SB Nation - LaceDarius Dunn

Big 12 All Decade Team

Evan Pfaff — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

With almost a full year yet to play, Kansas center Cole Aldrich muscled his way onto the Big12Hoops.com First Team All Big 12 Decade Team (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Browse more photos »

In the first full calendar decade of the Big 12 conference, one thing was apparent: there were two schools that produced a good majority of the talent. And while the best individual players may not have come from Kansas or Texas, a look at the Big12Hoops.com All Decade team reveals that a majority were either Jayhawks or Longhorns.

Don't see your favorite? The Honorable Mention list is after The Jump

First Team All Big 12

PG – Jamaal Tinsley, Iowa St
SG – Tony Allen, Oklahoma St
SF – Kevin Durant, Texas
PF – Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
C – Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Second Team All Big 12

PG – Kirk Hinrich, Kansas
SG – Acie Law, Texas A&M
SF – Michael Beasely, Kansas St
PF – Marcus Fizer, Iowa St
C – Chris Mihm, Texas

Third Team All Big 12

PG – TJ Ford, Texas
SG – Andre Emmett, Texas Tech
SF – PJ Tucker, Texas
PF – Drew Gooden, Kansas
C – Nick Collison, Kansas

[UPDATE: Lots of good suggestions and opinions in the comments section. Lemme give a little insight into how I compiled this list.

I started with a list of Big 12 Players of the Year. My rationale was that if someone was good enough to be the best in the league, even for one year, he warranted entry into this exclusive club. 9 of the 10 Big 12 Players of the Year made the top three teams. The only one who didn’t was Wayne Simien, and that is because he played a PF position that, if you look at the past decade, was just STACKED. Blake Griffin, Marcus Fizer, Drew Gooden. Really you could put Simien in there, but who gets bumped off?

As for PG, Tinsley over TJ Ford and Kirk Hinirich has also garnered a lot of attention. Tinsley’s place as the 2000-01 POY got him on the first team. But you really cant go wrong with any of them.

Lastly, there is this question on what to do with Durant and Beasley. Each only played one year, but they dominated the league (and the country). Durant was a Naismith winner as the best player in the country and Beasley was a finalist for the award. Both were league POYs. Because they didn’t play a full 4 years, they didn’t accumulate career stats that some others players did, but my list was based on selecting the best players, during their time in the Big 12, at each position.]

All Big 12 - Honorable Mention

Baylor Bears
LaceDarius Dunn
Lawrence Roberts

Colorado Buffaloes
Reggie Roby
David Harrison

Iowa St Cyclones
Craig Brackins

Kansas Jayhawks
Wayne Simien
Aaron Miles

Kansas St. Wildcats
Cartier Martin

Missouri Tigers
DeMarre Carroll
Clarence Gilbert
Arthur Johnson
Kareem Rush

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Aleks Maric

Oklahoma Sooners
Taj Gray
Hollis Price

Oklahoma St Cowboys
Byron Eaton
Joey Graham

Texas Longhorns
DJ Augustine
LaMarcus Aldridge

Texas Tech Red Raiders
Jarrius Jackson

Texas A&M Aggies
Bernard King

Baylor vs. Alabama Liveblog

big12hoops — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:21:47 -0000

Senior guard Tweety Carter will make his season debut tonight in Baylor's biggest test of the year against Alabama. Carter was suspended for the first four games of the season for an undisclosed team violation.

View full size photo »

Baylor vs. Alabama liveblog online.
Begins at 5:30pm CST tonight.

Next Game

Alabama Crimson Tide
@ Baylor Bears

Thursday, Nov 26, 2009, 5:30 PM CST
Old Spice Classic - Disney`s Sports Complex, Orlando, FL

Continue For liveblog and full game preview>

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=21ca8bdd5e" mce_href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=21ca8bdd5e">Baylor vs. Alabama</a>

Baylor Bears Basketball News

Alabama (2-1) vs. Baylor (4-0)
(Sports Network) about 8 hours ago.

Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball News

Alabama (2-1) vs. Baylor (4-0)
(Sports Network) about 8 hours ago.
Recap: Alabama vs. Providence
(Sports Network) 5 days ago.
Providence (3-0) at Alabama (1-1)
(Sports Network) 6 days ago.
Recap: Alabama vs. Cornell
(Sports Network) 12 days ago.
Cornell (0-0) at Alabama (0-0)
(Sports Network) 12 days ago.

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
BAYLOR	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
LaceDarius Dunn	4	29.3	8.5	17.8	47.9	4.8	10.3	46.3	3.5	3.8	93.3	0.8	2.0	2.8	2.0	1.0	1.3	0.0	1.5	25.3
Ekpe Udoh	4	29.3	6.8	9.3	73.0	0.3	0.5	50.0	2.0	4.5	44.4	3.0	5.8	8.8	1.5	1.5	0.5	3.0	1.0	15.8
Quincy Acy	4	21.0	3.0	4.5	66.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	2.3	55.6	2.5	3.3	5.8	0.3	0.8	0.3	0.8	1.8	7.3
A.J. Walton	4	32.8	2.8	4.8	57.9	0.8	1.0	75.0	0.5	1.8	28.6	1.0	4.0	5.0	5.0	3.0	3.0	0.0	2.5	6.8
Josh Lomers	4	15.5	2.3	3.5	64.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	1.8	71.4	1.5	1.8	3.3	0.5	0.5	0.5	1.3	2.5	5.8
Anthony Jones	4	25.0	2.3	6.8	33.3	0.0	1.3	0.0	0.5	1.8	28.6	2.0	3.8	5.8	3.3	1.0	0.3	0.8	0.3	5.0
Cory Jefferson	3	11.0	1.7	3.7	45.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3	2.0	66.7	1.7	1.7	3.3	0.0	0.7	0.7	0.3	0.7	4.7
Nolan Dennis	4	14.5	1.3	3.8	33.3	0.3	1.5	16.7	1.5	3.3	46.2	0.3	0.8	1.0	1.3	2.0	0.8	0.3	1.8	4.3
Dragan Sekelja	3	7.3	1.3	2.0	66.7	0.3	0.3	100.0	0.7	1.3	50.0	0.3	1.7	2.0	0.3	1.0	0.0	1.0	1.3	3.7
Fred Ellis	4	10.0	0.8	1.3	60.0	0.5	0.8	66.7	0.8	1.0	75.0	1.3	1.5	2.8	0.8	1.3	0.5	0.0	1.8	2.8
Givon Crump	3	7.3	0.3	2.7	12.5	0.3	2.3	14.3	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.3	3.0	3.3	0.3	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3
Oscar Griffin	3	4.7	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.7	0.7	100.0	0.0	0.3	0.3	1.0	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.3	1.3

			FG			3PT			FT			Rebounds			Misc
ALABAMA	G	M	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	M	A	Pct	Off	Def	Tot	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	PPG
Mikhail Torrance	3	30.7	6.0	11.7	51.4	1.0	2.7	37.5	5.3	6.0	88.9	1.3	3.3	4.7	5.0	1.7	1.0	1.0	1.0	18.3
JaMychal Green	3	26.7	5.0	11.0	45.5	0.0	0.3	0.0	5.0	7.0	71.4	2.7	6.0	8.7	0.7	1.3	1.0	3.3	3.3	15.0
Anthony Brock	1	34.0	5.0	8.0	62.5	3.0	4.0	75.0	2.0	2.0	100.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	3.0	0.0	2.0	15.0
Tony Mitchell	3	19.3	5.3	8.3	64.0	0.0	1.3	0.0	2.3	4.3	53.8	2.0	1.7	3.7	0.7	0.0	1.0	0.3	2.3	13.0
Charvez Davis	3	18.3	2.7	6.3	42.1	2.0	5.0	40.0	0.3	0.7	50.0	0.3	1.3	1.7	0.7	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	7.7
Senario Hillman	3	31.7	2.7	8.7	30.8	0.3	2.3	14.3	0.3	1.0	33.3	0.7	1.0	1.7	4.3	3.0	1.3	0.0	3.0	6.0
Justin Knox	3	16.3	0.7	3.7	18.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	4.3	5.3	81.3	3.0	2.0	5.0	0.7	1.7	0.3	0.0	2.3	5.7
Andrew Steele	3	18.0	1.7	3.0	55.6	0.3	0.7	50.0	1.0	2.7	37.5	2.0	2.0	4.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	2.0	4.7
Chris Hines	3	16.3	1.0	1.7	60.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.3	2.3	0.3	1.0	0.7	1.3	3.3	2.0
Ben Eblen	3	11.3	0.3	1.3	25.0	0.0	0.7	0.0	1.0	2.0	50.0	0.0	0.7	0.7	1.3	0.7	0.3	0.0	0.7	1.7

