- The Kansas City Star sits at the epicenter of the Border War. As expected, the paper provided terrific analysis of Kansas‘ victory over Missouri on Saturday. Reading quotes from Tigers’ point guard Michael Dixon was especially interesting. “Just let this hurt until midnight and get back in the gym and get ready for practice… I don’t think we played a bad game, it just got out of our hands,” Dixon told the paper. In the aftermath of a crushing loss like that, he is very mature to be able to think big picture like that. If he gets another shot at Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament, that kind of mentality will serve him and his teammates well.
- The Border War on Saturday felt like a grand finale in so many ways. Even if these teams meet again in the post-season or five years down the road in a non-conference matchup, this was still a heck of a way to go out as Big 12 foes. Missouri fans may not feel this way, but that game was about as good as college basketball can get.
- This article may not specifically deal with Baylor basketball, but any mention in the New York Times is worth a spot in the Morning Five. Even with the Bears stumbling a bit in Big 12 play, Scott Drew‘s program is a shining example of a thriving athletic department in Waco. On the men’s hoops end, it’s also amazing to consider where this program is after the Patrick Dennehey murder scandal just before Drew arrived.
- It’s not easy to win in Manhattan, Kansas, but Iowa State used a legendary first half from Scott Christopherson to pull off a critical win this weekend. It all but seals an at-large bid for the Cyclones, a major step for Fred Hoiberg‘s program in his second season. They haven’t reached the Big Dance since 2005, and they’ve basically been out of the national landscape since then as well. Iowa State is back, though, and Saturday’s win is further proof of that.
- Oklahoma State may not make the NCAA Tournament, but it still can’t be happy to hear that forward Le’Bryan Nash is hurt. It is not a major injury, and it will not affect his status next year, but coach Travis Ford said he has a fracture in his left hand. At this point, he could still play in the final few regular season games and the Big 12 Tournament, but his status for Big Monday against Kansas is unknown right now although we suspect he will not play.