Category Archives: Basketball

Wichita-State-Basketball
Apr 4 2013

Is It that Shocking?

Pittsburgh was their first victim.  Then it was Gonzaga, followed by LaSalle and Ohio State.  The Wichita State Shockers have seemed to dominate the four teams they have played thus far in the tournament.  The clichéd phrase “shocking the nation” has been tossed left and right since the Shockers knocked out Gonzaga in the Round of 32.  But has Wichita State’s “Cinderella story” really been that shocking?

I know it may be hard to believe, but there are more than just redneck farm boys on this basketball team.  There is deep, athletic talent coached by an incredibly intelligent staff.  When you put two and two together, Wichita State is composed of an ideal tournament roster.

AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill

AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill

Their point guard, Malcolm Armstead, is a dauntless guard who takes the ball to the hoop with confidence.  Red shirt freshman Ron Baker’s three point shooting has been surreal in the tournament, hitting 40% of his attempts from long range.  The Shocker’s big men, Cleanthony Early and Carl Hall, are strong rebounders who can be scoring threats.  Along with impressive starters, Wichita State is complemented with arguably the deepest bench in the tournament.  All but two of the Shocker players average 11+ minutes per game, and none more than 29.  With nine players playing over 25% of the game, Wichita State lacks visual tiredness, giving them an advantage with their fresh legs.  The issue for the Shockers, as the second best team from the Missouri Valley Conference meets the Big East champion, Louisville,  is experience.

Reuters / Lucy Nicholson

Reuters / Lucy Nicholson

This Saturday, Wichita State will have their biggest game in school history against Louisville.  Wichita State’s leading scorer, Early, averages just 13.7 points per game.  When compared to Louisville’s Russ Smith, who puts up 19 a game, Early looks like David facing Goliath. The same goes for every Shocker when put next to every Cardinal.  However, the stamina and togetherness Wichita State has could spell doom for the Cardinals.  Unfortunately for the Shockers, Louisville is motivated more than ever because of Kevin Ware’s devastating leg injury suffered in the Elite Eight.

I believe the winner of this game will face Michigan in the National Championship.  There, I think the champion is a toss-up.  Louisville’s motivation could carry over into Monday’s game, benefiting them greatly.  Wichita State’s run could continue into the championship game, where all of the pressure would be on the expected-winner, Michigan.  The Wolverines’ Trey Burke has been absolutely red hot, though, and has his team fearless.  Although this Final Four has been unlike those in previous years, whoever emerges on top will still have well-earned it.

 

Drew Agnello

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Mar 29 2013

Sweet Sixteen Preview: Kansas vs. Michigan

Tonight is home to possibly the best Sweet 16 matchup of the tournament.  The Kansas Jayhawks will tip off against the Michigan Wolverines at 6:37 central time.  The game, being played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is a rare meeting between two of the top programs in the country.

Look for the matchup between Kansas guard Travis Releford and Michigan’s Tim Hardaway Jr.  Releford’s strong defensive play could determine the outcome of the game.  Hardaway Jr. has been averaging 17.5 points per game in the Wolverine’s two tournament games, but Travis Releford has the defensive ability to significantly decrease Burke’s scoring.

Also keep an eye on the Trey Burke matchup with Elijah Johnson.  Johnson has had a disappointing season, but has proved to come up in tight situations.  Burke, a sophmore, is arguably the player of the year, though.  I think Johnson will come up big once again and hold Trey Burke to a sub-par night.

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

If Jeff Withey can have the same type of game against Michigan as he did against North Carolina, the Jayhawks have no reason to lose.  Withey’s paint communication with Kevin Young is superb, and they are arguably the best big man duo in the NCAA this season.  Watch for Young to draw double teams and then dish the ball to Withey for easy scores.

The X-factor in this game is Ben McLemore.  Lately, McLemore has been playing at a level he has never seen, nor has the nation.  In Kansas’ previous game versus North Carolina, McLemore went 0-9 from the field, 0-6 from three point range.  If he can regain his shot, Kansas could cruise to a victory.  Plus, I want to see him have a highlight-dunk.  During the regular season, Ben McLemore soared for some spectacular dunks.  If he can go on a one man breakaway, McLemore should put something special on a dunk to give Kansas the momentum.

