BIG 12 TEAM CAPSULES
Baylor Bears (12-2)
Coach: Scott Drew (sixth season at BU; 89-93 career, 69-82 at BU)
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 21-11/9-7 (T-4th)
AP ranking: No. 23
Key Players: G Curtis Jerrells, 6-1, sr., 16.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, 1.6 spg; G LaceDarius Dunn, 6-4, soph., 15.9 ppg; G Henry Dugat, 6-0, sr., 13.8 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.3 spg; F Kevin Rogers, 6-9 sr., 12.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg.
Player to watch: Freshman Quincy Acy is shooting over 70 percent from the floor and leads the Bears with 19 blocks.
Best win: 87-78 vs. Arizona State
Worst loss: 85-84 vs. South Carolina at home.
Play A&M: Jan. 14 at A&M; Feb. 14 at BU
Prediction: Defense must improve to challenge for league title. 3rd in Big 12, NCAA berth.
Colorado Buffaloes (8-6)
Coach: Jeff Bzdelik (second season at CU; 95-73 overall, 20-26 at CU)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 12-20/3-13 (12th)
Key Players: G Cory Higgins, 6-5, soph., 17.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 spg; G Nate Tomlinson, 6-2, fr. 9.3 ppg, G Dwight Thorne II, 6-2, jr. 12.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg.
Player to watch: Freshman Austin DuFault is getting more minutes every game. He adds needed size and is perfect for Bzdelik's Princeton offense.
Best win: 75-56 vs. Colorado State
Worst loss: 84-59 vs. Vermont
Play A&M: March 4 at CU
Prediction: Not enough size and if Higgins is off, nowhere to go. 12th in Big 12, no tourney.
Iowa State Cyclones (11-4)
Coach: Greg McDermott (third season at ISU; 261-165 overall, 40-38 at ISU)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 14-18/4-12 (11th)
Key Players: C Craig Brackins, 6-10, soph., 18.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg; G Diante Garrett, 6-4, soph., 10.7 ppg, 5.2 apg; Bryan Peterson 7.0 ppg, 3.3 apg; F Jamie Vanderbeken, 6-11, jr. 1.0 bpg.
Player to watch: 6-11 freshman Justin Hamilton has worked his way into the starting lineup and has averaged eight points and nearly seven rebounds a game.
Best win: 71-67 at Houston
Worst loss: 65-58 vs. South Dakota St.
Play A&M: Feb. 28 at A&M
Prediction: Are still looking for the pieces to complement Brackins. 10th in Big 12, no tourney.
Kansas Jayhawks (11-3)
Coach: Bill Self (360-150 overall, 153-35 in sixth season at KU)
AP ranking: Receiving votes
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 37-3/13-3 (T-1st)
Key players: G Sherron Collins, 5-11, jr., 17.6 ppg, 5.1 apg; C Cole Aldrich, 6-11, soph.,14.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.7 bpg; G Tyshawn Taylor 6-3, fr. 10.0 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.6 spg.
Player to watch: 6-5 Mario Little is a junior college transfer that's been hurt for most of the season. He's playing now and if he stays healthy and gets in basketball shape he will make a difference. He was voted the Big 12's preseason newcomer of the year.
Best win: 92-85 vs. Tennessee
Worst loss: 61-60 vs. Massachusetts
Play A&M: Jan. 19 at KU
Prediction: If youngsters can help Aldrich and Collins, KU could contend. 4th in Big 12, NCAA berth.
Kansas State Wildcats (11-3)
Coach: Frank Martin (second season at KSU; 32-15 career, all at KSU)
AP ranking: none
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 21-12/10-6 (3rd)
Key players: G Jacob Pullen, 6-1, soph. 14.7 ppg, 3.8 apg, 1.9 spg; F Darren Kent, 6-10, sr., 5.8 rpg; F Ron Anderson, 6-8, soph., 9.2 ppg., 5.7 rpg, F Dominique Sutton, 6-5, soph., 8.9 ppg., 5.3 rpg, 1.6 spg; F Luis Colon 5.3 rpg.
Player to watch: Jamar Samuels is a 6-7 redshirt freshman who has started to find a scoring touch.
Best win: 69-59 at Cleveland St.
Worst loss: 65-63 vs. Iowa
Play A&M: Feb. 7 at A&M
Prediction: Have recovered nicely from loss of Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. 8th in Big 12, NIT berth.
Missouri Tigers (13-2)
Coach: Mike Anderson (third season at MU; 136-71 overall, 47-30 at MU)
AP ranking: Receiving votes
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 16-16/6-10 (10th)
Key Players: F DeMarre Carroll, 6-8, sr., 16.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.9 spg; F Leo Lyons, 6-9, sr., 15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg; G. J.T. Tiller, 6-3, jr., 3.3 apg, 1.9 spg; G Zaire Taylor, 6-5, jr. 3.1 apg.
Player to watch: Matt Lawrence is a 3-point specialist who has found the range of late, making 6 of 7 in the Tigers' last nonconference game.