Bears Basketball Schedule

Next 5 Games

Alabama	Thu 11/26	5:30 PM CST
@ Arizona St.	Thu 12/03	9:30 PM CST
Jackson St.	Tue 12/15	7:00 PM CST
Texas-Arlington	Sun 12/20	2:00 PM CST
@ Arkansas	Wed 12/30	8:00 PM CST

Last 5 Games

Hardin-Simmons	Sun 11/22	W 106 - 45
Southern U.	Mon 11/16	W 61 - 45
Hartford	Sun 11/15	W 71 - 69
Norfolk St.	Fri 11/13	W 86 - 58

Crimson Tide Basketball Schedule

Next 5 Games

@ Baylor	Thu 11/26	5:30 PM CST
North Florida	Wed 12/02	7:00 PM CST
Louisiana-Monroe	Sat 12/05	12:00 PM CST
Purdue	Sat 12/12	8:00 PM CST
Samford	Wed 12/16	7:00 PM CST

Last 5 Games

Providence	Fri 11/20	W 84 - 75
Jackson St.	Tue 11/17	W 86 - 69
Cornell	Sat 11/14	L 67 - 71

Recap of "Five Questions For..."

Evan Pfaff — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:15:21 -0000

For the past 12 days we have asked “Five Questions For…” each Big 12 school. In case you missed one, after the jump you can read the questions we have for all the hoops programs in the conference.

Have more questions, or comments on the questions? Leave a comment.

Missouri

1) How can Mizzou replace the loss of DeMarre Carroll, Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence?

2) Can Mizzou sustain the momentum that led them to a Big 12 tournament championship and Elite Eight run last season?

3) Now that Coach Mike Anderson has a squad made up entirely of his recruits, can the "Fastest 40 Minutes in Basketball" be even better?

4) Who will step up in the frontcourt for Mizzou? Steve Moore, Laurence Bowers, Keith Ramsey, Justin Safford?

5) Will this be the year Mizzou beats Illinois for the first time in 10 years in the "Busch Bragging Rights" game?

Kansas

1) Can the Jayhawks meet preseason expectations of being ranked #1 nationally in a lot of publications?

2) Can Kansas put their offseason troubles behind them?

3) Exactly how good is freshman Xavier Henry?

4) Will Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins both perform at All Big 12 levels?

5) Can anyone tell the Morris twins apart?

Colorado

1) Now that Jeff Bzdelik is in his third year, can he bring a winning season to Boulder?

2) If not, how much longer will the CU AD go on with the Bzdelik experiment?

3) Can Cory Higgins perform up to his 08-09 level, when he placed fifth in the conference in scoring?

4) Who else steps up for the Buffaloes?

5) Will the Buffaloes improve upon last season's 1-15 conference record?

Iowa State

1) Can Craig Brackins get any help, or will it again be a one man show?

2) Can the Cyclones crack the top half of the Big 12 North division?

3) Is there still "Hilton Magic" in Ames?

4) One publication listed Greg McDermott as being on the "hot seat." What does he need to do to get off it?

5) After 4 straight conference seasons with a losing record, can the Cyclones better the .500 mark this year?

Kansas State

1) Frank Martin brings the 20^th ranked recruiting class to Manhattan. How can the 5 freshmen gel with the veterans?

2) Is Denis Clemente the most fun player to watch in the conference?

3) Can 6-10 UConn transfer Curtis Kelly shore up the frontline for the Wildcats?

4) Is K-State a legitimate program again after nearly a decade of meritocracy (sans the Bill Walker, Michael Beasley year)?

5) What can we expect from freshman Wally Judge?

Nebraska

1) Last year NU was the smallest team in college basketball. This year they brought in some size, will that help?

2) Will Doc Sadler's JUCO coaching experience help the three incoming JUCO transfers adjust to division 1 basketball?

3) Nebraska hasn't had a winning record this decade. Will they go 10 for 10 in losing seasons?

4) How will the team cope with two transfers leaving Lincoln?

5) Who wins more conference games, NU football or NU basketball?

Oklahoma

1) How does Oklahoma replace Blake Griffin?

2) Can Willie Warren be "the man"?

3) Can 6-8, 300 lb freshman Tiny Gallon play big in his first year in the Big 12?

4) Does Oklahoma mind being second fiddle in the Big 12 South?

5) Will inexperience in the frontcourt hurt Oklahoma's chances of making a deep run in the NCAA tournament?

Texas

1) Who will play the majority of the year, the Dexter Pittman who dominated the end of last season or the Dexter Pittman who was essentially non-existent for the first half?

2) Is freshman Avery Bradley as good as advertised?

3) Can the team get back to its first Final Four since 2003?

4) Did Damion James make the right move in returning for his senior season?

5) Between Dogus Balbay, Jai Lucas and J'Covan Brown, who will win the battle for starting PG spot?

Oklahoma State

1) Will Travis Ford's first full recruiting class bring a Big 12 championship to Stillwater?

2) With the loss of Byron Eaton, yet 4 of the top 6 scorers returning, can the Cowboys continue to put lots of points on the board?

3) How much better can James Anderson get?

4) Obi Muonelo played out of position last year. Will the right placement on the floor help the senior better his 12.7 ppg average from last year?

5) OK State will be bigger this year... but also slower. Will that hinder their ability to run with some of the Big 12 teams?

Texas Tech

1) Junior guard Mike Singletary lit up Texas A&M for a near conference tournament record 43 points last season. Will he continue to put the ball in the basket this season?

2) Will Pat Knight's second full season be an improvement over his first?

3) Is Pat Knight on the hot seat?

4) Do the Red Raiders have the personnel to match Knight's emphasis on defense this year?

5) Will all the new JUCO players pan out for the Red Raiders?

Texas A&M

1) How can the Aggies replace Josh Carter?

2) Some publications think the Aggies will finish in the top 4 in the conference. Can this team meet those expectations?

3) Mark Turgeon is in his third year in College Station. Now that he has a roster made up of mostly his guys, can the Aggies crack the upper 1/3 of the conference?

4) Will the four freshman have the impact Turgeon is hoping for?

5) The Aggies have made a school record 4 consecutive NCAA tournaments. Will the streak continue this year?

Baylor

1) Can the Bears rebound from the loss of 50% of their scoring and 2/3 of their assists due to graduation?

2) Coach Scott Drew can recruit, but can he coach those guys to a third straight post season tournament?

3) Can Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh be the defensive force Bears fans are expecting from the 6-10 center?

4) Did highly ranked recruit Nolan Dennis make the right decision in rescinding his verbal from Memphis and commit to Baylor?

5) Who will be the go-to guy this year, LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter or one of the freshman?

Five Questions For... Baylor basketball

Evan Pfaff — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:15:15 -0000

In a recurring piece leading up to the start of the basketball season, we will examine the top 5 questions surrounding each Big 12 basketball team.

Today, the top 5 questions for the Baylor Bears.

1) Can the Bears rebound from the loss of 50% of their scoring and 2/3 of their assists due to graduation?

2) Coach Scott Drew can recruit, but can he coach those guys to a third straight post season tournament?

3) Can Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh be the defensive force Bears fans are expecting from the 6-10 center?

