Baylor: Possibly the most disappointing team in the country. As I've stated in previous posts, one would be hard-pressed to find a more impressive group of guards than the Bears' foursome of Curtis Jerrells, LaceDarius Dunn, Henry Dugat, and Tweety Carter. Kevin Rogers has a world of talent and plays hard, but he never took that next step to becoming a truly great college player. With five games remaining on the Bears' schedule, they still have an outside chance of sneaking into the dance, but things aren't looking good. Despite this season's shortcomings, I like where this program is headed, and one can't say enough about the job Scott Drew has done at a program that looked hopeless just a few years ago.
Colorado: This is not a good basketball team. In fact, it's probably a toss-up between Colorado and DePaul for the title of worst team from the BCS conferences. Still, thing aren't all bad for Colorado basketball fans (if there are any) going forward. Sophomore Cory Higgins is a stat-stuffer (17.9 points, 5.8 boards, and 2 steals per game) with a ton of potential. Moreover, Colorado will return their top four scorers next season, and a pretty nice recruiting class is headed to Boulder.
Iowa State: It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that Iowa State was an annual contender in the Big 12. Unfortunately for Cyclones' fans, it could be a while before those days return. Sophomore star-in-the-making Craig Brackins has been a bright spot, but he may be tempted to get paid for his efforts next year. On the bright side, if Brackins does stay (and he should), the Cyclones will return their top three scorers and add a decent recruiting class.
Kansas: While they may not defend their title, it's hard not to be impressed with Bill Self's youthful Kansas squad. With only two current Jayhawks having played significant minutes last year (and Cole Aldrich averaged less than 10 minutes per contest), Bill Self has his inexperienced team playing at an extremely high level. Perhaps most astonishing is how intelligently this group of underclassmen play. With nine capable players on the roster, I think Kansas has an outside shot at a return to the Final Four.
Kansas State: The Wildcats are making a case for a tourney bid. While I think think they will ultimately come up short, K-State has a favorable string of games to close out the season. If K-State ends up 9-7 in conference (a very real possibility) and maintains fifth place or better in the conference standings, the selection committee may feel pressure to put a fifth Big 12 team in the tournament field. While this has been a fairly successful season for the Wildcats, I think the real story out of tiny Manhattan, Kansas, is the fact that this program does not appear to be returning to irrelevancy, as I predicted after Bob Huggins left for West Virginia. In fact, K-State will return a number of talented players next year and has lined up an impressive recruiting class.
Missouri: When Missouri hired Mike Anderson away from UAB, I expected the Tigers to quickly become one of the best defensive teams in the country. What I didn't expect was that, in just Anderson's third year at the helm, the Tigers would have one of the country's highest scoring offenses. Anderson, a Nolan Richardson disciple, has the Tigers poised to pick up a 3 or 4 seed. The Tigers' boast perhaps the most talented post tandem in the country in DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons. While the senior big men excel in the transition game, they can also play with their backs to the basket. Most importantly, both are perfect fits for Anderson's full-court pressure defense.
Nebraska: I feel bad for Nebraska fans. Last year, the Cornhuskers won 20 games and weren't even on the bubble radar. Star Aleks Maric graduated, and it looked like the program had missed its chance. This year, Nebraska is putting together yet another solid season, but it looks like the Huskers will come up short yet again. To add insult to injury, Nebraska's two most talented players, Steve Harley and Ade Dagunduro, are seniors. While the cupboard isn't completely bare, I can't imagine Nebraska will be winning anywhere near 20 games next year. Still, Doc Sadler appears to have this long-struggling program headed in the right direction.
Oklahoma: While the Sooners aren't getting the attention that the Big East and ACC powers are enjoying, it's hard to argue with the numbers. The only 1-loss team in the country. A 13-game win-streak. Undefeated in what is probably the fourth best conference in the country. The best player in the country. Arguably the best freshman in the country. And a national coach of the year candidate. Oh, and a guy that plays in long sleeves. What's not to like?
