Big 12 basketball is dominating the nation right now, so how do they stack up against each other?
While conference play isn’t technically halfway over yet, we’re close enough, with every Big 12 team having played eight of the 18 games on the conference schedule. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before…
This looks like it may be the year that Kansas doesn’t win the Big 12.
No, seriously though. Kansas sits tied for second at 5-3, but there’s three teams ahead of them at 6-2 (Oklahoma, Baylor, and West Virginia), and they’re also tied with two other teams (Iowa State and Texas) at 5-3. The full standings look like this:
- Oklahoma: 6-2
- Baylor: 6-2
- West Virginia: 6-2
- Kansas: 5-3
- Iowa State: 5-3
- Texas: 5-3
- Kansas State: 2-6
- Texas Tech: 2-6
- Oklahoma State: 2-6
- TCU: 1-7
The Big 12 also boasts the nation’s number one team in Oklahoma, and probably the nation’s best player in Buddy Hield. In case you missed it, he had what was arguably the best single player performance in the country this year, and what was definitely the best performance I have ever witnessed, just a few weeks ago at Allen Fieldhouse:
While what Hield is doing has been fantastic, and absolutely amazing to watch, it has far overshadowed the improvements of several other key Big 12 players, and even national player of the year candidates, even though Hield will ultimately win that award, most likely.
Guys like Georges Niang, Wayne Selden, Jaysean Paige, Johnathan Motley, Isaiah Taylor, and Jawun Evans, all deserve their due, and they will all be discussed within the power rankings here. With that, here are some mid-season power rankings for the Big 12.
Next: The Basement Dwellers
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders
12-8, 2-6 Big 12
After a solid start to the season, culminating with a win over Texas to start conference play, and talk of a tournament appearance, the Red Raiders have completely fallen off the table. Tubby Smith continues giving minutes to the offensive liability that is Devaugntah Williams when he should be giving them to guys like Justin Gray, who is probably not only their best player, but also a sophomore who is going to be around for awhile longer and could use the experience.
9. Kansas State Wildcats
13-8, 2-6 Big 12
Bruce Weber may be doing enough to save his job this season. He’s developed Wesley Iwundu into an effective point-forward, and he’s building with enough solid freshmen to justify another year. Dean Wade reminds me a bit of Perry Ellis when he was a freshman, and I like Kamau Stokes‘ shooting ability going forward, even though his three-point percentage isn’t showing it.
10. TCU Horned Frogs
10-11, 1-7 Big 12
Trent Johnson, like Weber, is building his team around a solid group of young players. For the Frogs, it comes in a trio of Sophomores: Malique Trent, Chauncey Collins, and Vladimir Brodziansky, though they still have much to learn. Brodziansky has frequently found himself on the bench thanks to many silly mistakes, Trent shoots way too many threes (he’s currently 15 for 177 on the season, 19%), and Collins might never be effective going to the hoop because of his size.
Next: Number Seven
7. Oklahoma State Cowboys
11-10, 2-6 Big 12
The Big 12 is conference littered with fantastic point guards. Just about every team is led by a point guard who you could argue is the best in the conference. Kansas has Frank Mason, Iowa State has Monte Morris, Oklahoma has Jordan Woodard, and Texas has Isaiah Taylor. Jawun Evans has been playing well enough to be in that conversation.
Cowboy fans had to tamper their expectations a bit for Evans after his slow start to the year, but in Big 12 play, he’s now averaging 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists per game on 47% from the floor. This includes a 22/6/8 performance against the aforementioned Mason, and a 42/7/6 performance against Woodard.
Evans actually reminds me a little bit of Isaiah Taylor with his quickness and crafty finishes at the rim, though Evans is already miles better than Taylor was as a freshman. He is turning the ball over over three times per game in conference play, but that should be expected when a team relies so heavily on a freshman.
Oklahoma State’s season practically ended once it was announced that Phil Forte was done for the year. But Evans has given the folks in Stillwater plenty to be excited about. If Forte receives the medical redshirt he reportedly plans on applying for, these two could be one of the better backcourts in the conference next year.