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Getty Images/Ed Zurga

I belive Kansas will come out on top.  The Jayhawks have showed up for big games against some of the best teams and I do not see that changing today. Also, this is Michigan’s first Sweet Sixteen appearance since the Fab Five the early 1990’s. Kansas’ experience in the Sweet 16, eight appearances in the last ten years , will be beneficial to tonight’s game. Tipoff is at 6:37 p.m. on TBS, and the winner of this game will advance to play the winner of Florida and Florida Gulf Coast.

Oh, and how about Florida Gulf Coast?

Drew Agnello

Feb 20 2013

Mizzou Arena

“They’re one of the best teams in the country, if not the best.” This statement came out of Missouri basketball coach Frank Haith’s mouth in a press conference after his team had just taken down the fifth ranked Florida Gators. As the Tigers prepared for their game on Super Tuesday, they knew they had a tough battle ahead of them. Many believed that Florida was going to be too big of an obstacle, especially for a Missouri team that has lost to teams like LSU and Arkansas. Yet the players and coaches knew that something was going to go their way on the chilly Tuesday night at Mizzou Arena.

Picture from Yahoo.com

Picture from Yahoo.com

For many, it was simply impossible for Missouri to beat Florida, and those people had reason to believe that it couldn’t happen. After an obliterating and embarrassing 83-52 loss in Gainesville earlier this season, it was only logical that Missouri wasn’t going to make this a game. However, there was one thing the Tigers had going for them; they were playing at Mizzou Arena. Any team that steps foot on the floor at Mizzou Arena, no matter how good they are, better be ready for a dog fight, and Florida was not.

Mizzou-Arena-2-470x260
So what is so special about the Tigers’ home floor? Well, over the last 86 games at the arena, the Tigers are an impressive 82-4. They also currently hold a 16 game winning streak at home, which has overlapped from last season. Current head coach Frank Haith has been a very successful coach at Mizzou posing a 30-1 career record in the building. But what is it that makes this place so special? “Deep down inside, it took everyone to win this game,” said junior point guard Phil Pressey about the win against Florida. The thing is, he meant everybody. Yes, the players and the coaching staff, but the fans were the ones keeping the game alive. The fans who helped Mizzou keep momentum when attempting to cut two different 13 point deficits, one in each half. The fans are the most special part of the Tigers success at home.

So what is there to conclude from this article? Well I can tell you one thing. There is magic at Mizzou arena. Yes, the Tigers have had a poor record on the road, and have played very inconsistently. However, when they come home, there will always be a challenge. So I say to any team that ever tries to step on the court at Mizzou Arena, watch out.


Trevor Weinrich

KyrieIrvingAll-StarMVP
Feb 15 2013

All-Star Weekend

All-Star Weekend is my Super Bowl Sunday. Except in the case of All-Star Weekend, it’s spread out over three different events (because who really counts the Celebrity All-Star Game?).  I’ve preset my DVR and set a side several hours of my Sunday to re-watch all the festivities before the main event on Sunday night, the NBA All-Star Game.  I make it a habit to pick my winners beforehand (which tend to be wrong, I did pick Chase Budinger to win the Dunk Contest last year), so without further ado here are my picks for All-Star Weekend:

BBVA Rising Stars Challenge:

This event has developed more flair over the years. For starters Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkely now draft the teams rather than it being simply a Sophomore – Rookie Challenge, with the sophomores usually taking home the victory. With the teams now more evenly matched, it gives for a much more entertaining game.  Here are the teams:

TEAM SHAQ: Damian Lillard (Portland), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland), Andre Drummond (Detroit), Klay Thompson (Golden State), Harrison Barnes(Golden State), Chandler Parsons (Houston), Dion Waiters (Cleveland),Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte), Tyler Zeller (Cleveland), Kemba Walker (Charlotte)

KyrieIrvingAll-StarMVP

TEAM CHUCK: Anthony Davis (New Orleans), Kenneth Faried (Denver), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio), Bradley Beal (Washington), Ricky Rubio(Minnesota), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland), Nikola Vucevic (Orlando),Brandon Knight (Detroit), Isaiah Thomas (Sacramento), Alexey Shved(Minnesota)

The clear cut favorite here is Shaq’s squad for one big reason. Kyrie Irving. I’ve been saying for months that Irving is the next elite player in the NBA. He has the potential to not only be elite, but to be a 1st tier elite player (Durant, Kobe, LeBron, Chris Paul). While Chuck’s roster certainly lends very well to a strong inside game with Anthony Davis and Nikola Vucevic, Andre Drummond will help anchor Team Shaq in the paint and allow Irving to score and create on the perimeter for the other shooters on his team (Barnes, Thompson, Parsons). Team Shaq should shoot Team Chuck out of the Toyota Center. Prediction: Team Shaq over Team Chuck  – 143-131

All-Star Saturday Night

This is far and away the best part of the weekend, mainly because of the dunk contest. The other events hold merit and can be very entertaining, but everyone tunes in so they can be dazzled by the highflying showmanship in the final event of the evening, the Sprite Dunk Contest.

