Big 12 Report- Week 2

This is just not right. Nothing about it is. I get ready to put together the Big 12 Power Poll and reasonably can only come to one conclusion...Kansas State and Baylor have to be 2nd and 3rd. What order they belong in is certainly debatable, but they have to be. How can this be? Where are the Aggies? Where's super talented Texas? Bob Knight and the Red Raiders? How can it be that any reasonable person would have to rank these perennial cellar dwellers in the top three in the league after two weeks? There's one man to blame for all of this: Mark Turgeon. In two weeks he's taken a top ten team, been blown out by Texas Tech and Kansas State and lost at home to Baylor. I thought the Turgeon hiring was a good one, and after a 15-1 start it looked like it was but now? You can bet Aggies fans are already questioning it...

1. Kansas (4-0)- The Tigers gave the Jayhawks their only scare of the conference season so far. The next close game? January 30th in Manhatten. Amazing stat of the week: Kansas is now 83-7 in Big conference home games.

2. Kansas State (3-0)- The A&M win doesn't look quite as impressive as it did, but they've now put two road wins with it. I'll really be impressed if they don't look past the Cyclones on Saturday. In the second half against the Buffs last night Michael Beasley had 26 points and 11 rebounds....that's ridiculous.

3. Baylor (4-0)- What can I say? They're undefeated....they beat my preseason #2...they're ranked in the top 25...and Curtis Jerrells is the man. They face Oklahoma at home this week before getting a week off to prepare for...

4. Texas (2-1)- I don't get this team at all. First they lose to Mizzou, then they beat Colorado and OSU by two each? This team should be crushing opponents like these. They should crush Texas Tech Saturday...we'll see.

5. Texas Tech (2-2)- Everyone keeps telling me this team isn't very good. I think as long as they have Martin Zeno they can be dangerous. I don't expect them to beat Texas this weekend, but I do expect them to finish in the top half of the conference.

6. Texas A&M (1-3)- I know, I know...I said I wouldn't be fickle and drop teams too far. Well, A&M earned this one. Getting pounded on the road is one thing but losing to Baylor at home immediately afterwards is quite another. The bad news for the Aggies? Their next three games: @ OSU, UT, @ OU. Ouch!

7. Iowa State (2-2)- They don't lose any cred for getting blown out by Kansas, almost everyone has.

8. Oklahoma (1-2)- Big win for the Sooners over Texas Tech vaulted them ahead of several teams that are struggling.

9. Missouri (1-3)- They haven't won a road game yet and if they don't Saturday in Boulder they may not all year. Tigers are better than the Buffs and are in desperate need of a parachute to keep this season from going down the toilet. The first step? Not giving up 50 free throws.

10. Nebraska (0-3)- If it weren't for Texas A&M this would be the most disappointing team in the conference. What's worse for Huskers? Their next game is at Kansas.

11. Oklahoma State (1-3)- Almost a big upset on Big Monday against the Horns. Instead, they're toiling at the bottom of the conference where everyone expected them.

12. Colorado (1-3)- The fact that Colorado had a 13 point lead on Texas in the second half is encouraging. The fact that they gave up a 24-2 run at that point is not. This team is really bad.

May as well just give the player of the week award to Michael Beasley again huh? Besides his monster 2nd half against Colorado he put up 21 against A&M. He's averaging 27 and 9 in Big 12 play so far. Not bad for a freshman. Honorable mention to Jerrells who put up 36 last night in the 5 OT win against the Aggies.

A new feature I'm adding this week is the Tourney watch, these are projections based on how I think the season will finish.

Kansas #1 seed
Texas #3 seed
Texas A&M #4 seed
Baylor, Kansas State #6 seed
Texas Tech #11 seed

Okalahoma NIT


As always, your comments are appreciated below...