Projected Finish: 9th

2010-11 Record: 13-19 (5-11), 10th (tie)

Head Coach: Lon Kruger, first season.

Key Losses: Cade Davis (14.2 PPG)

Oklahoma is looking to turn a new leaf and start a new chapter in the story of Sooner basketball. OU starts fresh with a new coach, Lon Kruger, a coach who has proven he can turn troubled programs into perennial tournament contenders. The Sooners lost their biggest scoring threat from last season, Cade Davis, but hope their junior class, especially Andrew Fitzgerald and Steven Pledger can replace Davis’s productivity. While fans may not have too much to root for on the hardwood in Norman this season, they can expect Kruger to get the program back on its feet and eventually relevant again.

The Stars: Andrew Fitzgerald and Steven Pledger, the dynamic Sooner duo from last year, both return for their junior year. They are expected to be the leaders of this inexperienced Sooner squad in the 2011-12 season. Cameron Clark started every game last season as a freshman. He averaged 9.0 PPG in 2010-11, but I expect that figure to increase this season. All these players have certain aspects of their game that must improve in order for them to become stars. Fitzgerald needs to get stronger and tougher, Clark needs to gain more experience, and Pledger needs to find consistency.

Fitzgerald Is a Nice Piece For Kruger to Start With

The Veterans: The seniors of Oklahoma will most likely be more of a vocal force than an on-court force. T.J Franklin has been reduced to a bench role his entire career in Norman, and I don’t see that changing this season. Barry Honroe is a very athletic player, but does not seem to possess the other traits necessary to be a complete player. C.J Washington could be a threat under Kruger’s system, especially because he runs so well. He has not put up impressive numbers yet, and I will be interested to see if he thrives under a new system.

The Newbies

• Casey Arent, a 6’10” junior center who transferred from Sierra College (CA), is big. The biggest on the team, in fact. He averaged 19 points and 11 boards per game at his junior college, but don’t expect Arent to put those numbers up in his first year playing Big 12 basketball. He will, however, need to continue to be a presence in the paint with the Sooners.
• Sam Grooms is a three-point threat junior college transfer from Chipola College. He will continue to be a three-point shooter under Kruger. Grooms was ranked as the 3rd highest junior college recruit.

1. Missouri played its second exhibition of the year last night, its first game that didn’t surround tragedy. The Tigers outplayed Truman State from the opening tip, and won handily, 87-48. One of the more interesting aspects of this game was the noticeable speed Missouri played with. While we came to expect this from Mike Anderson’s Tiger team, Frank Haith’s version of Tiger basketball seems to show no signs of slowing down.
2. Oklahoma State also played an exhibition against Panhandle State, in which the Cowboys coasted to a 105-56 victory. Much of the pregame hype was focused on freshman phenom LeBryan Nash, and he did not disappoint. Nash finished the game with 26 points and 11 rebounds and the Cowboys showed their depth, with five players finishing with double figures.
3. The Tulsa World has an article up discussing the open race in this year’s Big 12. They tout Baylor as the team with the most talent, Missouri and Texas A&M as the teams with the most experience, and Kansas as the always-dangerous team, despite their “rebuilding” status. They go on to examine Oklahoma State‘s squad and how they can expect to perform this season. What intrigued me most about this article, however, was Travis Ford saying the preseason projection of OSU finishing seventh in the Big 12 is mostly accurate, stating “he wouldn’t picked his team more than about one spot higher.”
4. Fox Sports Houston has an article up discussing the ideology of “Kansas math,” which is a term Bill Self uses to describe Kansas’s preseason projections. He notes that many of his great teams of the past have been picked to finished third or fouth in the Big 12, while in years he finds himself with personnel holes, the Jayhawks are picked to finish first in the conference. Sounds like a pretty nice problem to have.
5. One of the better Kansas blogs out there has an article up examining the Jayhawks’ possible rotation. Normally, this wouldn’t be news, but in a year where Kansas, one of college basketball’s best and most consistent programs, faces more questions than answers, this is a solid analysis. Rock Chalk Talk argues that Tyshawn Taylor, Elijah Johnson, Thomas Robinson, Jeff Withey and Travis Releford will be the starting five for the Jayhawks this season, with considerable bench help coming from Kevin Young, Justin Wesley, Naadir Tharp and Connor Teahan.

