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Bracketology 2020: Virginia, DePaul and Washington among week’s losers

By Andrew Dieckhoff

SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 08: Quade Green #55 of the Washington Huskies drives passed Admon Gilder #1 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs and scores on a breakaway late in the 2nd half at Hec Edmundson Pavilion on December 8, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mike Tedesco/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 08: Quade Green #55 of the Washington Huskies drives passed Admon Gilder #1 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs and scores on a breakaway late in the 2nd half at Hec Edmundson Pavilion on December 8, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mike Tedesco/Getty Images) /
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MORGANTOWN, WV – FEBRUARY 10: Lindy Waters III #21 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV – FEBRUARY 10: Lindy Waters III #21 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

BIG 12

1. Oklahoma State

Last week saw most of the heavyweights in the Big 12 go toe-to-toe, with the conference’s top four teams pairing off in four separate contests. But before we get to the big boys, let’s take a moment to mourn some losses in the middle of the conference.

Probably the most negatively affected team was Oklahoma State. The Cowboys dropped to 9-6 on Saturday when they fell to TCU on Saturday, marking their third straight defeat and their sixth in the past eight games.

The Pokes were a trendy preseason pick to crash the Big Dance, and a seven-game winning streak to start the year did nothing to dispel those prospects. But their recent slide has been as drastic as it has been damaging.

The NIT is looking like a more likely landing spot for OSU than the NCAA Tournament at the moment. Maybe they could follow in Texas’ footsteps and bring another NIT title home to the Big 12.

2. Texas

Speaking of the Longhorns, they need to be careful not to make a habit of showing up in the consolation bracket. Shaka Smart guided the team to a positive finish to a frustrating year, but the NIT title isn’t exactly the kind of trophy the program wants to put on the mantel.

That’s why last week’s home loss to Oklahoma was so frustrating for the Austin faithful. It was the third loss in four games for Texas after a 9-1 start, a worrisome and all-too-familiar downward trend. The Longhorns pulled up out of their nosedive just in time to avoid crashing and burning against last-place Kansas State.

Still, the shine has been wearing off Shaka Smart for some time, and another disappointing finish would certainly rekindle the conversation about replacing the former VCU coach. We’re not quite to that point yet, but the Horns need to prove they can win consistently in the Big 12.

3. Kansas

As far as consistent winning in the Big 12 is concerned, Kansas has been the gold standard for the better part of two decades. But while last season saw their unprecedented run of dominance come to a close, the Jayhawks came into the week looking like they were on a mission to start a new streak of conference championships.

But those plans hit a snag on Saturday when Baylor toppled Kansas in Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

The Bears might well be the best team in the nation, so this loss doesn’t knock Kansas off course much. There is certainly a chance that both teams grab #1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, but Baylor now has a leg up on the Jayhawks if the Selection Committee were to bring it down to a tiebreaker between the schools.

Of course, this just means that everyone needs to have February 22 circled on the calendar. Bill Self brings his squad to Waco with eyes on returning the favor and regaining ground in the fight for the top spot in the Big 12.

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