Sears Shooting Stars: This one is easy, plus not many people care, so I’ll make it short. You never bet against Robert Horry in a shootout. I’ll take the West squad of Big Shot Bob, Sam “Looks Like an Alien” Cassell, Harden, Westbrook, Tina Thompson and Maya Moore over the East squad of Dominique Wilkins, Mugsy Bogues, Bosh, Brook Lopez, Swin Cash, and Tamika Catchings.

Taco Bell Skills Challenge: In years past this event has featured some great point guards and playmakers. Dwyane Wade, Tony Parker, Steve Nash and Derrick Rose are some of the recent notable champions. This year’s contestants seemed to be a watered down version of the contestants of years past minus Parker. Aside from Jrue Holiday and Parker, I don’t consider the other contestants proven point guards at this point in their career. Not to say their future isn’t promising, but we haven’t seen much yet. Jeremy Lin, Jeff Teague, Damian Lillard, and Brandon Knight.  While experience may seem trivial in a competition like this, I don’t see anyone unseating Parker as reigning champ.

Prediction: Parker over (3) Holiday and (2) Lillard in the 2nd Round.  Lin will finish with the worst time, followed by Knight and Teague respectively.

Foot Locker 3 Point Contest: This event is always this most difficult to call, and this year does not get any easier. Last year’s contest featured Kevin Durant and Kevin Love in an intense shoot-out for the title. This years competitors all have a legitimate shot at the crown, but there are a few that stick out from the bunch. Here are the participants:

West

Ryan Anderson (New Orleans)
Matt Bonner (San Antonio)
Stephen Curry (Golden State

East

Paul George (Indiana)
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland)
Steve Novak (New York)

stephen-curry-snub

Prediction: This will be the most entertaining 3 point contest in recent history. Look for George and Bonner to make early exits.  Look for Irving and Curry to face-off in the finals with Curry bring home the trophy. Watch out for Ryan Anderson as a potential dark horse.

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest: This contest is the most hyped and most entertaining event of the weekend. Their have been so many historic performance in the past from Dominique and MJ’s showdown in 1988 to Vince Carter’s absolute clinic in 2000. While the participants may have lacked star status in recent history (minus Howard and Griffin) , they have certainly made up for it with some legendary performances (Nate Robinson’s Kryptonite performance, Jeremy Evans two ball slam). Here are the participants:

East

Gerald Green (Indiana)
Terrence Ross (Toronto)
James White (New York)

West

Eric Bledsoe (L.A. Clippers)
Jeremy Evans (Utah)
Kenneth Faried (Denver)

 

Prediction: Look for Jeremy Evans to make an early exit after winning the competition last year. I just don’t see him having the showmanship or creativity to win it again. Look for Gerald Green, Kenneth Faried and Eric Bledsoe to advance to the finals with Bledsoe teaming up with teammate Chris Paul to pull something out of Lob City’s bag of tricks.

2013 All-Star Game:

Out with the old and in with new seems to be the theme of the 2013 All-Star Game, at least on the East squad.  6 of their 8 reserve players are participating in their first All-Star game including Paul George, Kyrie Irving, and Brooke Lopez. Kevin Garnett has stated that this will be the last All-Star game that he will participate in, after 16 appearances. On the West side they feature only one newcomer to the squad in James Harden, who joins his former teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in their 4th and 3rd All-Star games respectively. There are several other familiar faces on the West side, including Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan, both of whom could be playing in their last All-Star game.

Prediction: This year’s West squad is stacked up and down the roster. With so much young talent on the East squad, I’ll take the West and their offensive juggernaut over the inexperienced East. Final Score: West over East – 133-124 MVP goes to Kevin Durant.

