Big 12 Basketball: Answering 5 questions from the preseason
Before the season started, there were questions about the Big 12 basketball teams. Here’s what we know so far about those squads and their future.
1. How big is the gap between Kansas and everyone else?
This might be the closest race yet since the Jayhawks started their streak of regular season conference titles. Kansas has not looked as good as normal in the non-conference, losing back-to-back games to Pac-12 teams Arizona State and Washington.
Meanwhile, there’s literally no bad team in the Big 12 this year. TCU and West Virginia look like the biggest threats, but on any given night, any of these teams could take out Kansas. The path to another title will be extremely difficult.
2. Does TCU make the big dance?
Unless the Horned Frogs have a two-month meltdown, they will absolutely be apart of March Madness for the first time in over 20 years. The team is currently undefeated at 11-0 with solid wins over Nevada and SMU. With the entire roster back from a year ago, this experienced team will be more consistent this time around.
3. Who’s more likely to rebound: Texas or Oklahoma?
The Oklahoma Trae Youngs…I mean Sooners…are all about their star freshman, who leads the league in both scoring (28.5 ppg) and assists (10.2 apg). The Sooners are now a top-25 team who will surpass their win total from a season ago in a couple of weeks.
Texas, meanwhile, looks incredibly similar to a year ago. There’s a great talent down low surrounded by a bunch of players who still can’t shoot. As a team, the Longhorns have shot 28% from 3-point range, good for 339th in the country. Both teams are better than a year ago, but Oklahoma is clearly the superior team.
4. Besides Kansas, is there a second-weekend team?
Right now, the Jayhawks aren’t even a second-weekend team at the moment. West Virginia has their flaws, and it’s hard to imagine TCU coming right in and doing damage. Oklahoma is a trendy pick, but at some point, Young has to regress just a bit. Out of the major conferences, the Big 12 is the one league that there isn’t a clear-cut top-10 team.
5. Is Iowa State better than perceived?
The first two games that ended in defeats (including a home loss to Milwaukee) started to sound off the alarms. But since then, Steve Prohm and the Cyclones have rattled off eight wins in a row, including wins over Iowa, Tulsa, and Boise State.
Next: Answering 5 ACC questions from the preseason
Turns out, this team full of transfers and freshmen just needed a little time to gel. After playing Maryland-Eastern Shore on Wednesday night, Iowa State will likely be on a nine-game winning before conference play starts, adding another dangerous team for Kansas to deal with.