Next: Number Six
6. Texas Longhorns
14-7, 5-3 Big 12
This season, Texas is 249th in the country in pace, according to teamrankings.com. Last season, VCU, where Shaka Smart used to coach, was 61st. This year, Texas is forcing 13 turnovers per game, good for just 184th in the country. Last season, VCU forced over 16 turnovers per game, good for fifth in the country.
Texas Longhorns
Do you see the picture I’m trying to paint here? Shaka Smart has almost completely abandoned what he is most known for as a coach, and that’s his havoc, full-court pressure defense. He’s still running it occasionally, but he has shelved it for the time being in favor of a defensive system that allows his big men, previously Cameron Ridley and now Prince Ibeh, to set up in the paint and be a force blocking shots.
Boy, has it paid off for Ibeh. He’s never been known as a scorer, but he is averaging double figures over his last three games, all while blocking shots at an elite clip, with a block rate of 13%.
On offense, Smart has handed the keys to Isaiah Taylor, who has cut back on his midrange jumpers that he’s really no good at shooting. After shooting 49% of his shots from the midrange last year, that number is down to 31%, and his shots at the rim is at 54%, up from 36% last year, per hoop-math.com.
All of this combined might equal Shaka Smart’s best coaching effort ever. He doesn’t have many players that fit his system, but he adjusted anyway. In an era full of stubborn coaches, that should go a long way. It’s not like Texas is lighting the world on fire, but they do sit at 5-3 in the Big 12, and after losing Cameron Ridley for the year, making the tournament with this team has to be considered an accomplishment.
Next: Number Five
5. Baylor Bears
17-4, 6-2 Big 12
In conference play, Johnathan Motley leads Baylor in both offensive and defensive rating among players who average over 12 minutes per game. It’s not particularly close, either.
Motley’s offensive rating of 129.7 is trailed most closely by Taurean Prince, who sits at 117.5. So this begs the same question that I always find myself asking: why doesn’t he play more?
For one, he fouls like crazy on defense. But the good news is, lately, he has been playing more. In the three games before Saturday’s game against Georgia in which he fouled out, Motley had played 37, 27, and 23 minutes, averaging almost 13 points per game.
Still, Scott Drew needs to figure out how to keep him on the floor more. A lot more. It wouldn’t be crazy for Scott Drew to bench Ishmail Wainright altogether in favor of a Lester Medford/Al Freeman/Taurean Prince/Motley/Rico Gathers starting lineup. This would allow Taurean Prince to move back to his much more natural position at the three where he mostly played when he came off the bench last year.
Also, with Motley and Gathers teamed up, Baylor would most likely have the best rebounding tandem in the conference. Both Motley and Gathers feast on the offensive glass, and with Prince, Medford, and Freeman all being good shooters, this would lead to tons of open threes for them off of offensive rebounds.
Next: Number Four
4. Iowa State Cyclones
16-5, 5-3 Big 12
This season, opposing offenses are shooting 66% at the rim against Iowa State, a mark that ranks last in the conference. Last year was a similar story, with teams shooting the exact same percentage at the rim against the Cyclones defense.
With last year’s Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and elite shot blocker, Jameel McKay, lurking at the rim, you would figure these numbers to be much lower. I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt last year since McKay was only playing for half of the season, but he’s playing a lot of minutes this year, and also isn’t blocking nearly as many shots. His block rate of 8.7% last year is almost double this year’s block rate of 4.9%.
With Deonte Burton now having 12 games under his belt, I don’t think it’s crazy for Iowa State to start trying out some lineups with Georges Niang at the five and Burton at the four. Burton is playing extremely well, can score from everywhere on the floor, and is probably the Cyclones’ best perimeter defender.
Not to mention, McKay always seems to clog the paint on Georges Niang or Monte Morris drives. McKay isn’t much of a threat outside the paint, so the fact that he’s always lurking there leaves an extra defender to help on Niang or Morris. And if he leaves the paint, the defense might as well ignore him altogether.
I’m not saying McKay isn’t a valuable player, and that he should be benched completely. I’m saying that I think it’s time for Steve Prohm to start playing with some small-ball lineups. The offensive potential of such lineups is through the roof.
