Thursday, February 14, 2008

Big 12 Report Week 5

I'm in a time crunch (which is fitting since so many Big 12 teams find themselves in the same position) so I'm skipping the snazzy intro and getting straight to the Power Poll:

1. Kansas (8-2) A three point road loss to the 11th ranked team in the country is no reason for alarm. Jayhawks still look like league champs and a #1 seed to me.

2. Texas (7-2) They almost pulled it off. Last week I half-joked that they might lose to Iowa State and beat KU. They beat the Cyclones in OT instead. Longhorns control their own destiny and winning out may get them a 1 seed.

3. Texas A&M (6-3) Road win at Mizzou may not look like a big deal, but try telling that to the team above and below them.

4. Kansas State (7-2) Every bit the enigma we imagined them to be, but still control their own destiny in the Big 12 race. Did they really deserve to fall to 4? Not as much as Texas deserved to move up to 2.

5. Baylor (5-4) Looking more like the team I forecasted and less like their flash-in-the-pan start every day. I like Scott Drew a lot, but they're in a brutal stretch of schedule right now and this tailspin may be hard to stop.

6. Texas Tech (4-5) Win over K-State could have been a season saver. Battle with OU on Saturday to determine who has a realistic chance at the dance.

7. Oklahoma (4-5) Longar Longar was missed, but losing by 14 to Colorado? Tournament teams don't do that.

8. Missouri (4-6) Suddenly there's a quiet clamoring that the Tigers could finish 5th or 6th in this league, maybe even sneak in the back door for an NCAA bid...really? You expect Jim Mora to come storming out "Playoffs? Playoffs?" but it isn't that farfetched. They only have two games left against teams above .500 in the conference. They have to win out at home (OSU, Colorado, Iowa State) and steal two of three on the road (KSU, Baylor, OU). Stranger things have happened...

9. Iowa State/Oklahoma State (3-7) Two mediocre teams with much less than mediocre luck.

11. Nebraska (3-6) We all thought it was going to be Texas Tech or Baylor that really made me look like a fool. Nope, it's the Huskers. How did I ever think this team was going to be good? Doc Sadler Big 12 Coach of the Year? Seriously?

12. Colorado (2-7) Big win over OU, momentum building, now they head to Lawrence. So much for momentum. Kansas should win this game by 30...

Postseason Predictions
Kansas #1 seed
Texas/Texas A&M #3 seed
Kansas State #5 seed.
Baylor #11 seed

Oklahoma/ Texas Tech NIT

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