Best win: 83-72 vs. Southern Cal
Worst loss: 75-59 vs. Illinois
Play A&M: March 7 at A&M
Prediction: Starting to play Anderson's style. 6th in Big 12, NCAA berth.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-3)
Coach: Doc Sadler (third season at NU; 215-87 overall, 47-30 at NU)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 20-13, 7-9 (T-7th)
Key players: G Cookie Miller, 5-7, soph., 5.9 ppg, 4.2 apg, 1.5 spg; G Sek Henry, 6-3, jr., 9.8 ppg, 1.5 spg. G Steve Harley 5-11, sr. 13.4 ppg.
Player to watch: Undersized forward Ryan Anderson has come off the bench lately after a slow start but always seems to play well in the Big 12.
Best win: 62-50 at TCU
Worst loss: 66-64 vs. Maryland-Baltimore County
Play A&M: Feb. 24 at NU
Prediction: No size and lack of a true star makes it so everyone must play well for them to win. 11th Big 12, no tourney.
Oklahoma Sooners (14-1)
Coach: Jeff Capel (second season at OU; 118-68 overall, 39-27 at OU)
AP ranking: No. 6
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 23-12/9-7 (T-4th)
Key players: F Blake Griffin, 6-10, soph., 22.2 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 1.5 spg; G Austin Johnson, 6-3, sr., 4.3 apg, 1.6 spg; G Willie Warren, 6-3, fr., 16.3 ppg; F Taylor Griffin, 6-7, sr. 6.9 rpg; 1.5 spg.
Player to watch: Guard Tony Crocker has played well of late after a sub-par start to the season. With defenses sagging to try to control Blake Griffin, Crocker's outside shooting will be key to the Sooners making a run at the Final Four.
Best win: 87-82 vs. Purdue
Worst loss: 96-88 at Arkansas
Play A&M: Jan. 17 at OU; Feb. 4 at OU
Prediction: Warren living up to hype has made OU a top 10 team. 1st in Big 12, NCAA berth
Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-3)
Coach: Travis Ford (first season at OSU; 201-149 overall)
AP ranking: none
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 17-16/7-9 (T-7th)
Key players: F James Anderson, 6-6, soph., 18.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg; G Terrel Harris, 6-5, sr., 15.2 ppg., 5.5 rpg, 1.8 spg; F Obi Muonelo, 6-5 jr. 15.2 ppg., 9.7 rpg., G Byron Eaton, 5-11 sr., 6.3 apg, 2.7 spg.
Player to watch: 5-10 Keiton Page adds more speed and another shooter. The freshman averages two 3s per game.
Best win: 91-73 vs Tulsa
Worst loss: 83-65 at Washington
Play A&M: Jan. 10 at OSU; Jan. 31 at A&M
Prediction: Three legitimate scorers make OSU dangerous. 7th in Big 12, NCAA berth
Texas Longhorns (11-3)
Coach: Rick Barnes (11th season at UT; 460-230 overall, 258-96 at UT)
AP ranking: No. 7
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 31-7/13-3 (T-1st)
Key players: G A.J. Abrams, 5-11, sr., 19.0 ppg; F Damion James, 6-7, jr., 14.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg; F Gary Johnson, 6-7, soph., 10.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg. G Justin Mason, 6-2, jr., 7.1 ppg, 5.5 apg, 1.7 spg.
Player to watch: UT big man Dexter Pittman only plays 14 minutes a game and still averages 9.1 and 4.9 rebounds a game.
Best win: 68-64 vs. UCLA
Worst loss: 67-62 at Arkansas
Play A&M: Jan. 24 at UT; Feb. 16 at A&M
Prediction: Solid team that needs forward Connor Atchley to step up. 2nd Big 12, NCAA berth.
Texas A&M Aggies (14-1)
Coach: Mark Turgeon (second season at A&M; 192-131 overall, 39-12 at A&M)
AP ranking: Receiving votes
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 25-11/8-8 (6th)
Key players: F Josh Carter, 6-7, sr., 13.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg; F Bryan Davis, 6-9 jr., 10.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg; C Chinemelu Elonu, 6-10, jr., 9.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 bpg; G Donald Sloan, 6-3, jr., 11.5 ppg, 3.6 apg.
Player to watch: Guard B.J. Holmes is a sharpshooter who can open up the floor for Carter, Elonu and Davis.
Best win: 86-78 at Alabama (OT)
Worst loss: 67-56 vs. Tulsa
Prediction: Hard team to figure. Aggies have played well against good teams but poorly against bad ones. 5th in Big 12, NCAA berth
Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-5)
Coach: Pat Knight (first full season at Tech; 14-12 overall, all at Tech)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 16-15/7-9 (T-7th)
Key players: G John Roberson, 5-11, soph, 15.2 ppg, 6.4 apg; G Alan Voskull, 6-3, sr., 13.9 ppg, 1.6 spg; F Mike Singletary, 6-5, soph., 11.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg.
Player to watch: D'waylan Roberts shoots 60 percent from the field and gives Tech some much-needed size at 6-7, relatively speaking.
Best win: 86-78 vs. New Mexico
Worst loss: 85-79 at Lamar
Play A&M: Jan. 28 at A&M; Feb. 21 at Tech
Prediction: Depend too much on Roberson and are not very good defensively or rebounding. 9th Big 12, no tourney
-- RICHARD CROOME
Notice about comments:
TheEagle.com is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. TheEagle.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not theeagle.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
Full terms and conditions can be read here.
