College hoops fans everywhere, rejoice. With the conclusion of the BCS National Championship Game, the scene in college athletics now focuses squarely on our beloved game of college basketball. In customary fashion, Sports Illustrated’s Seth Davis released his annual stock report Monday, providing you his Jim Cramer-esque take on 63 teams across the country, and whether you should buy, sell, or hold firm on each as conference play begins. If you’re unfamiliar with the format of his article, Davis explains the thought process behind his decision on each, essentially explaining that if a team has over-performed in the non-conference season, he’s more likely to sell that team high, and if a team has under-performed in the non-conference, he’s likely to buy low. Here’s our take on a few teams in the Big 12 on Davis’ stock watch.
[Ed. Note: This was written after Tuesday night’s games, but it includes the rankings/records from the time Davis’ original article was written]:
Baylor (12-1, No. 7): Seth Davis Says – SELL
Now I’ll be the first to admit that having a chance to watch Baylor play in Ames before writing this article could certainly influence my opinion, but history in league play would suggest that the Bears as the #7 team in the nation would be the perfect time to sell high on Scott Drew’s team. Neutral-site, non-conference wins over Colorado and Kentucky were nice, but if Tuesday night was any indication, playing consistently good defense could be a problem for the Bears.
Iowa State (13-0, No. 9): Seth Davis Says – HOLD
If I have monopoly money in this hypothetical Big 12 stock market, I’m buying on Iowa State, regardless of how high their ranking gets. DeAndre Kane has been so much better for the Cyclones than ever the most loyal Iowa State fan could have hoped, and Georges Niang and Melvin Ejim down low are both fantastic. This looks like the best team in Ames since the Marcus Fizer/Jamaal Tinsley days, and if this is the year that Kansas’ Big 12 title streak comes to an end, it looks like Fred Hoiberg and company will be the reason.
Kansas (9-4, No. 18): Seth Davis Says – BUY
At this point, Kansas is still a bit of a mystery as it’s hard to separate the team’s schedule difficulty from its performance. There’s no doubt that the young Jayhawks have struggled to put it all together this season, but the teams they’ve played have also presented tremendous challenges. The biggest fear has to be that the ridiculous schedule has kept Bill Self’s team from developing confidence and trust in one another. Regardless, with any team that features two future lottery picks and one of the best coaches in the nation, it’s hard to think they will not find a way to get it clicking during league play, which means buying on Kansas would be smart.
Oklahoma State (12-2, No. 11): Seth Davis Says – HOLD
A loss on the road to Kansas State on Saturday I’m sure wasn’t exactly how Oklahoma State envisioned starting conference play, but the bigger question remains as to how the loss of Michael Cobbins will affect the team from here on out. There’s no doubt that the Cowboys’ backcourt is the best in the league, but can the trio of Marcus Smart, Markel Brown, and LeBryan Nash score enough points by themselves to carry Oklahoma State to glory? The stark lack of frontcourt talent remaining for a team that already struggled to rebound could spell trouble. Maybe I’m jumping ship too early, but I’m selling on Oklahoma State.