Tommy Randolph 

ben_t650
Jan 11 2013

McLemore > Pressey

Trevor Weinrich had an article yesterday praising Phil Pressey for all of the abilities he has.  In the end, Trevor believed Pressey was better than Ben McLemore, the Kansas standout.  Trevor ended the article saying, “Which side do you choose?”  I choose the McLemore side, for all of the right reasons.

I believe a player’s importance to a team is much more important than his stats.  Is Phil Pressey important to his team? Definitely.  His point guard play is unreal, and I believe he is one of the best in the NCAA.  When I look at Ben McLemore, though, I see an on-court leader whose talents are able to control the tempo of the game and the tone of the crowd. Whenever McLemore dunks the ball, or drains a three, it is more than likely astonishing and his teammates become motivated to make the next big play.  Along with teammate motivation comes the way a crowd reacts.  If the game is in Lawrence, the crowd will reach a high number on the decibel scale and the opponents will go cold from the field.  If the game is on the road, the crowd will go dead silent and momentum will be in favor of Kansas.  With that being said, my point is Ben McLemore is a better leader than Phil Pressey is.  Sure Pressey makes awesome passes that make you say, “Wow,” but I think that because McLemore is a redshirt freshman, yet a great leader, he gives his team more of a boost.  I may be going deeper than I should, but the momentum of a team is maybe the most important part to winning a basketball game.

Kansas v Ohio State
Then there are the stats.  McLemore puts up almost 17 points per game compared to Phil Pressey’s near 14.  Assists wise, Pressey obviously has the edge since he is a point guard, dishing 7.5 a game next McLemore who only has a mere 2.1.  Every other stat, McLemore absolutely owns Pressey.  Ben grabs 5.2 boards a game and Pressey snatches just 3.4.  McLemore has a free throw percentage and a three point percentage that absolutely demolishes Phil Pressey’s.  Stats wise, the edge goes to McLemore as well as the momentum factor.  Here is a graph comparing McLemore and Pressey.

Screen Shot 2013-01-11 at 4.14.06 PM

Ben McLemore’s X-Factor and stats mean so much more to Kansas than Pressey does to Mizzou.  Missouri fans would say differently, of course, but on a national level, I would bet a majority would say McLemore.  Trevor says hands down Phil Pressey is the better player.  For me, I say without question Ben McLemore is better than Phil Pressey.  Unfortunately, there is no chance of the two going head-to-head this season.  However, we will have to wait and see what the Madness of March may have to give.

Drew Agnello

Jan 10 2013

“Flip” Your Coin

For Kansas and Missouri basketball fans, there has been a question lingering that must be answered, “Who is better: Phil Pressey or Ben McLemore?”  Although I believe the two should not be compared because of their different position play, I will do it anyways. However, I feel the question should be, “which one is more important to their teams success?”

As the tenth ranked team in the country, Missouri’s lineup very athletic and contains talented players.  Yet when Phil Pressey is off of the court, nothing can be done. The loss of guard Michael Dixon has taken a toll on Missouri’s perimeter play, considering that there is now a lack of true ball handlers to play the point guard position.  Many considered Dixon’s loss to be the end of Missouri’s shot at a spectacular season, but Phil Pressey has had other thoughts.  Pressey has always been a pass first guard, and he has proved that with his stats, but on a big stage this season, “Flip” has also had to take on part of the scoring load as well. This season, Phil is averaging 13.6 points per game, along with 7.6 assists per game.  Phil has impressive numbers, but the abilities that make him so successful are his vision and his quickness. He has the ability to find a teammate anywhere on floor, from any distance, and completes near perfect passes. He has been very successful in finding fifth year forward Laurence Bowers numerous times in the paint.  Along with Bowers, Pressey manages to find perimeter players on the wings after he drives to the basket.  Phil has had a multitude of impressive scoring performances this season as well, but the most incredible part about him is the way he can affect a game.  In Missouri’s annual Braggin’ Rights game against Illinois, Phil had the worst shooting game of his career going just 3 for 19 from the field.  But he impacted the game by how quickly he pushed the ball and found open teammates.  Pressey finished the game with 11 assists.  In Mizzou’s loss at UCLA, Pressey had an impressive 19 points, and a career high and school record of 19 assists.  Phil Pressey may not show consistency with a field goal percentage of just .351, but he impacts the game of basketball in all aspects.  Pressey and teammate Laurence Bowers have both been named as Top 25 Finalists for the John Wooden award in 2013.  This nomination is just another example of why Phil Pressey is one of the best true point guards in the NCAA.

