working harder than anyone else, and we see incredibly inconsistent effort on both ends from basically every player on the roster. Sure, Sagaba Konate is hurt and that hurts this team, but there are talented players on this roster that could be a lot better than they are. I am really out o nWest Virginia at the moment, and I don't think they are going to be much better than they are now.
What I Saw
- Texas Tech 62 @ WVU 59: This game was absolutely brutal to watch. Neither team had anything going on the offensive end, and it was a foul fest in Morgantown. Each team committed 25 fouls in this one, and the product on the floor really suffered. Texas Tech star Jarrett Culver missed most of the first half due to having 3 fouls, and he was basically getting subbed off for defense throughout the second half. He still had 18 second half points for the Red Raiders, but Tech only managed 20 points without him in the first half and they looked lost at times trying to get buckets without him. West Virginia had two things that stood out. First was the play of Derek Culver, a big man who was suspended for the beginning of the year, and he scored 12 points and looked very good in the low post. The other thing has to be the fact that they went to a zone in this game. That's something I never would have expected to see from a Bob Huggins team, but as I mentioned earlier, this just isn't a team that is as tough or skilled on the defensive end, and I think the zone could be an intriguing option to cover their defensive deficiencies.
- Oklahoma 63 @ Kansas 70: I was impressed by Devon Dotson, who is one of my favorite players to watch given his speed and ability to finish around the rim. He is also a solid shooter from the arc as well, and he had 16 points in this game, along with 5 rebounds and 4 steals. I like him a lot and I think he's one of the more underrated freshman in college basketball. The entire outlook on Kansas changed after this game, so I won't spend too much time here.
- Kansas 60 @ Iowa State 77: The Cyclones announced themselves on a national stage in this game, and dominated Kansas. I love Iowa State's talent and I think they are sneakily a better team than Kansas. Maybe they don't have more talent than the Jayhawks, although I think it's close, but they have a team where every player compliments each other really well, and I'm going to steal something from Rob Dauster of NBC Sports here. He has been championing Iowa State as this year's Villanova in their system of position less basketball, and all of their guards are amazing. The fact that Lindell Wigginton is coming off the bench is insane. Nick Weiler-Babb, Tyrese Hailburton, and Talen Horton-Tucker have been excellent, and that's not even including Big 12 leading scorer Mariol Shayok. They shoot the ball so well and have rock solid big men and they had 18 assists, showing just how well they play together. This is a legitimately great team, and I'm very excited to see them continue to play in the Big 12.
-Iowa State 70 @ Baylor 73: I honestly like Baylor more than I thought coming into the year. They've got some very good players in King McClure and Mario Kegler, who were pretty quiet in this one, Devonte Bandoo, who had 13 points in just 11 points, Tristan Clark, who is criminally underrated and finished with 16. Makai Mason was the real star for the Bears in this one, scoring 25 points and led the team the entire game. As for Iowa State, what I said above still stands. There is no such thing as an easy road game, especially in conference play, and they battled back from multiple deficits in this one, but ultimately just couldn't ever take the lead for good. I think it was a little bit of a letdown game following that huge Kansas win, so I think they are going to be fine.
- Oklahoma 59 @ Texas Tech 66: The Red Raiders grinded out another win here in Lubbock in a Big 12 rock fight. They held the Sooners to 32.3% shooting from the floor, and for the fifteenth time this season in fifteen games, held the Sooners under 1 point per possession. The biggest key for the Red Raiders in this one was their free throw shooting, going 17-17 from the stripe, a number that will make Tony Patelis very happy. I also think we saw something key that separates these two teams with the play of their stars in crunch time. Jarrett Culver took over down the stretch for Texas Tech, and he finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Christian James faded for Oklahoma, although he finished with a team high 14 and had 6 rebounds. Texas Tech's star shined brighter, and it got them the win.
What To Watch
- TCU will travel to Kansas in one of the most fascinating game in all of college basketball this week. TCU enter at 12-1 on a 9 game winning streak. Kansas is currently reeling after a 17 point loss to Iowa State and the loss of Udoka Azubuike for the year. I think the health of Jaylen Fisher is huge. The oft-injured TCU guard didn't play in their last game against Baylor, and he is so key for the Horned Frogs. If he can't go, I would go with Kansas. TCU's lone loss cam against Lipscomb when Fisher was out, and they struggled with Baylor without him, only winning by 4 at home. If he is healthy, the game becomes much more intriguing. Without Azubuike, Kansas is going to go small and play Dedric Lawson at the 5, which could actually help them against TCU, who has some front court players like Kouat Noi who can stretch the floor, and if Kansas was playing with two bigs, he'd be nearly impossible to guard. However, I think Kansas could struggle to protect the rim, and given that TCU shoots 58.4% from two, seventh highest in the nation, that could end up being a problem for the Jayhawks. The other thing working in the Horned Frog's favor is their strength defending the three point line. Opponents are only shooting 28.1% from three, and Kansas' struggles from deep have been well documented. There is certainly a path to victory for TCU, and I think Kansas will still be trying to figure out its new identity, so I'm going to say TCU pulls then upset off in Phogg Allen.
