CBS Sports - Big 12 Preview
- Thread starter LostinIowaCity
- Start date
I've made it through No. 1 so far.
Baylor won't win the Big 12. Probably could, possibly should, don't see it happening.
"Scott Drew brought back an established star in Perry Jones and added a future star in Quincy Miller. Throw the league's leading returning rebounder (Quincy Acy), an impact transfer (Brady Heslip) and another talented prospect (Deuce Bello) into the equation ..."
With exception of the star factor w/ Jones and Acy's rebounding, why is anything else any more certain than ISU's roster (which is referred to, again, as an "unusual approach").
And don't forget, Iowa State couldn't even beat Tech or OU at home last season, but thumped Baylor, with a regular rotation of 7 guys. Will Baylor improve by a higher percentage than Iowa State from last season to this? If not, that isn't a recipe to win a conference title.
Not to say Iowa State should be first instead of seventh — and BU is likely to finish high. But Final Four gushing? I'm skeptical.
Now, on to Nos. 2-10.
Baylor won't win the Big 12. Probably could, possibly should, don't see it happening.
"Scott Drew brought back an established star in Perry Jones and added a future star in Quincy Miller. Throw the league's leading returning rebounder (Quincy Acy), an impact transfer (Brady Heslip) and another talented prospect (Deuce Bello) into the equation ..."
With exception of the star factor w/ Jones and Acy's rebounding, why is anything else any more certain than ISU's roster (which is referred to, again, as an "unusual approach").
And don't forget, Iowa State couldn't even beat Tech or OU at home last season, but thumped Baylor, with a regular rotation of 7 guys. Will Baylor improve by a higher percentage than Iowa State from last season to this? If not, that isn't a recipe to win a conference title.
Not to say Iowa State should be first instead of seventh — and BU is likely to finish high. But Final Four gushing? I'm skeptical.
Now, on to Nos. 2-10.
No idea how the conference will finish exactly, but I see "tiers" of team talent (on paper).
1st Tier
Texas A&M
Baylor
Kansas
Wild Cards
OSU
ISU
2nd Tier
Missouri
KSU
Texas
3rd Tier
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
I think OSU and ISU are probably in the 2nd tier, but I separated these two teams as they are somewhat of an enigma right now. Each team has multiple newcomers to the probably starting lineups, and I think each have a chance of being a top tier team. I don't feel the same way about the other 2nd tier teams, hence the separation.
A few starting lineups I'm projecting:
Texas A&M
PG Dash Harris
G Naji Hibbert
F David Loubeau
F Khris Middleton
F Kourtney Roberson
significant contributions: PG Jamal Branch, G Elston Turner
Baylor
PG A.J. Walton
G Brady Heslip
SF Quincy Acy
PF Perry Jones III
PF Anthony Jones
significant contributors: PG Pierre Jackson, PG Deuce Bello, F/C J'mison Morgran, G Fred Ellis
Kansas
PG Tyshawn Taylor
G Elijah Johnson
G Travis Releford
F Thomas Robinson
C Jeff Withey
significant contributors: PG Naadir Tharpe, F Kevin Young
OSU
PG Keiton Page
G Jean-Paul Olukemi
F LeBryan Nash
F Darrell Williams
C Philip Jurick
significant contributors: PG Cezar Guerrero, G Markel Brown, G Reger Dowell
ISU
G Chris Allen
G Scott Christopherson
G Chris Babb
G/F Melvin Ejim
F Royce White
significant contributors: G Tyrus McGee, F Anthony Booker, F Percy Gibson
Missouri
PG Phil Pressey
G Michael Dixon
G Marcus Denmon
G Kim English
F Ricardo Ratcliffe
significant contributors: G Matt Pressey, F Kadeem Green
After the injury to Lawrence Bowers, and the rumors of our four guard starting lineups, ISU and Missouri may play very similar. Missouri is still a DEEP backcourt, talented and experienced. Frank Haith is a wild card though.
1st Tier
Texas A&M
Baylor
Kansas
Wild Cards
OSU
ISU
2nd Tier
Missouri
KSU
Texas
3rd Tier
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
I think OSU and ISU are probably in the 2nd tier, but I separated these two teams as they are somewhat of an enigma right now. Each team has multiple newcomers to the probably starting lineups, and I think each have a chance of being a top tier team. I don't feel the same way about the other 2nd tier teams, hence the separation.
A few starting lineups I'm projecting:
Texas A&M
PG Dash Harris
G Naji Hibbert
F David Loubeau
F Khris Middleton
F Kourtney Roberson
significant contributions: PG Jamal Branch, G Elston Turner
Baylor
PG A.J. Walton
G Brady Heslip
SF Quincy Acy
PF Perry Jones III
PF Anthony Jones
significant contributors: PG Pierre Jackson, PG Deuce Bello, F/C J'mison Morgran, G Fred Ellis
Kansas
PG Tyshawn Taylor
G Elijah Johnson
G Travis Releford
F Thomas Robinson
C Jeff Withey
significant contributors: PG Naadir Tharpe, F Kevin Young
OSU
PG Keiton Page
G Jean-Paul Olukemi
F LeBryan Nash
F Darrell Williams
C Philip Jurick
significant contributors: PG Cezar Guerrero, G Markel Brown, G Reger Dowell
ISU
G Chris Allen
G Scott Christopherson
G Chris Babb
G/F Melvin Ejim
F Royce White
significant contributors: G Tyrus McGee, F Anthony Booker, F Percy Gibson
Missouri
PG Phil Pressey
G Michael Dixon
G Marcus Denmon
G Kim English
F Ricardo Ratcliffe
significant contributors: G Matt Pressey, F Kadeem Green
After the injury to Lawrence Bowers, and the rumors of our four guard starting lineups, ISU and Missouri may play very similar. Missouri is still a DEEP backcourt, talented and experienced. Frank Haith is a wild card though.
Looking at their preview, I am automatically calling it false because they have Akron beating Kansas in the Tournament.