Oklahoma State: OK, so I wasn't exactly blown away by the Travis Ford hire. But despite the Cowboys' 5-6 conference record and their slim chances of dancing in March, I have been impressed with Ford's performance. The end of the short-lived Sean Sutton era wasn't pretty, and this program seemingly had a long road back to normalcy. Well, Ford appears to have hastened that process. There are still mental lapses, and the Cowboys continue to have problems closing out opponents. But overall, things are improving. Four Cowboys are averaging at least 14 points per game, and eight are providing meaningful contributions. If the Cowboys could just get some help in the paint, they could be dancing this March.
Texas: After Baylor, the Longhorns are the second most disappointing team in the conference. Just when Rick Barnes was starting to convince me that he knows his X's and O's, Texas falters. A.J. Abrams has been inconsistent, as teams have dedicated their efforts to preventing the diminutive guard from getting open looks. Damion James has failed to replace D.J. Augustin as “the man” in Austin. While his numbers are up, sophomore Gary Johnson disappears too often. Despite his hard work, Dexter Pittman has not shown that he is capable of playing extended minutes. Justin Mason failed to make the transition to point guard, and Dogus Balbay is, at this point in his career, a backup at best. Oh, and Connor Atchley appears to have lost all confidence in his game. Despite these failures, the Longhorns will be the fourth (and quite possibly the last) Big 12 team to make the tournament and, depending on their draw, will have a chance to win a couple games. Still, this preseason Top 10 team looks like a 5 seed at best (and that's assuming they get their act together down the stretch and on into the Big 12 tournament) and more like a 7 or 8 seed.
Texas A&M: Another disappointing team. While the Aggies didn't have the expectations of Texas or Baylor, they have the talent to make the tourney, especially in a largely underachieving Big 12. Still, with Texas Tech, Nebraska, Iowa State, and Colorado up next, the Aggies have a chance to right the ship. The Aggies out-of-conference schedule was pretty weak, but they did manage wins over Arizona and LSU. While I believe that the Aggies will ultimately come up short, don't be shocked if the Aggies slip in the backdoor. Chinemelu Elonu, the Aggies' 6-10, 235-pound junior center is the homeless man's Elton Brand. Senior Josh Carter has failed to diversify his game during his four-year stay in College Station. He has gone from intriguing 6-7 wing with range to uninspiring senior who hasn't developed his body, doesn't play defense, and refuses to hit the boards. Junior guard Donald Sloan is a solid college basketball player -- a real glue guy.
Texas Tech: Pat Knight is a joke. And judging by his storming (and then re-storming) the court against Nebraska, the apple did not fall far from the tree. There are few bright spots for the Red Raiders, and the powers-that-be in Lubbock should do their fans a favor and get rid of Knight at the end of the season.
Player of the Year: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Runner-up: Sherron Collins, Kansas
Blake Griffin has been phenomenal this year. He simply overwhelms the competition with his explosive athletic ability. And he plays with tremendous effort to boot. No clear runner-up here, but Sherron Collins gets the nod. The Kansas guard started off the season a little slowly, but his leadership is the main reason the young Jayhawks are playing well enough to have a chance at a deep tourney run.
Coach of the Year: Mike Anderson, Missouri
Runner-up: Jeff Capel, Oklahoma
There have been three top-notch coaching performances in the Big 12 this year -- Mike Anderson, Jeff Capel, and Bill Self. I'm a big fan of Mike Anderson, and he has certainly straightened out a flailing program -- both in terms of its play on the court and from a discipline standpoint. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jeff Capel win National Coach of the Year honors. While Capel has been terrific, I take issue with his failure to develop his bench to a greater degree. Plus, that Blake Griffin guy is pretty good and has to take some pressure off the head coach. But now I'm just nitpicking. Bill Self also deserves some credit. I have doubted Self for some time now (attributing last year's national championship to a tremendously talented group of upperclassmen), but I have to admit that Self has done an excellent job with a very inexperienced squad this year. The level of improvement from the start of the year to now is apparent.