Last Friday, I began my exploration of the state of Big 12 basketball ten years ago. I examined Kansas, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas State, and Missouri. Today, I’ll finish the piece by examining the 2001-02 seasons of the remaining Big 12 teams.

Oklahoma

Hollis Price Had OU On Top of the Hoops Heap Ten Years Ago (AP)

Today, Oklahoma basketball is struggling after consecutive years of underachieving. But ten years ago, Oklahoma’s basketball program reached its pinnacle, winning the Big 12 Tournament and appearing in the school’s fourth Final Four. The Sooners were led by dynamic guard Hollis Price, who at the time was widely considered the best basketball player to come from the Sooner State since Wayman Tisdale. The 2001-02 Sooners started the season with a 13-game winning streak, and finished it with a 12-game winning streak before falling to upstart Indiana in the 2002 Final Four.

Oklahoma State

The Oklahoma State teams of the early 2000s seemed to always teeter on the line of greatness, but never seemed able to reach it until its 2003-04 breakout season where the Pokes went all the way to the Final Four. Unfortunately, the 2001-02 Cowboy team didn’t have the same essential pieces as that Final Four team. The team started out very hot, winning its first 13 games and moving up to #5 in the nation by Christmas Day. Things became difficult for the Cowboys once they entered conference play, though, and Eddie Sutton’s team never seemed to find its stride. For three weeks, OSU followed two consecutive conference wins with two consecutive conference losses. The team fizzled in the postseason, losing in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament to Texas Tech, and proceeding to get knocked out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Cinderella Kent State.

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1. The New York Times reported on Monday that West Virginia is suing the Big East so that they may join the Big 12 for the 2012-13 athletic calendar. The schools cites that the Big East “breached its fiduciary duty by failing to maintain a balance between football-playing and nonfootball members.” Conference realignment has shown the dark side of college athletics, whether it be through lawsuits, political interventions, or questionable financial moves. It is funny to me, however, that somebody would sue somebody else just to join a conference that nearly everyone has written off as a “sinking ship.”
2. The San Jose Mercury News has an article determining the winners and losers of conference realignment thus far. They list Big 12 under the “winners” category, a decision that would have been highly criticized a month ago. The article goes on to explain that other than Cornhusker football, Nebraska and Colorado did not bring much to the Big 12, especially in terms of basketball. This is what is known as “addition by subtraction.”
3. In more Mountaineer news, the West Virginia Metro News discusses what does and what should excite West Virginia fans the most about joining the Big 12. It does not focus strictly on basketball, but it does bring up some great benefits of being a member of the Big 12, such as well-renowned opposing coaches, on-campus basketball arenas, and my personal favorite, road trips to Austin, Texas.
4. I’ll admit it, I’m a sports economics nerd. That’s why I’m including this Yahoo! Sports article. It reveals the rankings of average game attendance per conference, and leading the list is the Big Ten with 12,836 fans per game last season. The Big 12 ranks fourth, behind the Big Ten, Big East, and the SEC, with 10,716 fans per game. These numbers might surprise you, but remember that the Big 12’s attendance leader is Kansas with 16,436 fans per game at Allen Fieldhouse which represents 100% capacity. The SEC has arenas like Rupp Arena and Thompson-Boling Arena, both of which hold over 20,000 fans, while the Big East has the Carrier Dome, which has a 34,000+ capacity.
5. Lubbockonline.com has an article up discussing Billy Gillispie lauding of his coaching staff. Gillispie goes on to say, “I believe we’ve got as good a staff as you could ever have,” and brags on the diversity of his coaching staff’s talents. I’ve always felt like this was one of the most underrated aspects of a coaching staff, the diversity of it. It’s fine and dandy if you have four phenomenal recruiters, but when you have one guy who’s good at recruiting, one who’s great at scouting, one who cares about his players’ academic success, and one who knows how to teach the players… by meshing together under one system, that’s a recipe for a dynamic coaching staff.