Next: Number Three
3. West Virginia Mountaineers
17-4, 6-2 Big 12
Since conference play started, just about everyone on West Virginia has come back down to earth. After having an elite offense for much of the non-conference, the Mountaineer’s are now shooting just 43% from the floor in conference play, good for seventh in the Big 12. This is mostly thanks to Jevon Carter, Devin Williams, and Daxter Miles all shooting well below 40% since conference play began.
The only player that has prevented their offense from completely cratering is Jaysean Paige. Since conference play began, his minutes have seen a major increase, and he’s scoring 17 points per game in Big 12 games as well. He’s scoring 35.8 points per 100 possessions on the season, good for second in the Big 12, behind Buddy Hield.
After last season, and even the early parts of this season, it looked as if Paige’s future was as a shooter. However, he’s scoring so well and efficiently in Big 12 play despite shooting just 26% from three. He’s attacking the rim with reckless abandon, with 40% of his shot attempts coming at the rim, and he’s making them at a rate of 63%, according to hoop-math.com. His attacking of the rim has led to him shooting eight free throws per game, too.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Jonathan Holton was suspended for indefinitely for violating team rules. As West Virginia looks at their schedule, they see @Iowa State, vs. Baylor, and @Kansas as their next three games. This seriously could not have come at a worse time for the Mountaineers. Holton has arguably been their most consistent player this year, is essential to their full-court pressure defense, and his offensive rebound rate of 18% would be valuable to any team. They already got pounded by Florida in their first game without Holton. Someone other than Paige is going to have to step up.
Next: Number Two
2. Kansas Jayhawks
17-4, 5-3 Big 12
On Saturday night, in the midst of Wayne Selden’s career high 33 point performance, Jay Bilas and Dan Shulman began talking about how they believe Wayne Selden is the “x-factor” for the Jayhawks this season.
Kansas Jayhawks
“I think he’s the difference between good and very good, for them to take it up to the next level,” Bilas said on the telecast.
And he very well may have had a point. In wins this season, Selden is averaging almost 17 points per game, on 54% from the floor and 51% from the three-point line. In losses, he’s averaging 10 points per game on 35% from the floor and just under 32% from downtown.
I’ve probably pointed out in other articles how much I hate cherry-picking stats like this, but the difference between those two numbers is staggering. In wins, Selden is basically good enough to be a Player of the Year candidate. In losses, he’s one of the least efficient players in the country. Last season, there was almost no difference in Selden’s stats in wins vs. losses.
Bilas and Shulman also were quick to point out how Selden’s high shooting percentages this year could be a result of him attacking the rim more often. While he’s not necessarily attacking the rim more often this year than last (this year, 28% of his shot attempts are at the rim, whereas last year it was 24.5%), he’s converting a whole lot more often. After shooting just 50% at the rim last year, he’s shooting 65% at the rim this season, an outstanding percentage for a guard.
Next: Number One
1. Oklahoma Sooners
18-2, 6-2 Big 12
So far this season, Khadeem Lattin is shooting 42% on midrange jumpers, and 47% of his shot attempts come from the midrange, according to hoop-math.com, which is the best on the entire team. Not Buddy Hield, not Jordan Woodard, not Isaiah Cousins, but Khadeem Lattin is Oklahoma’s best midranger jump-shooter this season, at least percentage wise.
It’s not like Lattin is making some super-impressive, contested jumpers, though. Opposing defenses generally leave him wide-open in order to try and slow down the trio of Hield, Woodard, and Cousins. But Lattin making shots that the defense is deliberately giving to him is huge for Oklahoma’s offense.
Lattin’s real impact is felt at the other side of the floor, where opponents are shooting just 50% at the rim against the Sooners, a mark that is the best in the Big 12. Lattin’s shot-blocking ability has a lot to do with this.
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All of this has culminated into Lattin emerging as the clear-cut best option to take most of the minutes at center for the Sooners, and Lon Kruger has played him as such in conference play, as he’s averaging just under 29 minutes per game, along with six points, seven rebounds, and over four blocks.