Rush The Court

The regular season can be a long, drawn out-proposition. Around 12 to 15 games are typically played during the pre-conference season, and even though it’s impossible to survey each team correctly, people like us try it anyway to avoid doing something else that’s actually mind-numbing. Case in point with Oklahoma. While some prognosticators pegged them as an early darkhorse to make the Final Four, no one told Creighton about that as the Bluejays beat the Sooners by two points in their second game of the season (RPI: #130). Lon Kruger’s team made up for that defeat by winning two of three out in its trip to the Bahamas, including a key neutral-court victory over a much-improved Butler team (RPI: #18). December resulted in another hiccup, though, with the Sooners losing to a ranked Washington group on a neutral court. The Huskies had started the year 11-0 with several nice victories before losing nine of their next 12 games. Now that loss is looking a lot more iffy (RPI: #80).

Thank goodness for conference play, right? Every team welcomes the chance to start all over again. After beating Baylor and Texas by a combined 31 points to tip off Big 12 play, bad Oklahoma paid a return visit. Starting with a crushing home loss in the final seconds of overtime to Kansas State, the Sooners would move on to lose four of their next five contests. But in recent weeks, it now appears that good Oklahoma is back in action with a four-game winning streak. Through the ups and downs has been a talented crop of players but perhaps the best of this group is Big 12 Player of the Year candidate Buddy Hield. His game was far more perimeter-oriented last year, but Hield has become a dangerous offensive weapon from anywhere on the floor this season. So given all of these ups and downs, the Sooners are poise to leap into sole possession of second place in the Big 12 and become the newest challenger to Kansas’ throne. But they have to win tonight.

Power Rankings

1. Kansas — 3 points (All voted 1st). Comment: “The Jayhawks control their own destiny despite Saturday’s loss in Stillwater, but the allocation of minutes across their frontcourt continues to baffle me. Cliff Alexander played 16 minutes and was fantastic around the rim while Jamari Traylor set a new career high in turnovers (six) in his 23 minutes of action. Meanwhile, Landen Lucas contributed a forgettable two rebounds and no points in 12 minutes.” – Brian Goodman (@BSGoodman)
2. Iowa State — 7 points (Chris & Nate — 2nd, Brian — 3rd) Comment: “The Cyclones blasted Texas Tech 75-38 this week, as Jameel McKay found his way into the starting lineup due to Bryce Dejean-Jones’ tardiness. After finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds, McKay might be proving himself worthy of a permanent spot.” – Chris Stone (@cstonehoops)
3. Baylor — 8 points (Brian — 2nd, Chris & Nate — 3rd) Comment: “Who goes on a 23-1 scoring run? In conference play? On the road? Baylor, that’s who. It’s hard to beat most teams who shoot 24-of-49 from three in their last three outings; it’s even tougher when that team rebounds well, passes well and play stingy team defense. Is this Scott Drew‘s best coaching job in Waco? It might be.” – Nate Kotisso (@natekotisso)

   Is this Scott Drew’s best coaching job in Waco? Might be. (USA Today Sports Images)

4. Oklahoma — 12 points (All voted 4th). Comment: “Second place is on the line tonight in Norman. It sounds lame but that’s what teams have to look forward to when one program lords over the conference for a decade. Defeating Iowa State would almost solidify an NCAA Tournament at-large bid if it all goes south again.” – NK
5. Oklahoma State — 15 points (All voted 5th). Comment: “Some depth may finally be developing for Oklahoma State. Anthony Hickey, Jeff Newberry and even freshman Mitchell Solomon have provided quality minutes to go along with the Big Three of Le’Bryan Nash, Phil Forte and Michael Cobbins. By Big 12 standards, the Cowboys have a fairly navigable schedule remaining, as KenPom currently projects them to be underdogs in just two of their remaining seven games.” – BG
6. West Virginia — 18 points (All voted 6th). Comment: “West Virginia was beaten badly twice this week — at Oklahoma and a home loss to Baylor. Until the Mountaineers figure out how to shoot, they’re going to struggle to score. Teams will continue to pack the paint and force them into low percentage shots.” – CS
7. Texas — 21 points (All voted 7th). Comment: “Offense has been hard to come by for the Longhorns, but they cracked 1.0 points per possession for the first time in three games against Kansas State in Manhattan.” – BG
8. Kansas State — 24 points (All voted 8th). Comment: “The indefinite suspension of Marcus Foster has put the Wildcats in a tough spot. They’re on a four-game losing streak and not favored in any remaining games.” – CS
9. TCU — 28 points (Brian & Chris — 9th, Nate — 10th) Comment: “On Wednesday TCU will close out a stretch of four of six games on the road. They’ll be at home for three of the four after that, so opportunities to pull a fast one on a top-half team will be there.” – BG
10. Texas Tech — 29 points (Nate — 9th, Brian & Chris — 10th) Comment: “Why did I choose Tech ninth in my rankings? The Red Raiders now have more conference wins than TCU. Sure, they’ve beaten Texas Tech in the head-to-head but at the end of the day, it’s all about Ws, right? Regardless of what losing Marcus Foster and Malek Harris meant to Kansas State last week, they still had a better team on the floor than Tech and found a way to win anyway.” – NK

Big 12 Video/GIF of the Week

The setting: Baylor-West Virginia on Saturday in Morgantown. A Noon ET/11:00 AM CT conference game is a rare sight in and of itself. The early tip-off has ruined everyone’s internal body clocks. While Baylor was jump-starting its beatdown in Morgantown, two fans inside the WVU Coliseum went out of their way to groggily voice their displeasure at everything around them, including a man who just wouldn’t move. (H/T Vinnyviner)

The lesson here?

DON’T BE SUCH A TOOOOOL

Five Big 12 Games You Better Watch This Week 

1. Monday: Oklahoma State at Baylor (6:00 PM CT, ESPNU)
2. Monday: Iowa State at Oklahoma (8:00 PM CT, ESPN)
3. Saturday: Baylor at Kansas (Noon CT, CBS)
4. Saturday: West Virginia at Iowa State (3:00 PM CT, ESPN2)
5. Saturday: Oklahoma at Kansas State (7:00 PM CT, ESPN2)