1. Jayhawk fans received some frightening news on the eve of Halloween (see what I did there?) when Bill Self announced Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson will be suspended for Kansas’ two exhibition games. While Self mentioned they have been “terrific since school began,” he stated they broke a team rule that he had warned carried severe punishment. Kansas will still likely coast in these exhibition games, but in a season where there are more question marks for the Jayhawks than usual, this is not the best way for KU to start its season.
2. Missouri defeated Missouri Southern 114-68, in the One State, One Spirit Classic, in Joplin, Missouri. But the outcome of the basketball game was the least important aspect of the event. Despite the Tigers winning the actual game, score this one a victory for the entire state. The game provided a two-hour distraction from a community still suffering from a F5 tornado that devastated the entire city. What a way for the Big 12 college hoops season to kick off.
3. Legendary Oklahoma and Oklahoma State play-by-play announcer  Bob Barry, Sr., passed away on Sunday. Barry began his announcing career at Norman High School, where his unique voice and dynamic personality made him a local legend, and caught the eye of Oklahoma’s head football coach Bud Wilkinson, who eventually hired him for Oklahoma athletics. Barry, Sr., did basketball play-by-play for both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. OU President David Boren stated that Barry was “loved by Oklahomans across the state.” Rest in peace, Mr. Barry, and our thoughts and condolences are with your family.
4. NewsOK.com has an article up stating that the Big 12 is not yet done with expansion, despite conference commisioner Chuck Neinas stating they were. Also, he goes on to say “don’t count out Louisville to Big 12 just yet”, and calls Neinas’ claim that the Big 12 has not considered expanding to 12 “utter nonsense.” If any of these allegations are true, one thing is for sure: Big 12 basketball would have another fantastic team in its conference.
5. One of the more cleverly named college basketball websites, searchingforbillyedelin.com, has come out with their Big 12 preview. The article discusses how the Big 12 title is up in the air, and it’s attainability is realistic for almost every Big 12 squad. Also, they discuss how the Big 12’s recruits are getting better and more prestigious each year, especially at Kansas and Texas.

The past is a tricky thing. It can create false hope, persistent illusions, and distractions from the present. Especially in sports. Fans often live in the past, like an Indiana hoops fan relishing their team’s rich history while ignoring their recent downfall. That being said, the past can be a blueprint for a team’s future, a documentation of what has worked and what hasn’t. Today, I’ll explore where the ten remaining Big 12 teams were ten years ago, and compare that to where they are now.

Pervis Pasco Wants You to Remember Him. (courtesy:Kansas State)

Baylor

In the 2001-02 season, the Baylor campus had not yet been rocked by the Patrick Dennehy scandal. The Bears of that season were led by two dynamic freshman, Lawrence Roberts and John Lucas, III. After the Dennehy scandal, Roberts would transfer to Mississippi State, and Lucas to Oklahoma State, where they both found instant success, and were at one point two of the best players in the national college hoops landscape. Despite their young stars, inexperience weighed down the Bears in 2001-02, and they finished with a 14-16 (4-12) record.

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Yesterday, I examined the “inevitable” move of West Virginia to the Big 12. At the end, I made a point to note that this move revolves around Missouri, and whether or not they are jumping the Big 12 ship for the SEC. Today, I’ll discuss just where Missouri is in terms of that move to the SEC. Then, I’ll feed you my two cents on the matter, something fans have been very active in doing during this entire conference realignment saga.

"Missouri to the SEC? Ah, I See. This Could Be Awkward."

• Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton has said he expects to make an announcement on Missouri’s conference loyalties in coming days… or a week. Or two weeks. I agree Chancellor Deaton, this conference shuffle business needs more waiting.
• However, in the same article, Deaton discusses the reason it could take longer than a few days is because he is dealing with two legal counsel, two financial analysts, two board of directors and two conferences. Because of the ongoing negotiations seemingly being more than just exploration, I feel like this is close to a done deal.