4) Did highly ranked recruit Nolan Dennis make the right decision in rescinding his verbal from Memphis and commit to Baylor?

5) Who will be the go-to guy this year, LaceDarius Dunn, Tweety Carter or one of the freshman?

Check back tomorrow when we will ask Five Question For... the Big 12 Conference.

Also check out Five Questions For...

Big 12 North: Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State, Nebraska
Big 12 South: Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M

Follow Evan on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MizzouHoops

Poll

What is the most pressing question for Baylor this year?

BtB 2009-10 Big 12 Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:10:30 -0000

With six NCAA entrants, all of whom won at least a game in the Tournament, with two reaching the Elite Eight, the Big 12 had a pretty good 2008-09 season.

Thanks to some returning star power and some high-profile recruits, 2009-10 could be a banner year for the conference.

Sure the Griffin brothers left Oklahoma, but Willie Warren is ready to turn into a star. Chinemelu Elonu may have shocked everyone by going to the NBA, but Bryan Davis could be a more than capable replacement at Texas A&M. Their archrivals, Texas, lost J.J. Abrams, but Damion James is back, and he'll be joined by McDonald's All-American Avery Bradley and the highly-touted Jordan Hamilton.

And then there's Kansas, where Cole Alrdich and Sherron Collins decided to return, the Henry brothers are now on board, and a star recruit named Elijah Johnson may struggle to see the floor.

But that's just the start of what should be a very exciting year in the Big 12. This year's league should be similar to the Big Ten in that while the bottom teams--three in the case of the XII--don't stand much of a chance at all, the remainder of the squads all have somewhat legitimate NCAA hopes. More on each team's specific chances after the jump.

Let's first take a look at the 2008-09 Big 12 standings.

Big Twelve Conference Standings

(updated 4.2.2009 at 10:13 PM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Kansas Jayhawks	14	2	27	8
Oklahoma Sooners	13	3	30	6
Missouri Tigers	12	4	31	7
Texas A&M Aggies	9	7	24	10
Texas Longhorns	9	7	23	12
Oklahoma St. Cowboys	9	7	23	12
Kansas St. Wildcats	9	7	22	12
Nebraska Cornhuskers	8	8	18	13
Baylor Bears	5	11	24	15
Iowa St. Cyclones	4	12	15	17
Texas Tech Red Raiders	3	13	14	19
Colorado Buffaloes	1	15	9	22

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a team's name appears in red, click the link to visit the school's SBN site for further analysis throughout the season. You can also visit Big 12 Hoops for more info and analysis.

Colorado (last NCAA: 2003) During the offseason, Jeff Bzdelik talked to the Minnesota Timberwolves about a coaching role but ultimately remained in Boulder, where he's won less than one-third of the games he's coached. This year may not be much better. The backcourt will be the Buffaloes strength, as Cory Higgins averaged over 17 points and nearly 3 assists a game, Dwight Thorne III was the team's only other player to average in double-digits (12 ppg), and Australian point guard Nate Tomlinson had a solid freshman campaign (7.4 ppg, 3 apg). The returning frontcourt players don't offer much in terms of anything, as last year's Big 12 rebounding and defensive statistics will tell you, but another Aussie, 6-11 C Shane Harris-Tunks, and 6-7 JC transfer Marcus Relphorde may be the prescription for those woes. The Buffs travel to Maui this year, where they seem destined for the consolation bracket, as they open with Gonzaga.

Nebraska (last NCAA: 1998) The Huskers had a respectable season last time around, finishing at .500 in the Big 12 and earning an NIT invitation. Neither of those results is likely for Doc Sadler's club this year, as he lost four key players from that team, including leading scorers Ade Dagunduro (12.8 ppg) and Steve Harley (10.8 ppg). Point guard Cookie Miller (7.3 ppg, 3.6 apg) transferred to Miami (OH), leaving another hole. Guards Sek Henry (8 ppg) and Ryan Anderson (7.1 ppg) lead the returnees, who are joined by a busload of newcomers. The theme of the class is size. 6-11 Puerto Rican C Brian Diaz will play after a redshirt year, and he'll be joined by two German big men, 6-11 Christopher Niemann and 6-8 Christian Standhardinger. Sadler even picked up 6-8 Quincy Hankins-Cole from the JC ranks. He's joined by his Polk State College (FL) teammate, G Lance Jeter, who is expected to bring a new dimension to the backcourt. NU will play Tulsa in the Las Vegas Classic in December, then either Nevada or BYU.

Texas Tech (last NCAA: 2007) The Red Raiders won only 3 Big 12 games last year, and Pat Knight will be counting on five new arrivals, including three JC transfers, to help improve that total. Leading scorer John Roberson is back to lead the offense. Roberson averaged nearly 14 points and more than 6 assists a game last year, so he's a pretty good building block. Senior Nick Okorie averaged 11.3 points a contest, so the starting backcourt is pretty well set. Knight may even go to a three-guard set, as JC transfer David Tairu, a former teammate of Okorie, is expected to boost the Double-T's defense. Frosh Nick Davis could be a bench scoring threat, especially outside, where the graduated Alan Voskuil will be missed. In the frontcourt, Mike Singletary (12.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Trevor Cook (7.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg), and C Robert Lewandowski (6.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg) are all serviceable players. Two 6-6 JC transfers, Brad Reese and Theron Jenkins, will be expected to contribute immediately; however, as they give Knight some flexibility the current forwards don't offer. The Red Raiders will host the Duel in the Desert, a four-team round-robin tournament, where Oregon State figures to be their main opposition for the crown.

Baylor (last NCAA: 2008) The Bears had high hopes last year, and a 15-3 start, featuring a run to the 76 Classic final seemed to justify them. Then, the wheels came off completely. Baylor then dropped 10 of their next 12, a run that started with a six-game Big 12 losing streak. They nearly stole the league's auto bid, but fell to Missouri in the Big 12 final. Scott Drew's team then built on that momentum and reached the NIT final, which they lost to Penn State. Now Baylor will have to attempt to be more consistent without three of last year's prominent performers. Point guard Curtis Jerrells (16.3 ppg, 4,9 apg), the team's heart and soul is gone. So are F Kevin Rogers (12.76 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and guard Henry Dugat (9.4 ppg). Drew has a strong backcourt, even without Jerrells, as LaceDarius Dunn (15.7 ppg) and Tweety Carter (10.6 ppg) can both score, and Carter can do a decent job running the point (3.2 ppg). Expect freshman A.J. Walton to see some time running the offense as well. The arrival of Mark McLaughlin and Nolan Dennis means the Bears will be set at shooting guard for the next four years. Meanwhile, the frontcourt will be bolstered by 6-10 Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh, who will be supported by returnees Quincy Acy, Josh Lomers, Anthony Jones, and Fred Ellis, none of whom averaged more than 5.4 a contest last year. Baylor plays in another tournament near a Disney park this year, featuring in the Old Spice Classic in Florida, where they'll open with Alabama.

Iowa State (last NCAA: 2005) Greg McDermott hasn't had much luck in his three seasons in Ames, but he must have felt like he found a four-leaf clover and horseshoe while a shooting star flew overhead when Craig Brackins announced he was foregoing NBA millions for at least one more season. Brackins very nearly averaged a double-double last year, scoring more than 20 a game and grabbing nearly 10 boards. While the Cyclones may not have enough besides him to challenge for a conference crown, his return makes them a serious postseason threat. ISU's biggest issue is scoring, as they ranked 10th in the league last year in offensive output, and Brackins was the only player to average in double-figures. Expect the two starting guards, Diante Garrett, who very nearly averaged 10 a game, and Lucca Staiger (8.2 ppg) to step up. 6-11 Canadian Jamie Vanderbeken (5.5 ppg) should also benefit from the attention opposition defenses will pay to Brackins. McDermott also has high hopes for his two JC transfers, 6-9 F LaRon Dendy and 6-6 Marquis Gilstrap. The Cyclones will play in the Chicago Invitational Challenge, facing St. Louis in the semifinal, then either Northwestern or Notre Dame.