Phil Pressey

Kansas’ star Ben Mclemore, along with teammate Jeff Withey, have also been named as Top 25 Finalists for the John Wooden Award.  In just his first season as a college player, he has shown that he can play on the big stage. This season, the redshirt freshman guard is averaging 16.9 points per game, and puts the ball through the net more than half of the time he shoots the ball. His impressive .510 field goal percentage has made him Kansas’ number one scoring option, and it is no secret that he is a deep ball threat.  How can you argue against this guy?  He even kissed a game tying three pointer off the glass in Kansas’ recent win at home against Iowa State to force the game into overtime.  However, I feel Ben McLemore is just a one dimensional player.  Every time he has the basketball, he looks to score before anything else.  Although every team needs a scorer, I believe that in order to be a great player, McLemore needs to improve other aspects of his game.  He is only averaging 2.1 assists per game this season, and he only has 30 assists this year along with 25 turnovers.  Don’t get me wrong, McLemore is one of Kansas’ best players, and he should be great, but he is just not there yet.

So which player is the most important to their team?  In my opinion, it is Phil Pressey, hands down.  He has a God-given ability to fit passes into very tight spots, and is a true craftsman at the point guard position.  We all know both of these players can be quality NBA players, and both will need to work on the negative aspects of their game, but I still believe Pressey has the edge.  Phil Pressey is possibly the best true point guard in the NCAA, and his stats prove that he is worthy of the title.  Many may think McLemore is better and may say Pressey is inconsistent, but without Phil Pressey, Missouri would not have a 12-2 record nor would they be ranked in the top ten. On the other hand, I believe Kansas would still be very effective without McLemore. With that being said, I chose the “Flip” side of the coin, which side do you choose?

Trevor Weinrich

Ben McLemore
Jan 10 2013

Pressey or McLemore

As conference play is starting for the Big 12 and SEC, I am asked which player is better Phil Pressey or Ben McLemore. At first thought I would say Pressey is more important because of how efficient he has made Missouri’s offense. Pressey appears to be painting a new mosaic everyday with his beautiful passes and effective layups. Without Pressey, Missouri’s offense looks like a chicken with its head cut off. There is no smooth flow to the offense. Pressey’s second best trait behind his vision and passing ability is his quickness. Everyone knows about these skills but people often forget about him as a threat from beyond the arc.

Ben McLemore

With Ben McLemore,  Bill Self and the Jayhawks are getting a true scorer. He shoots the way Bradly Beal was predicted to shoot at Florida last year. Both players were Saint Louis natives. When coming out of high school Beal was the pick by everyone but Bill Self saw something special in McLemore. After redshirting his freshman year, McLemore has been able to showcase his talents every game. If I had my choice today I (KC’s biggest Gators fan) would take Ben McLemore over Bradley Beal. McLemore shoots the three ball with such poise and consistency. His stroke is as smooth as a babies bottom. McLemore is much better on perimeter defense then most expected.

It is hard to choose between these two stars but because he is younger I would lean towards Ben McLemore. If it were for one season and I could build my team around a player, I would choose Phil Pressey. You let me know who is the best player.

Phil Pressey

Spencer Montgomery

Jan 9 2013

The Race for the MVP

Over the course of this year’s NBA season, certain players across the league have impressed the world night in and night out.  Since the start of the season back in November, four players have established themselves as the best in the league.  Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and LeBron James have been the most consistent, dominate players this year, and here is why each athlete should be considered for the MVP award at the end of the season.

Carmelo Anthony predicted everything.  When he was traded to the New York Knicks almost three years ago, Anthony thought that the first two years would be rough, but the third would be their year.  It would be the year he led the Knicks to an NBA Championship.  As of now, Anthony is fulfilling his prophecy.  Melo is averaging 29 points per game and has New York at a 23-11 record.  More importantly, without Carmelo Anthony’s offensive production, the New York Knicks would not be where they are right now.  He is, with no doubt, a legitimate contender for the MVP award this season.

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Chris Paul has to have his name mentioned in the MVP race.  CP3 averages about 19 points a game and almost 10 assists a game.  Along with those impressive numbers comes his momentum making ability.  His beautiful lobs to Blake Griffin and company are what essentially control any crowd’s mood.  The most significant part of where Paul’s play is has put the Los Angeles Clippers is first in the Western Conference with a 27-8 record.  If Chris Paul was not in L.A., this Clippers team would be like the ones from 2010 and earlier: unbelievably awful.  When MVP voting time comes around, voters need to look at Chris Paul’s impact on the Los Angeles Clippers.