- Kansas State will travel to Iowa State and they really need a win. I'll talk a little bit about the Wildcats a little more later on, but I really don't like this matchup. Iowa State is riding a six game win streak, while Kansas State could be on a three game losing streak when they head to Ames. It's really a matchup of offense against defense, with Iowa State's high powered offense taking on Kansas State's lockdown defense. However, the Wildcats can't score and Iowa State plays solid enough defense, so I don't think K-State can get enough buckets to take down the Cyclones, especially on the road.
- Texas has started off Big 12 play really well, sitting at 2-1 and lost a close game on the road to Oklahoma State. They return home to take on Chris Beard and Texas Tech in an interesting game on Saturday. They are both excellent defensive teams, both checking in at the top 10 in KenPom. I think in this defensive battle, I would normally lean the home team, which would lead to the Longhorns. But for me, I think Texas has been really hot shooting from three, which isn't something they do all that well, and the Red Raiders defend the arc so well and I wouldn't be shocked if Texas only makes like 3 shots from deep. Texas Tech also has the best player on the court in Jarrett Culver, so I'll give the Red Raiders a big away win in the Big 12.
- TCU doesn't get a break after going to Phogg Allen, as they have to travel to Norman and take on Oklahoma. TCU could find itself at a disadvantage against a stout Sooners defense. As I mentioned earlier, TCU is very good at getting to the rim, but Oklahoma does an excellent job of protecting the rim, only letting opponents shoot 41.9% on two point attempts. These two teams are pretty well matched on the other end of the court, so I think the battle of the boards is huge. Whoever can control rebounds throughout the game will have an advantage, and I love the way Oklahoma crashes the glass, so I give them a slight advantage there. I think they key matchup is Christian James against Desmond Bane. Both lead their teams in scoring and are good wing defenders, so whoever outdoes his counterpart gets an advantage, and I think James' bruising style gives him the advantage against Bane. It should be a close matchup, but with the Sooners at home, I think they pull it out.
Full Big 12 Schedule 1/9-1/15
1/9
West Virginia @ Kansas State
TCU @ Kansas
1/12
Kansas State @ Iowa State
Oklahoma State @ West Virginia
Texas Tech @ Texas
TCU @ Oklahoma
Kansas @ Baylor
1/14
Texas @ Kansas
Baylor @ Oklahoma State
1/15
West Virginia @ TCU
3 Questions
1. What will Kansas look like going forward?
This has to be the biggest question not only in the Big 12, but maybe in the country. I don't think anyone really knows, not even Bill Self at this point. The prevailing theory is that Kansas will go with Dedric Lawson at the center position and play 4 guards, which is what they have done the past two seasons. However, I don't know if the personnel on this Jayhawks team is suited for that. Marcus Garrett is a complete non-threat shooting the ball, and that doesn't really work when you need people to stretch the floor and make shots. And given Quentin Grimes' slow start shooting the ball and Lagerald Vick's wild inconsistency from the perimeter, it seems like that strategy may not work. That being said, the alternative is playing David McCormack and Mitch Lightfoot at the five and keeping Lawson at the four. It would get the best out of Lawson in my opinion by allowing him to showcase his passing and being more able to work on the low block than he could with Azubuike, but neither one of those two are particular good, and I don't know what Kansas' best lineup is at the moment. It will be fascinating to see their next 3 games which are at home against a good TCU team, at a scrappy Baylor squad who just beat Iowa State at home, and then return home to play Texas. It's not the hardest schedule, but they are by no means easy games and Bill Self will have to figure out what to do very quickly or risk falling out of the Big 12 title race.
2. Can Iowa State win the Big 12?
Not gonna lie, I had this question written before Iowa State lost at Baylor. That being said, I still think they have a legitimate chance to win this conference. All the things I said earlier about their style of postitionless basketball and their multi-talented wings give them a great shot to win every game in Big 12 play. They seem to do everything well on the offensive end, and they are underratedly good on the defensive end. I'm all in on the Cyclones this year, but I don't know if they can win the Big 12. Texas Tech doesn't look like they are going to lose a game anytime soon, Kansas is still Kansas, I really like TCU, and Oklahoma and Kansas State is still a threat especially with Dean Wade on his way back, and of course Texas, Baylor, Oklahoma State, and West Virginia are not easy games. I need to see them win a few more games, especially against these very good defensive teams.
3. Can Kansas State bounce back?
Kansas State has not been good this year, to put it plainly. With losses to Marquette and Tulsa in their non-conference schedule, barely eeked out a win over George Mason, and they lost their first two conference games, one of which was a 20 point blowout at home against Texas. Their offense has been pretty horrible this year, ranking 205 in KenPom. Now, part of that has to come from Dean Wade's injury that has kept him out since mid-December and Kamau Stokes being slowed down by injuries as well, but even then, they are just unable to make shots at the minute with a 47.2% effective field goal percentage, which is at 279 in the country. When they are fully healthy, I think they will be better, and their defense has still been shutdown, coming in at fifth in KenPom. Still, Wade was healthy when the Wildcats lost to Tulsa and scored just 46 points. I still need to see this team perform offensively to put them back in the top tier Big 12 conversation.
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