Missouri (last NCAA: 2009) Considering that he was losing three starters to graduation, including his two leading scorers and rebounders, you couldn't have really blamed Mike Anderson if he left Columbia after reaching last year's West Regional final. Yet, Anderson spurned the advances of numerous suitors to stay at Mizzou. Now he has to figure out how to get more out of the many returnees on the roster, none of whom matched the contributions of the departed DeMarre Carroll (16.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg), Les Lyons (14.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), or Matt Lawrence (9.2 ppg). The Tigers two leading returning scorers and rebounders are both in the backcourt, J.T. Tiller (8.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Zaire Taylor (6.7 ppg, 3 rpg). Both also averaged more than 3 assists per game, so Anderson can rest assured that his offense will be run well. Missouri's Mr. Basketball from last year, Mike Dixon, Jr., is the point guard of the future. 6-6 Kim English averaged 6.5 points in only about 14 minutes per contest, so his numbers should increase significantly with more action, especially if he continues to shoot well from the perimeter. The frontcourt is a major concern, however, as none of the returnees even cracked 4 ppg or 3 rpg last year. Junior Justin Stafford did average 3.4 points in 9-plus minutes of action, so he could turn into a consistent performer. The fact 6-10 freshman Keith Dewitt couldn't get eligible for this season was a major blow to MU. The Tigers will play in the South Padre Invitational over Thanksgiving weekend, opening with CAA contender Old Dominion, then facing either Mississippi State or Richmond.

Oklahoma State (last NCAA: 2009) I saw the Cowboys drop two of three at the Old Spice Classic last year, and not look terribly good doing it. (They managed to beat Siena in the 7th/8th place game that was delayed by a leaky roof caused by a freak November thunderstorm.) In the end, Travis Ford's squad improved enough to win 9 league games, beat Tennessee in the NCAA tournament, and scare Pittsburgh in round two. This time around, Ford will have to run his four-guard offense without two key cogs, as point guard Byron Eaton (14.3 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 2.2 spg) and Terrel Harris (13.9 ppg, 1.7 spg) graduated. Swingman James Anderson (18.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg), a challenger for all-Big 12 honors, is back, as is Obi Muonelo (12.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg). Keiton Page (8.6 ppg), a sharpshooter who's 5-10 on a very good day, will see more action this time around. Eaton's spot at the point will probably be filled by a freshman--most likely Ray Penn. 6-6 Marshall Moses (7 ppg, 6.1 rpg) is the only frontcourt player to see significant time last year, so Kentucky transfer Matt Pilgrim will be asked to contribute immediately. The Cowboys will play in the Thanksgiving Las Vegas Invitational. Bradley will be their first opponent, followed by either Illinois or Utah.

Texas A&M (last NCAA: 2009) The Aggies easily knocked BYU out of the tournament for the second year in a row, part of one of the dreariest NCAA sessions I've ever experienced. Somehow, the Aggies are one of only six schools to win an NCAA game in each of the past four seasons, but that's a streak they may have trouble extending without C Chinemelu Elonu, who decided to go to the NBA, despite only averaging 9.8 ppg and 7.3 rpg, and swingman Josh Carter (13.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg). The good news for Mark Turgeon is that just about everyone else is back, led by 6-9 Bryan Davis (10.8 ppg, 6.5 apg), who should move over to the center spot., and point guard Donald Sloan (11.8 ppg, 3.2 apg). With sophomore Dash Harris averaging 2 assists per game, while seeing only 13 minutes a contest, Turgeon could even move Sloan off the point to give himself another scoring option. 6-7 freshman Khris Middleton could be a replacement for Carter. The fact that 6-9 Kourtney Roberson won't be eligible for the Aggies is a major blow to a thin frontcourt, however. A&M will have a good idea of how they'll fare nationally after their three games in Anaheim at the 76 Classic, where they open with Clemson.

Kansas State (last NCAA: 2008) The Wildcats lost four contributors after last season, most prominently F Darren Kent (9 ppg, 5.8 ppg). but hopes are high in Manhattan. The starting backcourt is highly-regarded, in a league full of highly-regarded backcourt performers. Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen are the team's two leading scorers, averaging 15 and nearly 14 points per contest respectively, but both were equally adept at dishing the ball to their teammates, combining to average nearly 7 dimes a game. But the depth of the backcourt will be tested after Buchi Awaji and Fred Brown both left the program. Incoming freshmen Martavious Irving and Nick Russell will be expected to replace them. Frank Martin also expects big things from two other newcomers in the frontcourt, 6-9 F Wally Judge, another highly-touted recruit from the DC area and 6-8 UConn transfer Curtis Kelly. They'll join a unit led by returnees Jamar Samuels (8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Dominique Sutton (7.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Martin will hope his team will gel enough for the Puerto Rico Tip-off, where the Wildcats open with Boston University.

Oklahoma (last NCAA: 2009) Look for the Sooners to play a completely different style this year, without Blake and Taylor Griffin manning the frontcourt. The Willie Warren-led (14.6 ppg, 3.2 apg) backcourt will be the focus this time around. Warren will have to take on more of a leadership role now that Blake Griffin and point guard Austin Johnson (8.6 ppg, 3.9 apg) is gone. Expect him to not spend as much time on the perimeter this season. Tony Crocker (9.6 ppg) and Cade Davis (4.7 ppg) will be expected to take on more of the scoring load as well. In the frontcourt, Orlando Allen and Ryan Wright averaged under 2 points a contest each in very limited action, so who knows if they can adequately fill in for the Griffins. 6-9 300 pound freshman Keith "Tiny" Gallon, a big man who can shoot the ball well will see a lot of action. The Sooners head north for Thanskgiving, where Jeff Capel's men will face at least San Diego and Houston in a six-team Great Alaska Shootout field.

Texas (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Barnes has few question marks this year. Unlike the Sooners, his frontcourt is pretty well set, thanks to the return of 6-7 swingman Damion James (15.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg). James will again team up with 6-6 Gary Johnson (10 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and 6-10 Dexter Pittman (10.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) to form one of the most formidable frontcourts in the college game. While Texas has three returning guards who saw significant time last season, their roles will undoubtedly diminish because of three newcomers. 5-9 junior Jai Lucas will be eligible after sitting out last year after transferring from Florida. He'll run the offense. Lucas will be joined by two highly-regarded freshmen, 6-3 Avery Bradley and 6-7 swingman Jordan Hamilton, both of whom should challenge for more than just All-Freshman honors. The Longhorns will get to showcase their old and new talent at the CBE Classic in Kansas City, where tjhey should make the final, as they face rebuilding Iowa in the semifinals. Pittsburgh or Wichita State awaits them on night two.

Kansas (last NCAA: 2009) The Jayhawks fell five points short of a regional final appearance last year, but this time around such a result would be considered a major disappointment, when you consider all that Bill Self has coming back and coming in. Sherron Collins (18.9 ppg, 5 apg) and Cole Aldrich (14.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg) will obviously lead the way, but the Morris brothers, Marcus (7.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and Markieff (4.6 ppg. 4.4 rpg) should be better in their second go-round, as should Tyshawn Taylor, who nearly averaged 10 points a contest. 6-6 Xavier Henry, one of the top recruits in the country, will provide even more scoring punch to the backcourt. His brother C.J, a Memphis transfer, even came along for the ride. Another transfer, Jeff Withey, got to practice against Aldrich last year, so the 7-footer who left Arizona could turn into another force inside. In the early season, the Jayhawks will be tested by games against Memphis (in St. Louis), La Salle (in Kansas City); at UCLA, Temple, and Tennessee, and in Lawrence against California and Michigan.

As the Jayhawks are virtually everyone's preseason number 1, they'll hold the Big 12 auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. The conference should have a big presence in this year's tournament, so check back in then to see how many at-large bids I'm predicting at the start of the year.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big 12 team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big 12 Team

Player of the Year: Sherron Collins, 5-11 G, Sr. (Kansas)

Remainder of the Team
Cole Aldrich, 6-11 C, Jr. (Kansas)
Craig Brackins, 6-10 C, Jr. (Iowa State)
Damion James, 6-7 F, Sr. (Texas)
Willie Warren, 6-4 G, So. (Oklahoma)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big 12 this season?

