Big 12 South Basketball Preview

2008-09 Big 12 South Basketball Preview

Kansas did the conference proud last year, beating Memphis 75-68 in a dramatic overtime thriller to earn the first NCAA Basketball Championship in the Big 12’s history.  All signs indicate the Big 12 hardwood athletes will duplicate the amazing run the pigskin boys have made this year.  Big 12 teams have posted a 38-2 record to begin the 2008-09 season. Ten of the 12 conference squads are unbeaten.  Also, The Big 12 has won its first two games versus nationally-ranked opponents in 2008-09. A year ago, the conference led the nation in victories against nationally-ranked non-league foes.

Half of the teams in the Big 12 returned four starters from last year’s campaign. Baylor, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas will suit up four who were in the starting lineup a year ago.  Plus Rivals.com listed seven Big 12 schools in their top 25 recruiting rankings, most of any conference in the country.  Now that the teams in the Big 12 know they are good enough to win it all, let’s take a look at which schools have the best chance to get into the tournament and make a magical run at the Final Four.

Big 12 South

Baylor Bears (4-0)

Strengths:

The back court is loaded, as the Bears return with one of the nation's best PG in Curtis Jerrells (15.3 ppg last year). He’s the Bears go to guy and could win Conference Player of the Year honors.   Jerrells has the ability to drive into the lane strong and finish at will or dish the rock out to a waiting teammate beyond the 3-point line. The Bears were among the nation's best in 3-point field goal percentage at 38.2% per game. LaceDarius Dunn (13.6 ppg last year) was sensational as a freshman. He has given Baylor fans plenty to cheer for as he wowed fans with his spectacular 3-point shooting. His best game was against Texas Tech when he tallied 38 points on a 10-16 shooting, including 6-9 beyond the arc. Henry Dugat (12.2 ppg last year), the sweet shooting slasher is perhaps the most acrobatic player on the team; his penchant to finish at the rim while being fouled has become his mainstay on the highlight reel. But Dugat's contributions don't stop there. He is also a force beyond the 3-point line, shooting 40%.

Weaknesses:

Defense.  Last year the Bears just couldn’t get key stops down the stretch and it cost them several games.  Part of their struggles last year stemmed from the Bears relative lack of size on the front court.  While they do a good job of creating turnovers, the Bears can’t pound the ball low and expect to get easy inside baskets.  If Baylor is shooting poorly, they have a hard time winning.

Outlook:

Baylor has the looks of a Sweet 16 team if they can stay healthy.  Any time you have four returning starters all averaging double digits in points, you have an excellent shot and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Texas Longhorns (3-0)

Strengths:

Texas has a lot of players with experience who seem to get better every year under head coach Rick Barnes.  While most of Texas’s best players are now raking in huge dough in the NBA, Barnes still has a solid core of quality players capable of make a run to the Sweet 16.  PG A.J. Abrams tested the NBA waters last year before deciding to return for his senior season.  Abrams is averaging 17.7 points per game so far this season and has career average of 40.3% from behind the arc.  Abrams can single handedly shoot other teams out of the gym.

Weaknesses:

Rick Barnes has proven himself to be one of the top two recruiters in the Big 12.  Every year Barne’s inks players with NBA talent and aspirations.  The problem with loading up on NBA bound players is the players don’t stay around but a year or two and that creates depth issues over time. If coach Barnes could play all the talent he has brought to Austin, the roster would include Daniel Gibson, DJ Augustin, AJ Abrams, Kevin Durant and  Lamarcus Aldridge to name a few.  Barnes is not known for being the craftiest Xs and Os coach in the conference, so this roster will test his coaching mettle.   Texas currently ranks dead last in the Big 12 free throw percentage at .574.

Outlook:

Texas fans have grown accustomed to competing for Big 12 Conference Titles and probably feel a sense of Sweet 16 entitlement.   UT has the pieces in play to make the tournament, but getting to the great eight or final four will be very difficult for this team.

Oklahoma Sooners (4-0)

Strengths:

The Sooners have the best big man in the conference in Sophomore Blake Griffin and arguably the best front court.  Griffin is listed as 6’10” and 251 lbs., but he plays even bigger.   In four games so far this season, Griffin is averaging 26 points per game and shooting 74 percent from the field.  Blake’s older brother Taylor Griffin is playing his best basketball for the Sooners, averaging 10.5 points per game 5.5 rebounds per contest.  The Big 12 pre-season freshman of the year Willie Warren has not disappointed the Sooner Nation so far this season.  Warren is averaging 15.3 points per game, hitting 44.7 percent from the field.

