Big 12 Basketball: What is the ceiling for each program for 2018-19?
By Chris Kern
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Oklahoma State Cowboys lose a lot from last years squad that just missed out on an NCAA tournament appearance. They got hot late in the season with big wins including one at Allen Fieldhouse but the bad nonconference schedule led to them missing out on the big dance.
They lost a lot of key guys to graduation such as leading scorers Jeffrey Carroll and Kendall Smith. Another key loss for them is guard Tavarius Shine who decided to turn pro instead despite not having much of a chance to get drafted.
They bring in a lot of new faces as do a lot of teams in this conference. Most of those teams have some upperclassmen who have been with the program for a couple years that they can rely on.
This team’s postseason chances are very little unless Sophomore guard Michael Weathers is able to return from his suspension. The Cowboys have been preparing for the season without Weathers and if he does become eligible they’ll figure out how to make it work when the time comes.
This team does have a couple of bright spots, which they will be able to rely on. Junior forward Cameron McGriff is gonna be asked to be a leader on this team as he’s probably the best returning player from last years team. He averaged 8.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Graduate transfer Mike Cunningham who came over from USC Upstate is gonna have a chance to play a big role, even more so with Weathers suspended. He averaged 13.7 points and 3 assists per game.
This team has a lot of question marks on their team. They’ll have to rely on many guys who didn’t play a whole lot last season.
This team’s ceiling really just depends on if Michael Weathers can play later on in the season. If he comes back and plays well then this team could fight to make an NCAA tournament berth. Without him, this team will struggle to even make the NIT.