Baylor

4 votes

Colorado

1 votes

Iowa State

2 votes

Kansas

31 votes

Kansas State

2 votes

Missouri

12 votes

Nebraska

1 votes

Oklahoma

3 votes

Oklahoma State

2 votes

Texas

74 votes

Texas A&M

3 votes

Texas Tech

1 votes

136 votes | Poll has closed

Your obligatory Big 12 Primer

SFBE.NF — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:22:38 -0000

It's not a groundbreaking fact, but still worth noting: when you look at the last three #1 and #2 NBA Draft picks, three have come from the Big 12. Yes, that's Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley and Blake Griffin. This year, there may not be a top pick in waiting, but the conference boasts 8-10 players that could all go in the first round next summer. Lucky for Kansas they have three of those players and one of them (Xavier Henry) will have to fight just to see 20 minutes of floor time each game.

The most intriguing player in the conference though is Iowa State's Craig Brackins, someone who sort of became a household name at the unlikeliest of times. Stuck in Ames, Iowa, the forward's 20 and 10 output didn't seem to garner the attention that it deserved. Instead, it took a spot on Team USA for the World University Games in June and dissuasion from his mother to go pro that put him in a position to polish his game, potentially win this year's Big 12 POY award, and assure himself of a top 5 draft position.

Texas might have their best team in history. You know about Damion James and you know about Avery Bradley. But don't forget about Jai Lucas. Texas has a real point guard now who can also score when needed.

Also don't forget about James Anderson, Dennis Clemente, LaceDarius Dunn, JT Tiller and Mike Singletary. Get it? There's a ton of talent in this league.

Our breakdown is after the jump.

Tourney teams (in order of conference finish)

Kansas
Texas
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma
Kansas State
Texas A&M

All Conference Team

Sherron Collins, Kansas
Damion James, Texas
James Anderson, Oklahoma State (sorry Willie)
Craig Brackins, Iowa State
Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Most overrated - Jayhawk drama, Willie Warren

Most underrated - Longhorn 3pt and free-throw woes, the recruiting pipeline between Manhattan, Kansas and the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area

Notable non-conference match-ups:

11/17 - Kansas vs. Memphis (in St. Louis)
12/8 - Kansas State @ Xavier
12/19 - Texas vs. North Carolina (in Cowboys Stadium)
12/22 - Michigan State @ Texas
1/6 - Iowa State vs. Duke (in Chicago)

Five story lines to keep tabs on:

Brady Morningstar. Will he mesh with his star-studded team when he becomes reinstated for the second semester?
Craig Brackins. Can he hold up for an entire season and carry the Cyclones on his back?
Final Four candidates Kansas and Texas both go about 9-10 deep - can Bill Self and Rick Barnes effectively manage this amount of talent?
Jeff Capel. Can he make proper the adjustments to gaping holes in the Sooner frontcourt?
LaceDarius Dunn. Does he record more than two assists (his 08-09 total) this season?

Fox Sports List Top 50 Shooters in Country

big12hoops — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:49:45 -0000

Fox Sports writer Jeff Goodman unveiled his list of the top 50 shooters in the coutry. Five Big 12ers made the cut, including a pair of Oklahoma State sharpshooters.

12. James Anderson, 6-6, 205, SG, Jr., Oklahoma State: He has a career percentage of .394 from beyond the arc (151-of-383) and shot 40.8 percent last season. He also shot 82.9 percent from the charity stripe last season. He has hit six 3-pointers on three occasions in his two-year career.

"James is the best catch-and-shoot player I've ever coached. He's got tremendous range with little effort and a very quick release. He has great form, great follow through. He's a true jump shooter, not a set shooter." — Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford

24. LaceDarius Dunn, 6-4, 195, SG, Jr., Baylor: He set the school's single-season mark for 3-pointers made (109) and attempts (281) last season and also hit nine trifectas at Kansas State. He has made seven or more threes on three different occasions and has a career 3-point field goal percentage of .399.

"Lace was born a great shooter. In fact, he made his first 3-pointer from the crib. What has made him such a great shooter is great mechanics and countless hours in the gym. He has beyond NBA range and consistently shoots with great accuracy." — Baylor coach Scott Drew

25. Willie Warren, 6-3, 205, SG, Soph., Oklahoma: He can be somewhat streaky, but he has big-time range and is fearless. He shot .372 (67-of-180) as a freshman last season for the Sooners.

"He put on a clinic against us. It was a joke. The thing that makes Willie Warren so tough is his explosiveness off the bounce for a player his size. If he's making the 3-point shot, like he can do, it's almost like you pick your poison." — Arkansas coach John Pelphrey

30. Keiton Page, 5-9, 170, G, Soph., Oklahoma State: He made 63-of-158 (.399) from deep as a freshman last season.

"He has great technique, works at it and has a shooter's mentality. People questioned whether he would be effective at this level being that he's small and played in Class A here in Oklahoma, but when you can shoot the ball like he can and have the heart and savvy that he has, there's a place for you." — Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel

49. Lucca Staiger, 6-5, 220, G, Jr., Iowa State: After not being allowed to play by the NCAA two years ago, the German wing was 74-of-192 (.375) last season from beyond the arc.

"He really has a great feel on how to play off (Craig) Brackins and thinks he can make every shot." — Nebraska coach Doc Sadler

View the Enitre List

Poll

Who is the best shooter in the Big 12?

James Anderson

2 votes

LaceDarius Dunn

5 votes

Willie Warren

4 votes

Keiton Page

3 votes

Lucca Staiger

0 votes

Other, not listed

2 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed

Detour: Remember the Sport with the Orange Ball?

BracketCat — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:00:18 -0000

More photos » AP

Get used to Xavier Henry's shining mug. You're gonna hear a lot about him this season... (AP Photo)

Browse more photos »

I hate to do this to you guys, what with kickoff less than two weeks away and this blog firmly enmeshed in the Kellis Crisis.

But there's a fascinating newcomer to the SB Nation, and they've sent out an early request for preseason basketball predictions. Now, I'm looking forward to football season as much as the next guy, but basketball - and specifically, Big 12 basketball - are my lifeblood on this blog. The upcoming football season, more than any before it, is really just a mildly filling appetizer compared to the main course that's going to follow.

So J-Lounge, if you're over here looking for that last, perfect link to complete your daily digest, hit the jump for some Way-Too-Early Big 12 Basketball Predictions. You know, basketball? 'Tis the sport of morons, green cards, poorly-coached teams and streaks!

Here's the letter we got from Big 12 Hoops:

Guys,

Sorry to send this out to everyone, this is just for the Big 12 guys. (Not aware of there being a Big 12 only e-mail. Please let me know if there is.)

I run the new Big12Hoops site, and I'm in the process of previewing each Big 12 men's hoops team. I know it's early, but I'd like compile an all-conference team voted on by the SB Nation Big 12 writers. I'm new here, so if this is something you guys already have planned to run later in the year, then just let me know and I will hold off. If anything though, this can be a pre-pre-season team.

If it's okay with everyone, I plan on publishing this on my site within the next week or two. Please think over the questions listed below and send back in the next week or so...(Note that multiple writers from one site can send their own list in. It's your discretion. Also, you can vote for players from the school you cover, just try to be as objective as possible.)

Projected Big XII Standings (1 thru 12)
Top incoming recruiting class (one school)
Projected NCAA Tourney teams--
Projected NIT teams--
Most Improved Team--(one school)
Big XII Player of the Year--
Big XII Newcomer of the Year (non-freshmen)--
Big XII Freshman of the Year--
Big XII Defensive POY--
Big XII First Team; Second Team; Third Team
G-
G-
F-
F-
C-
Big XII All-Newcomer Team (include freshmen)
G-
G-
F-
F-
C-

Thanks so much guys. I know it can be difficult sometime to come up with such a comprehensive list long before the start of the season. Let me know if you have any questions.