Chris_Paul_Clippers_1st_Game

The Durantula is doing it again this season.  One difference this year is the ferocity Kevin Durant is playing with.  There is just a different style to the way Durant plays with that was not seen in his previous years.  This year K.D. received his first ejection.  It is not like that is a good thing, but in some eyes, it is a sign Kevin Durant is hungry for an NBA Championship.  He has won the scoring title the last three years, and right now he puts up about 27 a game.  However, there is a concern for his MVP status because his numbers in nearly every category are now from last season.  Durant has the Oklahoma City Thunder at a 26 and 8 record.

Oklahoma City Thunder v Miami Heat
Of course, there is the Sportsman of the Year LeBron James.  Believe it or not, the Miami Heat would be more than likely fighting for a playoff spot if it was not for James.  LeBron leads Miami in points, rebounds and assists, putting up 26.4, 7.2 and 6.9 respectively.  His team sits atop the Eastern Conference with a 23 and 10 record.  Dating back to last season, LeBron has scored 20 or more points in 54 straight games.  The three time MVP is certainly playing like he is the front-runner for number four.

These four athletes were teammates over the summer at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  Each are great friends with one another off the court and can be seen together at dinners.  On the court, all four can not stand one another.  They fight hard until the final buzzer for the win, and you should expect the four to fight hard for both the NBA Championship and the MVP.

Drew Agnello

Jeff+Withey+Ben+McLemore+San+Jose+State+v+MBCFUNWDkdil
Dec 25 2012

Big XII Preview

Conference play is right around the corner, and it is now prediction time.  Who will surprise people?  Who will be the disappointing teams?  In this preview, I hope to answer any question you may have.  The teams who I believe will be the best and worst will be ranked in order from 1-10.

1.  Kansas- This should not come as a shocker to anyone.  The Jayhawks have won eight straight conference regular season titles, and it seems like they are a lock for number nine.  They lead the Big XII in field goal percentage and blocks.  They are second in points per game, free throw percentage, three point percentage and assists.  Where the Jayhawks lack in size, they more than make up for it in their guard play.  Conference play aside, the Jayhawks could make a deep postseason run if they cut back on their hefty amount of turnovers.  Every player on the team has been in a winning atmosphere since the first day they stepped on campus.  I just do not see a team in the Big XII who could derail Kansas from their ninth straight title.  Rock Chalk will haveended what has been so far a great season.

2.  Kansas State- I think this may come as a surprise to many people, and rightfully so.  I have   K-State at number two mostly because there is no other team that could be number two, but I also like the way KSU plays.  While former coach Frank Martin gets credit for the intense defense, Coach Weber has been able to continue this trend for Kansas State.  This is a team who can play very well in conference play and especially in the second half of the season.  Size wise, K-State is pretty big with a 7 foot center, but the only person who can lead this team is Rodney McGruder.  The senior has been in the shadows his entire career behind Jacob Pullen and Wally Judge.  Now, it is his turn to step up, and so far he has held his ground.  This is his team, and I am looking forward to seeing how McGruder handles his role as the team leader.  The one thing that could come back to haunt the Wildcats is the loss of head coach Frank Martin.  An average fan would not have noticed Frank was gone except not seeing him on the sidelines screaming at players.  However, the players are responding the same way wit Coach Weber.  This K-State continues to be the same physical, athletic team as they were in the past years.  K-State is my front runner for number two.

3.  Baylor- Coming into the season, I would have told you that Baylor would win the conference title.  Since then, my views have changed because of how much better KU is playing, and how much Baylor is struggling.  The Bears have one person who is under six feet tall.  With this size and athleticism, there should be no excuses to already have three losses on the year.  The one player under six feet is Pierre Jackson, who is arguably the quickest player in the NCAA and has been a leader on this team since he was a freshman.  Baylor’s rebounding is pitiful, and they should be one of the best in college with their size.  Averaging just over 37 boards a game, Baylor’s rebounding has been the reason for their three losses.  It would be okay if they did not lose to Northwestern, Boston College and the College of Charleston if they were a small team, but with such great size, these losses are disappointing.  In the end, I think this team is stacked with talented players.  I think the Bears will turn it around and could potentially swap spots with Kansas State towards the end of the season.