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The times, they are a changin’. Bob Dylan knew it then, and college athletic fans know it now. The landscape of college athletics has been changing for about a year now. Slowly, however. Very slowly, I’m talking continental drift slow. Nevertheless, a new chapter of conference realignment looks to be near completion, as rumors are swirling of Missouri‘s departure from the Big 12 to the SEC, and West Virginia‘s embarkation from the Big East to the Big 12. Yet, while everyone assumes these moves are official, we need to keep one thing in mind: nothing official has happened yet. Many journalists have tweeted about their athletic departments sources saying it’s a done deal one way or another, and we’re left to wonder what to believe. So, tonight, instead of speculating on what will happen, let’s examine what is being reported about West Virginia. Tomorrow, I’ll discuss Missouri’s rumored “impending” move to the SEC.

Dalton Pepper appears to know nothing about West Virginia's departure to the Big 12

• The Mountaineers, who were once anticipated to be on the short-list of SEC expansion candidates, are reportedly close to leaving the Big East for the Big 12, according to the New York Times. The Times goes on to say that a source inside the Mountaineers athletic department claims they have applied for membership in the Big 12, and have been accepted.
• The MetroNews of West Virginia has an article discussing that while the Mountaineers have a solid athletic spending budget by Big East standards, they will be behind the average in the Big 12.

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On May 22, 2011, tragedy struck in southern Missouri. A multiple-vortex tornado (I have no idea what that means, but it sounds intense) hit Joplin, Missouri, creating a devastating amount of damage. Experts tout is as one of the deadliest tornados in American history, and likely the most expensive the state has ever seen. Joplin officials estimate it will take $3 billion to rebuild the city, and the insurance payout is expected to be $2.2 billion. As the flagship university of the state, the University of Missouri has taken an active role in the recovery of Joplin. Whether it has been donations from boosters, athletic fundraisers, or apparel funds going to the tornado relief funds, Missouri has found a number of ways to help the struggling town. Perhaps the most interesting way, though, is the scheduled exhibition game called One State, One Spirit between Missouri’s basketball team and Missouri Southern, the primary university located in Joplin. The Tigers are scheduled to battle MSSU next Sunday afternoon, October 30, at 5:47 PM CDT (a moment of silence will be observed at 5:41 PM, the exact moment of touchdown). This is unique for many reasons. Normally, powerful D-I programs like Frank Haith’s Tiger squad do not travel to play at a Divison II school’s campus. Additionally, ESPNU has picked up the game, the first time Missouri Southern has ever appeared on an ESPN network. All proceeds from the exhibition will go to the tornado relief funds.

Joplin Tornado Damage, Courtesy CSMonitor.com

What intrigues me, however, is the lack of focus on the actual game. Sure, it’s an exhibition, and sure, Missouri will probably earn an easy win, but that doesn’t stop the pundits from on-court predictions and projections. Even in an exhibition game, fans discuss which players will break out, who will look rusty, and any former AAU or high school teammates that make for intriguing match-ups. In an exhibition season opener where Missouri has more questions than answers, the focus during this basketball game will be on everything but basketball. And that’s exactly how it should be. When a national tragedy with massive local implications like the Joplin tornado occurs, it’s great to see a sporting event serve the purpose of a recreational distraction and a relief aid fundraiser rather than a serious competition. Both teams could shoot 12% next weekend and commit a combined 50 turnovers and this will still be a fantastic game because of what is underlying the game, not the game itself.

RTC will be courtside for this game next Sunday, and we hope you’ll join us for it.

Kevin Young: The Essentials

• Class: Junior
• Position: Forward
• Height: 6’8″
• Weight: 185
• Hometown: Perris, CA
• 2010-11 Season: Started 31 of 34 games for Loyola Marymount, averaging 10.7 PPG.

Kevin Young has Transferred to Kansas. His 'Fro has not.

The Breakdown.

On the court, Kevin Young showed no difficulty in his transition from high school to college. He immediately made an impact for Loyola Marymount, breaking the freshman rebounding record. Unfortunately, his transition from high school to college off the court did not go so well. Kevin struggled with the academic workload at LMU,  so he left the program, and transferred to a local community college where he focused on his academics and earned his associate’s degree. Afterward, he decided to transfer to Kansas, and will be able to immediately join the Jayhawk squad immediately due to going the junior college route. Young has an athletic body with a very versatile game. He will be an asset to this Jayhawk squad, and if he has matured off the court, Young can blossom into a star.

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