And here's my picks:

1. Kansas
2. Kansas State
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma
5. Oklahoma State
6. Baylor
7. Missouri
8. Texas A&M
9. Iowa State
10. Texas Tech
11. Nebraska
12. Colorado

I know Rivals rankings aren't everything, but my Top 6 all have Top 25 classes coming in, and the bottom half doesn't. Maybe the mainstream media will swap K-State and Texas, but we own the Chisholm Trail Rivalry. I ain't buying it.

As for the rest:

Top incoming recruiting class: Tie between Kansas State and Oklahoma State

All of the top half added great players, so to me, it's more about quantity and addressing needs. OSU added seven, plus the Kentucky transfer that just got a waiver; we added six. More importantly, OSU got guards and depth to run Ford's system, and we got actual post threats, which were all we were missing last season.

Projected NCAA Tourney teams: Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Missouri, maybe Texas A&M on the bubble

That's right. Seven. This will be the deepest the Big 12 has even been and we will set a record for teams in the Dance.

Projected NIT teams: probably Texas A&M, Iowa State, maybe Texas Tech

Most Improved Team: I've got Baylor jumping from 9th to 6th, but I could see them as high as 4th. They really showed me something in the postseason last year, although they did lose some key players. As a corollary - and I know he didn't ask this - but the team that will take the biggest freefall has to be Mizzou. Lost 50+% of their production in all statistical categories from a team that overachieved in the first place. But I think they have enough talent left to still be in the dance - just not a first-round bye in the Big 12.

Big XII Player of the Year: Unfortunately, Cole Aldrich. Just prepare yourself for it now.

Big XII Newcomer of the Year: Curtis Kelly, dammit. Honorable mention to Jeff Withey, I guess.

Big XII Freshman of the Year: Unfortunately, Xavier Henry. Just prepare yourself for it now. But Avery Bradley and Wally Judge will make it interesting to the end...

Big XII Defensive POY: I think this is the year the coaches finally recognize Dominique Sutton's greatness. Honorable mention to J.T. Tiller, of course.

Big XII First Team (for these, I mostly just promoted everyone up the chart from my Botcies in March; it's all meaningless preseason stuff anyway)
G-Denis Clemente
G-Sherron Collins
G-Willie Warren
F-Craig Brackins
C-Cole Aldrich

Big XII Second Team
G-LaceDarius Dunn
G-J.T. Tiller
G/F-Xavier Henry
F-James Anderson
C-Dexter Pittman

Big XII Third Team
G-Avery Bradley
G-Jacob Pullen
G-Tyshawn Taylor
F-Damion James
F-Curtis Kelly

Big XII All-Newcomer Team: you guys know I hate putting transfers on these things, so I didn't
G-Avery Bradley
G-Tommy Mason-Griffin
G/F-Xavier Henry
F-Wally Judge
C-Keith Gallon

I'm sure some of you will disagree with certain picks, so let's get a back-and-forth going in the comments. If nothing else, it will help us get our minds off how bad the Eagle sucks.

P.S. If you happen to wander over to Big 12 Hoops, be sure to vote in this poll. We're getting killed, people.

BIG 12 OUTLOOK: 03.15.09 (Final Analysis)

BracketCat — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:00:09 -0000

Big Twelve Conference Standings

(updated 3.15.2009 at 2:27 AM CDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Kansas Jayhawks	14	2	25	7
Oklahoma Sooners	13	3	27	5
Missouri Tigers	12	4	28	6
Kansas St. Wildcats	9	7	21	11
Texas Longhorns	9	7	22	11
Texas A&M Aggies	9	7	23	9
Oklahoma St. Cowboys	9	7	22	11
Nebraska Cornhuskers	8	8	18	12
Baylor Bears	5	11	20	14
Iowa St. Cyclones	4	12	15	17
Texas Tech Red Raiders	3	13	14	19
Colorado Buffaloes	1	15	9	22

Well, it's Selection Sunday, so I thought I'd take one last look at the Big 12's computer profiles, even though I'm pretty sure I already know what they will tell me. Hit the jump if you want to see the ugly truth...

	Seed	Record	Postseason*	RPI	Pomeroy	Sagarin	Streak	Best Win**	Worst Loss**	Coach
Kansas	1	14-2	NCAA	11	11	15	L-1	Missouri	UMass	Bill Self
Oklahoma	2	13-3	NCAA	6	17	9	L-1	Purdue	Arkansas	Jeff Capel
Missouri	3	12-4	NCAA	10	10	10	W-3	Kansas	Nebraska	Mike Anderson
Kansas State	4	9-7	NIT	81	41	49	L-1	Missouri	Oregon	Frank Martin
Texas	5	9-7	NCAA	41	28	29	L-1	UCLA	Arkansas	Rick Barnes
Texas A&M	6	9-7	NCAA	36	52	46	L-1	Missouri	Texas Tech	Mark Turgeon
Oklahoma State	7	9-7	NCAA	20	33	30	L-1	Oklahoma	Texas A&M	Travis Ford
Nebraska	8	8-8	NIT	75	73	73	L-1	Missouri	UMBC	Doc Sadler
Baylor	9	5-11	NIT	56	50	45	L-1	Kansas	Iowa State	Scott Drew
Iowa State	10	4-12	None	168	114	116	L-1	Baylor	SDSU	Greg McDermott
Texas Tech	11	3-13	None	119	96	98	L-1	Kansas	Lamar	Pat Knight
Colorado	12	1-15	None	236	179	202	L-12	Iowa State	Montana State	Jeff Bzdelik

Note: As any of these numbers change, I will color-code them to indicate direction of change.
Team names that are colored indicate a change in seed.
(green = upward, red = downward)

*Predicted
**According to Pomeroy rating

Discussion

Baylor: The Bears found one last surprising spark of life, but it was too little, too late, as they fell short last night against Missouri. Still, they showed some moxie, but proved just how much they underachieved this season given the potential of their talent and experience. If nothing else, they collected their best wins of the season, locked up a high seed in the NIT and secured consecutive trips to the postseason for the first time in many years.

Colorado: The less said, the better. Cory Higgins is a bright spot for the future, sure, but I question Bzdelik's ability to use him properly and to put other talent around him.

Iowa State: The future of this team hinges one thing: Whether Craig Brackins decides to cut his losses and stop being the best player in the conference to never reach the postseason by declaring for the big boys' league. The outcome of that decision will the difference between the Cyclones threatening to break out of the basement next year, or finishing dead last. We shall see...

Kansas: Two ugly losses in their last three games exposed the Jayhawk's youth for all to see. It most likely cost them a No. 2 seed in the tournament. Picking this team to make even a Sweet 16 run is probably bracket suicide.

Kansas State: I don't for a second agree that the RPI should mean a damn thing, but there's no denying that historically, teams with a sub-75 RPI don't stand a chance to make the field. Even Baylor and Nebraska have a higher RPI than us. We had four chances to secure one last quality win, and failed at all four.

Even the "Last 12" stat doesn't play in our favor; if you exclude the NC Central game, we alternated wins and losses ever since Kansas stole our mojo in Manhattan. That is not exactly a hot streak entering the postseason, especially for a team that was way too streaky already. It's roughly the same pattern we had in 2006-2007, right down to a final road loss in Stillwater. Look where that got us.

The crazy thing is that our six-game winning streak probably came too early in the season. Go figure. Hopefully, the Cats can make a little run in the NIT and set up some huge expectations for next year, when Frank and the boys should have a giant chip on their shoulder about the way this season ended.

Missouri: I told you Mike Anderson should have been Coach of the Year. The Tigers had a very nice season, but I still wonder about their long-term viability given the kind of talent that Baylor, Kansas, K-State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M are adding next season. Losing Carroll, Lawrence and Lyons will be huge. Let's see if the Tigers can get back to the NCAAs next season before we anoint Anderson permanently, OK?

