The Sooners and Bears may have flipped places after last week’s games. OU won two, while Baylor dropped both of their contests. The Big XII still looks like at least a four team league and with the lack of strength in the mid-majors is probably more likely to get six than just four. If the season ended today, OU would be in and Baylor would be out.
The race for the conference championship is looking like a three team race and will become even more so if Texas can take care of business on Monday night. A 14-2 conference record should take the crown.
Kansas 9-2 (Last Week 1-1) The Jayhawks were taken down in Austin but bounced back over the weekend against Colorado. Even with three of their last five coming on the road, I don’t expect Bill Self’s club to lose again.
Week Ahead: at Oklahoma State Saturday
Kansas State 8-2 (Last Week 1-1) The Wildcats also took a spill on the road in their mid-week game but bounced back by throttling Missouri on Saturday. If you missed Michael Beasley’s line, here it is: 40 points (12-of-22 field goals, 14-of-15 FTs) and 17 rebounds! Forget Big XII Player of the Year, Beasley is my pick for National POY. Four of KSU’s final six are on the road.
Week Ahead: at Nebraska on Wednesday and at Baylor on Saturday
Texas 8-2 (Last Week 2-0) The Longhorns followed one of the biggest home wins in their history by playing 37+ minutes of solid basketball in Waco. If only the final three minutes were as impressive. Nonetheless, with four of the final six at home, 12-4, at least, is achievable.
Week Ahead: vs. Texas A&M on Monday and vs. Oklahoma on Saturday
Texas A&M 6-4 (Last week 0-1) The Aggies laid an egg in their only game last week as OSU won their first road game in over two years. A&M goes from the hottest team in the league to a team in desperate need of a road win.
Week Ahead: at Texas on Monday and vs. Nebraska on Saturday
Oklahoma 5-5 (Last Week 2-0) After three straight losses, I was ready to leave the Sooners for dead. Jeff Capel’s club bounced back in a big way with two wins last week and now gets the Bears in Norman, for a game that will separate fifth and sixth places. If OU can get to 8-8, they will be in.
Week Ahead: vs. Baylor on Wednesday and at Texas on Saturday
Baylor 5-5 (Last Week 0-2) The 4-0 conference start is ancient history. The Bears have lost five of their last six and the road doesn’t get any easier. Getting to 8-8 is a stretch but would put them in the NCAAs.
Week Ahead: at Oklahoma on Wednesday and vs. Kansas State on Saturday
Texas Tech 4-6 (Last Week 1-1) Even though the Red Raiders lost on a Sooner heave on Saturday, the first week of the Pat Knight era should be viewed as a success.
Week Ahead: at Colorado on Wednesday and vs. Iowa State on Saturday
Missouri 4-7 (Last Week 1-1) The Tigers rebounded to get a split of their road games last week and now get the work week off.
Week Ahead: vs. Colorado on Saturday
Oklahoma State 4-7 (Last Week 2-0) The Cowboys two year road losing streak is over, as is their 16 game conference road losing streak. OSU held A&M to just 18 second half points to win their second straight. They get a full week to prepare for the Jayhawks.
Week Ahead: vs. Kansas on Saturday
Iowa State 4-7 (Last Week 1-1) The Cyclones won me some money over the weekend. Yeah! Unfortunately, it may have been their final win of the season.
Week Ahead: at Texas Tech on Saturday
Nebraska 3-7 (Last Week 0-2) Instead of winning both their games last week to reach .500 as I speculated they could, the Huskers lost both and are now permanently entrenched in the bottom third of the conference.
Week Ahead: vs. Kansas State on Wednesday and at Texas A&M on Saturday
Colorado 2-8 (Last Week 0-1) If the Buffs are to win more than three conference games, they absolutely must beat Tech this week.
Week Ahead: vs. Texas Tech on Wednesday and at Missouri on Saturday
--AW--