Weaknesses:

The backcourt for the Sooners is talented but inexperienced.  Not many Final Four runs are triggered by freshman point guards.  The Sooners also go long stretches without scoring.  They had the same problem with departed coach Kelvin Sampson and it continues under third year coach Jeff Capel.  The Sooners can bang with anyone down low, but will need their streaky shooters to stay hot if they expect to win the Big 12 this year.

Outlook:

The Sooners should get better as the season progresses and they should pass the 20 win mark before the Big 12 tournament even starts.   If PG Warren is a quick study, the Sooners could make it to the Sweet 16 come March.

Texas A&M Aggies (3-0)

Strengths:

The Aggies three leading scorers are all upper classmen.  Those same core players won the NIT Season Tipoff tournament last year.  Texas A&M is paced by Senior Guard Josh Carter and his 19 points per game average.  Carter is a sniper from long range, hitting 52.6 percent so far this season and averaging 42.9 percent from behind the line for his career.  Forward Bryan Davis provides the big body at 6’9”, 250 lbs., but also sports a shooters touch averaging over 50 percent shooting from the field. Davis is averaging 15.6 points per game so far this season, doubling his average output from a year ago.  Junior Donald Sloan rounds up the trio of veteran scoring leaders, averaging 14 points on 45.5 percent shooting.

Weaknesses:

It seems like the Aggies have a hard time getting any easy baskets.  Whether it be in transition off a turnover or a well-run offensive set, the Aggies don’t get a lot of open looks.   Texas A&M ranks dead last in the Big 12 in field goal percentage, connecting on only 72 shots on 178 attempts for a poultry .404 shooting percentage from the field.  The Aggies need someone to create by slashing and dishing so their best shooters get better looks.

Outlook:

The Aggies are probably the hardest team to figure out in the Big 12.  They have talented players who have had success in the recent past, but they also appear to be a team that could suffer an identity crisis and go on a prolonged losing streak until they figure it out.  The Aggies have enough to make the NCAA tournament field, but winning a game or two may prove too much for this squad.

Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-0)

Strengths:

The Cowboys boast five players with double digit scoring averages to this point in the season.  Their leading scorer is the athletic James Anderson who shows excellent body control at 6'6” and 15 lbs.  Anderson is averaging 19.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest this year.  The other two leading scorers for the pokes are senior Terrel Harris (18 ppg) and senior Byron Eaton (17.5 ppg).   Oklahoma State also leads the Big 12 in free throw percentage, hitting 76 of 101 attempts for  .752 average.

Weaknesses:

After having nine new coaches at eight different schools over the previous two seasons, there is only one new head coach in the Big 12 this year. Travis Ford has taken over sideline duties for Oklahoma State.  Other coaches know what to expect at each venue and how to prepare their team’s for the incredibly important conference tournament at the end of the year.  Ford will be trying to figure things out while the rest of the teams will be better prepared.

Outlook:

The Cowboys have been an underachieving lot ever since coaching legend Eddie Sutton got busted urinating on an elementary school.  The team never bought what Sutton’s replacement, son Scott Sutton, was selling.  The team has the depth and talent to make a run at the Big 12 Championship.  If the new coach wins over the team, they could win a game or two in the NCAA tournament.

Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-0)

Strengths:

The Red Raiders are running coach Pat Knight’s system very efficiently so far this season.  Tech has five players averaging double digits and none of the five shooters is hitting less the 50 percent from the field.   The Red raiders are second in the big 12 in field goal percentage at .543.  If you like local Texas flavor, you should jump on the Tech bandwagon this year.  Tech has several players from the Metroplex and surrounding cities.  Alan Voskuil (15.5 ppg) is from Bedford.   Forward Trevor Cook from Coppell is averaging 11.4 points on 65.5 percent shooting.  John Robertson of Plano is averaging 15 points and 6.5 assists per contest.

Weaknesses:

Tech has a lot of quality shooters but lacks size in the front court.  That has been a recurring theme for both Pat Knight and father Bobby.  Getting five-star big men to Lubbock has been difficult for the program.  Tech’s depth and quality shooting give them a chance to beat anyone on a given night.  Knight’s offensive system helps them hide their athletic deficiency, but they could use an athletic big man to help them on defense.

Outlook:

Tech lined up some softies early in the season to get the team’s confidence up. After hanging 167 points on East Central (Formerly Southwest Directional U) they should be feeling good about themselves.  Word is Knight’s looking to schedule Our Lady of the Worthless Miracle to start the 2009-10 season.  Making the NCAA Tournament would be considered a successful season.