Nebraska: Although Nebraska certainly overachieved this season given their overall talent level and the huge (pun intended) loss of Maric, the end result was still the same: An unimpressive resume and Husker fans sweating out Selection Sunday, worried they may not even be invited to the NIT.

As with Colorado, I question Sadler's long-term ability to collect talent in Lincoln. You have to think that another season like this will have other programs sniffing around after him, and you have to think he would jump at the chance to go to an actual basketball school, like his former boss Billy Gillispie did.

Oklahoma: Oklahoma had the Player of the Year (Big 12 and National, most likely) and the Freshman of the Year, and was picked to win everything. How did that work out? Well, the Jayhawks punked them in Norman (and I frankly think they would have won even if Blake had played, given that the Sooners couldn't even beat center-less Missouri and Oklahoma State with him) to win the regular season, and the Tigers cruised to the tournament title after easily dispatching the very team that squeezed the Sooners out.

I'm sorry, but by any definition, you have to label that underachievement. The Sooners lost four of their last six games, possibly cost themselves a No. 2 seed and don't appear to be a serious threat to reach the Final Four. Even though Capel is doing a great job of attracting talent to a program that was void of it after Sampson carpet-bombed the place, you still have to do something with that talent when you get it. This year, he didn't.

Oklahoma State: Unlike K-State, the Cowboys made sure they made their run at the end of the season, when it is most important to make a statement. Yes, the majority of their wins were against the crap of the league, but when push came to shove, they won must-win games against us and Texas, and then sealed the deal with their upset of the Sooners in Bedlam, Part 3.

They better live it up while they can, though. I think the loss of Eaton and Harris will be much bigger than most people are making it out to be right now. Even if Anderson returns, this team will still lack a post presence to complement Moses and, more importantly, won't have a floor leader as good as Eaton, who I think is the best (and certainly the most experienced) point guard in the conference.

Texas: Speaking of underachievement, can any program do less with more than Texas? Yes, the Longhorns' talent level was down this season, but Abrams and James were still 1st-team-type talents that failed to deliver in crunch-time. When your best player at the end of the season is Dexter Pittman, you have a problem.

One thing's for sure - Texas has to actually find a legitimate point guard next year. The top candidates are highly-touted freshman Avery Bradley and transfer Jai Lucas. Either would be a drastic improvement over Dogus "No Jump Shot" Balbay and Justin "Hard Worker" Mason.

Texas A&M: Sorry, I haven't stopped laughing yet, so I don't really have any coherent thoughts to offer regarding the Gaggies. Sure, they'll probably still be in the Dance, but they sure did their damnedest to jeopardize that status. I guess it's a good thing they only lose Josh Carter.

Texas Tech: 29 consecutive points? Wow. Mike "I Can't Believe It's Not Starter!" Singletary gives this team hope for the first time all season, and in the final week or so, Pat Knight might have shown he can actually coach a bit. Dumping Turd's bunch endeared them to me, that's for sure.

The Big 12: I have two final thoughts to offer regarding our illustrious conference as it prepares to most likely embarrass itself in postseason play:

I know the economy is bad, but there is no way the crowds would have been that poor in Kansas City. The final game would have been a capacity sellout at the Sprint Center. Hell, a lot more than 500 people would have stuck around to watch the amazing Singletary shock and awe aTm. Despite the Texas teams making most of the noise this week, fans did not show.

Put the damn thing back in KC where it belongs so that four of the five unquestionably best fan bases in the conference (ISU, KU, KSU, MU) can pack the joint. I guarantee the orange OSU fans will still be there, too - there's no sound economic reason to give them a home-court environment while leaving the rest of the games quiet as a funeral.

Frank Martin is right: The conference's failure to champion all of its teams, despite how realistic it may feel their chances are, is deplorable. Hell, Dan Beebe should be out there making a case for freakin' Baylor; if not for their 14 losses, the Bears would have a good profile, since all their computer numbers jumped at least 20 spots this week.

Instead, the robotic puppets that this joke of a league calls "announcers" sit there on their high horse, utter complete inanities and try to justify why the South teams are God's chosen people, but lowly K-State doesn't deserve a sniff.

Much as I hate to admit it, I agree with a certain comic book writer who posts at a certain Rivals site of the purple persuasion: Lew Perkins should be running this conference. Maybe then we would have a spine when combating ESPiN population bias.

P.S. Kudos to the nine readers (out of 113) who picked Missouri on Wednesday to win the tournament. That's only seven percent - good job.

What's Next?

This concludes Big 12 Outlook for the 2008-2009 season. It's been a lot of work, but it's also been a lot of fun. I'm going to try to get my Protest Playoff series back off the ground next week, since both its basketball equivalent and spring football are getting under way, but other than that, I will probably back off on the posting for a little while and catch my breath.

This summer, however, I'll be jumping back into it hardcore with a new weekly feature called "Know Thy Enemy." This will be an extremely in-depth analysis of every Big 12 basketball team for the 2009-2010 season, which figures to be an extremely competitive one.

I will have the total rundown on who's returning, as well as all the information I can find on the new guys - high school stats, what they did in their playoffs, video, etc. My goal is to make this the one-stop shop for information about K-State's challengers for next year's Big 12 Championship.

It figures to be the longest summer of my adult life, but for the first time I can remember, my eager countdown won't be toward the beginning of football season...

Tournament Awards: The Singletaries

A few of the performances of the last week deserve special mention, since they came on the biggest stage the Big 12 can offer. Maybe some of these people didn't do much during the regular season, but when the opportunity for legendary performances presented itself, they delivered.

The award is named after the player who delivered the single most impressive postseason performance in Big 12 tournament history, of course. He may not do anything of note for the rest of his career, but I don't think anyone will ever forget who he was when you mention his name.

Coach of the Week

Scott Drew (Baylor)

Go figure - I dub the guy the year's biggest underachiever, and then he leads his team to become the first sub-No. 4 seed to reach the championship game. Coach Drew, I still think you sucked as a coach for much of the season, but I owe you something of an apology, in that when your back was against the wall, you got your team to perform like they were capable.

Now, if you had only won some more games in the regular season, you might have earned a bye, and perhaps it then would have been you hoisting up the trophy yesterday, instead of Mike Anderson. Something to work on next year, I suppose.

Honorable mention to Anderson, of course, and while it may seem weird that I am honoring the guy he beat yesterday, I feel I already sufficiently validated him last week. There is no denying that Drew delivered the biggest shocker of the tournament for three days running, and given how badly I dissed him last week, I felt some acknowledgment was in order.

Most Underachieving Coach of the Week

Bill Self (Kansas)

Coach of the Year, my ass. Try first Kansas coach to ever lose his first tournament game or first coach of a No. 1 seed to ever lose to a No. 9 seed.

Honorable mention is likely a toss-up between Rick Barnes, who oversaw Texas' first loss to Baylor in 11 years, or Mark Turgeon. I guess I'll go with the Turd, since Barnes at least won a game this week. A&M had no excuse blowing a 20-point lead against an undermanned Tech team, Singletary or no Singletary, and if they are left out today they'll know exactly why.

I notice a strong Jayhawk theme on this award, by the way. Interesting.

All-Big 12 Tournament Team


James Anderson	LaceDarius Dunn	Matt Lawrence	Dexter Pittman	Mike Singletary
Oklahoma State	Baylor	Missouri	Texas	Texas Tech

Just one team this time around. The criteria are: one player per team, and each player's team must have won at least one game. Thanks to a rash of upsets, only five teams met that criteria, so my job was fairly simple.

I was extremely torn between James Anderson and Byron Eaton. Eaton's injury clearly affected his team adversely, but Anderson's foul trouble hurt just as much. It was Eaton who had the crucial drive to the basket against Oklahoma, but it was "Big Game James" who knocked down the charities.

Since I picked Eaton higher than Anderson last week, I'll flip it this week, but damn, was it close. Honorable mention to the entire team, really; Terrel Harris, Marshall Moses, Obi Muonelo and Keiton Page all performed admirably.