4.  Oklahoma State- I have always been a fan of Pistol Pete and the Cowboys.  This program has great tradition and is known to be a team that can rattle the standings.  In past years, it has been one of the toughest schools to win at home against in the Big XII.  However, history does not win games.  I like the Cowboys this year because of their hot start to the season.  Currently ranked 24th in the country, Oklahoma State beat North Carolina State very easily, who at the time was sixth in the country.  Oklahoma State is a threat to any team because of their defense.  The team gives up just 54.5 points a game, making them one of the best defensive teams in the country.  This scrappy team could make a deep push this year to fight for the top of the conference.

5.  Iowa State- The Cyclones have surprised me with the numbers they are putting up through 12 games.  Their play has made them the seventh ranked team in the NCAA in points and rebounds per game, averaging 82.2 and 43.5.  Assists wise, the team is dishing 17.2 assists per game, making them the 14th ranked team.  Iowa State is a quiet team, but has the ability to win big games if teams overlook them.  They did it last season at home versus the Jayhawks, and I would not be surprised if they did it to another team this year.  The only issue for the Cyclones is their size.  Senior 6’7 guard Will Clyburn will have to be a strong leader in order for Iowa State to make a jump in the standings.

6.  Texas-  With the suspension to Myck Kabongo, the Longhorns season can be thrown out the window.  I cringe when I see the stats the Longhorns have put up so far.  They are 246th in the country in points per game averaging 64.5.  They are also 246th in assists with just 11.9 a game.  Their worst stat is their field goal percentage of 40.4, making them the 276th team in the country.  An embarrassing loss in Hawaii to Division II school Chaminade essentially marked doom on the Hook ‘Em season.   The only thing I can ask about this team is, “What went wrong?”

7.  West Virginia- I was confident Coach Bob Huggins could help impact the Mountaineers first season in the Big XII, but after five quick losses, I have lost all faith in West Virginia’s season.  They were absolutely spanked by the Marist Red Foxes, falling 87 to 44.    The Mountaineers also lost in an early season conference matchup to Oklahoma and fell short at Duquesne.  This is undoubtedly not the year for West Virginia.  After seeing the sizes of their shooting guards and big men, it is sickening to see this team averaging 69.5 points per game with a field goal percentage of 41.  Something has to change for the Mountaineers, and it starts down low with the big men.  With one of the winningest active coaches in Bob Huggins, you should expect West Virginia to flip the switch and show major improvement.

8.  Oklahoma- To keep it short and sweet, this is a team who can not beat elite teams.  They have not in the past, nor will they this year.  There is not a go-to-player on this team, which just hurts their already slim chances of winning.  Senior Romero Osby is the only player who is somewhat productive.  His 12.7 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game make him the leader in both categories on this team, and those are not even close to impressive figures.  Until a leader emerges on this Sooner team, Oklahoma will have to wait for their chance to come close to a conference championship.

9.  Texas Tech- Since Bobby Knight’s retirement, Texas Tech’s basketball program has gone nowhere fast.  Forward Jaye Crockett is the only productive player on this squad averaging 15.8 points per game and 8.9 rebounds per game.  There is not much more for Texas Tech to except except losing.  The Red Raiders have back to back losing seasons coming into this year, and you should expect that to become back to back to back losing seasons.  Hopefully for the Red Raiders, interim head coach Chris Walker can surprise some people and win some games.

10.  Texas Christian- Last but not least, I believe the TCU Horned Frogs will be the worst team in the Big XII this year.  The fact that they only scored 31 points in one of their games this year pretty much sums up this team.  Sure, they have a winning record of 8 and 4, but do I need to tell you who they beat?  Teams from the Big West and Southwestern Athletic Conference are not the teams you can beat and call yourselves a winning team, especially if you are winning by an average of just over 8 points.  Luckily for the Horned Frogs, expectations were never high and they were projected to finish last in the conference by other scouts and analysts.

In order to win a conference championship in the Big XII, or any league for that matter, a team must have a true, go-to leader.  Some of these teams have such a train-wreck of a season because there is no leader.  There is nothing complex to winning the Big XII.  If the right coaching is present, anything could happen.  Hopefully this Big XII season will be yet another one packed with great games.

Drew Agnello