Freshman of the Year: Willie Warren, Oklahoma
Runner-up: Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas
Willie Warren wins by a landslide. Without Warren, I'm not sure the Sooners are that much better than the squad that unceremoniously fell to Louisville in the second round of the tournament last year. Warren is more of a combo guard than a traditional two-guard. His offensive game is already very mature, and his defense isn't too shabby. All told, I rank Warren as the nation's second best freshman after Memphis' Tyreke Evans. Tyshawn Taylor doesn't have great numbers, but he's a heady basketball player who brings a ton of intangibles to the table. He's played a major role in the Jayhawks' success this season.
Defensive Player of the Year: Cole Aldrich, Kansas
Runner-up: Byron Eaton, Oklahoma State
While not nearly the shot-altering force as Hasheem Thabeet or Jarvis Varnado, Kansas' Cole Aldrich is a very talented shot-blocker in his own right. Averaging an impressive 2.5 blocks per contest, Aldrich has good timing and moves his feet well. On top of that, he's an excellent rebounder (10.3 rebounds per game), isn't afraid to bang in the paint, plays superb position defense, and does a great job of meeting penetrators without fouling (hasn't fouled out of a game). The 5-11, 215-pound (more like 230-pound) Byron Eaton is averaging 2.2 steals per game. That makes three of four seasons in Stillwater in which Eaton has averaged at least 2 steals per contest, and he's never averaged less than 1.5 thefts per game. While the numbers are impressive in themselves, they don't tell the whole story. Eaton is as disruptive a perimeter defender as there is in the country. And he gives Purdue's Chris Kramer a run for his money for title of the country's most physical perimeter defender.
1st Team All-Big 12
Sherron Collins, Kansas
Damion James, Texas
DeMarre Carroll, Missouri
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Cole Aldrich, Kansas
DeMarre Caroll is one of the nation's more underrated talents. The Missouri power forward is a perfect fit in Mike Anderson's “40 minutes of hell” system. He runs the floor extremely well for a big, and he can play defense in the open court. In the tradition of Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin, I thought this was going to be Damion James' breakout season. While he's played well, it's hard to say he's improved much from last season (and his draft stock has dropped significantly).
2nd Team All-Big 12
Curtis Jerrells, Baylor
A.J. Abrams, Texas
Willie Warren, Oklahoma
James Anderson, Oklahoma State
Craig Brackins, Iowa State
Curtis Jerrells' numbers are solid (16.4 ppg, 5.2 apg, 4.4 rpg) and I really like his game, but his senior year has been disappointing. It's not that I thought he'd put up huge numbers. (The Bears have too many talented guards for any one of them to consistently fill up the stat sheet.) But Jerrells hasn't displayed that knack for putting his teammates on his shoulders and willing them to victory the way he has in the past. Not many people are familiar with Craig Brackins' game, and they may not get the chance, as I expect the Iowa State star to test the draft waters. The sophomore's defensive game is lacking, but he's an athletic 6-10, 230-pounder, averging 19 and 9, who put up 42 points on Kansas and Cole Aldrich. (And I should note -- it's amazing enough when a perimeter player scores 40 in a college game, but it's even more incredible when it's a post player in the guard-dominated world of college basketball.) James Anderson is a tremendous athlete. He's long, fast, and can get up. He and Obi Muonelo are perhaps the nation's most athletic wing tandem. Muonelo, averaging 14.1 points and an impressive 8.3 rebounds per game, just misses the cut, as do Kansas State's Denis Clemente, who dropped 44 on Texas, and Cory Higgins, Colorado's do-it-all sophomore standout.
All-Big 12 Defensive Team
Byron Eaton, Oklahoma State
J.T. Tiller, Missouri
Damion James, Texas
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Cole Aldrich, Kansas
Blake Griffin makes the team off athletic ability and effort. His defensive technique is a tad suspect, and I look for him to have some trouble on that end of the court early in his NBA career. But he overwhelms the college competition with his physical play and constant motor. Texas A&M's Bryan Davis and Derrick Roland just miss the cut. Davis is an effort guy who plays excellent position defense. He's strong on the boards, is rarely out of position, and knows how to help out his teammates. Roland is strong on the perimeter and frustrates his opponents. While I don't think stats tell anywhere close to the whole story on the defensive end, Roland's are simply too anemic (0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per contest) for inclusion on the all-conference defensive team.
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