Likewise, there are many Baylor players I could honor, most notably seniors Curtis Jerrells and Kevin Rogers (who, along with Dexter Pittman, came one rebound short of tying Drew Gooden's tournament single-game record of 21), but LaceDarius Dunn finally knocking down 3s again like he did in Manhattan was the biggest key to the Bears' success this week. I suppose I must admit that he perhaps deserved Big 12 Co-Sixth Man of the Year after all, although I still think he's too streaky for his own good.

Clearly, Missouri deserves a player on here since they won the whole shebang, but who? More than anyone else, the Tigers exemplified the concept of "team wins" this week. DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons were too inconsistent in the championship game to merit it, I feel, and many of the role players just didn't score enough to impress me overly much.

I finally settled on Matt Lawrence since it seemed like every time Baylor threatened yesterday, there he was knocking down another big 3 on the run. That also puts both of the Sixth Men of the Year on the team, which I find an interesting yet useless factoid. I'd be curious to hear who Tiger fans think was their most impressive or crucial player this week. (Hint, hint, Rock M Nation...)

Perhaps the second-most surprising thing this week (other than Baylor) was "Sexy Dex" Pittman's metamorphosis from a nice big guy off the bench into the immediate future of Texas basketball. The big guy was utterly unstoppable this week, but his most notorious accomplishment was plunging Panjandrum into sudden and surprising gloom about K-State's long-term prospects in the paint.

I'm just kidding around, Pan. Although I don't think you necessarily have to have a behemoth inside to be successful in the post, as I believe rebounding is more than anything a function of skill and willpower, I will agree with you that Pittman is gonna be a load to handle next season, for everyone. I'm glad we get him in Manhattan. Maybe by then we'll start getting the calls we couldn't get in Oklahoma City...

I saved the best for last. If I had to pick a single player on this list to honor, it would obviously be Mike Singletary. The kid came off the bench to score the second-most consecutive points by just one player in Division I history, came one point shy of tying Beasley's and Clemente's record, secured the upset win for his team and shattered Marcus Fizer's tournament single-game scoring record. Not bad for a kid coming off the bench.

I found myself torn between rooting for him to single-handedly embarrass the Aggies and rooting against him breaking the overall single-game scoring record, and he delivered admirably on both counts. The best of both worlds, I say.

Big 12 Roundup: Big 12 Awards

rockchalk — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:12:04 -0000

Here we sit, at the end of the Big 12 season. It seems just like yesterday when Big 12 action tipped off, when Texas was a Top 10 team and Kansas and Missouri stood unranked.

Much has changed in the past two months, and there were some incredible games. Over the next couple of days, we'll be thoroughly summarizing the Big 12 season, while simultaneously previewing the Big 12 Tournament. But for now, we'll just name our All-Big 12 Selections, just as the Big 12 Media did earlier in the day.

So, let's get to those Big 12 Awards. Those are more fun, anyways.

We'll dish out most of the same categories the media does: First Team, Second Team, Third Team, All-Rookie Team, Newcomer of the Year, Rookie of the Year and the big one, Player of the Year...

Note: Number rankings is in order of where I'd rank them, which should provide quite a hint for the POY rankings.

First Team

Blake Griffin (F, Oklahoma) -- Obviously. This is as easy as it gets, folks.
Sherron Collins (G, Kansas) -- Emotional leader of the Conference Champions. Plus, for a three-week stretch in late February, he was as good of a guard as anyone in the country.
Craig Brackins (F, Iowa State) -- Best pure scorer in the conference. Overlooked nationwide, but everyone in the Big 12 knows exactly how good he is.
Cole Aldrich (C, Kansas) -- Averaging a double-double. 'Nuff said.
Demarre Carroll (F, Missouri) -- I wanted to go with someone else just to be different than the Media, but he deserves it.

All further Teams and Awards after the break...

Second Team

Damion James (F, Texas) -- Almost got in over Carroll on the First Team. His Durant-esque first half yesterday didn't hurt his case, but it was his offensive rebounding and overall importance that really got him here.
Cory Higgins (G, Colorado) -- Doesn't get the credit he deserves because he plays in the abyss of Boulder. Still, the dude can score on anybody, and will be the leader of any potential Colorado resurgence these next two seasons.
Denis Clemente (G, Kansas State) -- Has a rather large temper, and isn't always consistent, but damn, is he quick with the ball. Oh, and when he gets hot, he's virtually unguardable. Basically, he's like a slightly less-athletic Dogus Balbay, only he can hit the three. So, yeah, be afraid.
James Anderson (G, Oklahoma State) -- Incredible scorer, he probably should be slightly higher on the Second Team. If Sherron and Cole and Blake and Craig all leave school early, he could be the preseason favorite for Big 12 POY in Travis Ford's run-and-gun-type system.
Ade Dagunduro (F, Nebraska) -- A personal favorite of mine. The dude is probably my favorite player in college basketball. It's unreal how good he is, considering he was often the tallest player on the floor for the Huskers, standing only 6'6". I really wish he was only a junior, so he could play with actually tall people next year. In any case, incredibly underrated.

Third Team

Leo Lyons (F, Missouri) -- Dude isn't nearly as good as his frontcourt mate, Carroll, but still plenty talented. When, as RMN calls him, "Good Leo" shows up, he is one of the conference's best. But "Bad Leo" shows up far too often for him to be considered any higher.
Willie Warren (G, Oklahoma) -- Probably should be higher, and I kind of forgot about him, to be honest. The dude can score with the best of them.
LaceDarius Dunn (G, Baylor) -- Another personal favorite. Jerrells probably deserves it more, but I love LDD.
Curtis Jerrells (G, Baylor) -- Dude can penetrate into the lane with the best of them, but isn't consistent enough of a shooter to really scare you. He's a lot better than Dogus, though.
Dexter Pittman (C, Texas) -- Came on really strong at the end of the year, and while his overall season accomplishments probably don't deserve such an honor, but he was awesome yesterday. Pretty much, he destroyed Cole Aldrich. Dude has a really bright future, as long as he doesn't regain that weight back.

All-Newcomer/Rookie Team

Denis Clemente (G, Kansas State) -- See above.
Willie Warren (G, Oklahoma) -- See above.
Tyshawn Taylor (G, Kansas) -- Thank goodness he came to Kansas. He started off the year piping hot, and while he went through a two-month slump of sorts, he's come on late as the badly-needed third scorer behind Cole and Sherron. Dude has a special career in front of him, everybody.
Zaire Taylor (G, Missouri) -- Hit two game-winners in less than a week's time, in Austin and at home in their National Championship (Leo Lyons' words, not mine). Should be a mighty fine player next year, where he and Tiller will likely have to lead the team night-in, night-out.
Marcus Morris (F, Kansas) -- I love me some Marcus Morris, man. He's come on really strong, as of late, and is becoming an awesome rebounder.

And now, on to the Awards.

Player of the Year

Blake Griffin (F, Oklahoma)
Sherron Collins (G, Kansas)
Craig Brackins (F, Iowa State)

Newcomer of the Year

Denis Clemente (G, Kansas State)
Zaire Taylor (G, Missouri)
Mario Little (G/F, Kansas)

Freshman of the Year

Willie Warren (G, Oklahoma)
Tyshawn Taylor (G, Kansas)
Marcus Morris (F, Kansas)

Coach of the Year

Bill Self (Kansas)
Mike Anderson (Missouri)
Travis Ford (Oklahoma State)
Jeff Capel (Oklahoma)

That's all, for now. These being the hotly-contested decisiosn they are, I'm sure yours are something different. Feel free to chastize, criticize and complain, as long as you give your answer. If you think someone should be on the First Team, pick someone to actually come off the team. You can't just add more than 5 to a team. I don't roll like that.

As I said, this is just the kickoff to plenty of Big 12-related content as we quickly move towards the Big 12 Tournament, which begins Wednesday.

I can't wait.