A Bedlam Crossroads on Big Monday
Oklahoma State is favored by 1.5 points for its Big Monday game at Oklahoma. That the Cowboys aren’t favored by more proves the significance of homecourt advantage.
In no other sport is playing at home more advantageous than in men’s basketball. Those who set Las Vegas odds claim homecourt advantage in college hoops often can be worth 6-7 points. That means if Big Monday Bedlam were held at the Ford Center rather than in the Lloyd Noble Center, the Cowboys would be favored by 7.5-8.5 points. (The Ford Center already is booked, with the Thunder vs. the Knicks at 7 p.m.)
Bedlam is at a crossroads in the Big 12 standings. North-bound OSU is coming off a 29-point victory at home Saturday night, while South-bound OU is coming off a 31-point loss on the road Saturday night.
The Sooners’ 30-game winning streak against Baylor came to an abrupt halt. Given the chaos among Top 25 teams last week, the Bears could break into the rankings on Monday. OU was a preseason Top-15 pick. Now it appears the Sooners will struggle to finish above .500. It’s not as though OU is losing heartbreaking outcomes. The Sooners are getting drilled. How can so much talent play so poorly?
OSU could take a solid step toward Big 12 upper-division status with a win in Norman. Given what transpired with these teams just 24 hours ago, you’d think the 13-2 Cowboys would have little trouble disposing of 9-6 OU. But this is Norman, this is Bedlam and, most important, this is college basketball — where nothing is certain and we’re already down to just two unbeatens.
This game is far more significant for the Sooners, at least it should be. For whatever reason, they haven’t played with any urgency this season, but what could be more urgent than their current situation?
Having a must-win game on Jan. 11 might seem a ludicrous thought, but not in this case. OU can’t afford to lose Bedlam at home. The Sooners must protect their house, where plenty of orange-clad fans figure to be in attendance.
The no-logo team in Norman
That Division I men’s basketball team located in Norman has been stripped of its identity and evicted from its own locker room. Gotta admit, I like the idea.
Players have been booted from their own locker room before. Plenty of coaches have done it. The key is WHEN you do it. It’s all in the timing, and the timing of Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel could be perfect.
Make this move in mid-December and who cares? Make the move before your Big 12 opener and now you’ve got your team’s attention. The Sooners open league play at 5 p.m. Saturday at Baylor. OU has beaten the Bears 30 straight times and has never lost to them in Big 12 play. However, Baylor is 12-1 this season and has won 19 of its last 22 games dating back to the end of last season.
Capel has pushed every button he can find in an effort to wake up his talented, but underachieving team. The Sooners went 9-5 in non-conference play, which appears the make a 9-7 league record the minimum requirement for an NCAA tournament bid. The Big 12 is outstanding this year. So if that’s the case, why on earth did OU stink so bad in non-league play?
The Sooners should be no worse than 12-2 right now. They have the ability. What they need is the right attitude. Maybe losing their uniforms will help them find their true identity.
Big 12 power rankings for Jan. 8
1. Kansas (14-0): Survives scare against Cornell; at Tennessee on Sunday.
2. Texas (14-0): Back-to-back games were closer than expected (Corpus-Christi and Arkansas).
3. Kansas State (13-1): Jumps straight into the Big 12 fire with road game at Missouri.
4. Texas A&M (11-3): Commendable non-conference schedule should help the cause.
5. Baylor (12-1): Trying to beat Oklahoma for the first time ever in Big 12 play.
6. Oklahoma State (12-2): Marshall Moses expected to return in opener against Texas Tech.
7. Texas Tech (12-2): No more hiding out in Lubbock. Time to hit the road against quality teams.
8. Missouri (12-3): Will be hard-pressed to push its homecourt winning streak to 30, hosting KSU.
9. Iowa State (10-4): Lost by 21 to Duke in Chicago; begins league play Wednesday vs. Texas.
10. Oklahoma (9-5): Overall talent is there, but consistent effort so far has been missing.
11. Nebraska (12-3): Hard to gauge because of its weak non-league schedule, but beat Tulsa.
12. Colorado (9-5): Begins conference play at Texas, then gets to host Baylor and Kansas State.
Chat with John at 11 a.m.
Video: From 14-0 to 14-3?
AP hoops poll for Jan. 4
With Big 12 play beginning on Saturday, four conference teams remain ranked in the weekly Associated Press Top 25 poll and two more teams are on the verge of joining.
Kansas and Texas remain 1-2, Kansas State has risen to No. 11 and Texas Tech is at No. 22. Texas A&M ranks the equivalent of No. 27 and Baylor is at No. 30. Oklahoma State is at No. 42.
The question now becomes: Will Big 12 teams knock each other out of the rankings, or will others get a big enough lift to join the Top 25? Saturday’s most intriguing matchup has Texas Tech visiting OSU at 7 p.m. A victory won’t be enough to get the Cowboys ranked, but a Red Raiders loss figures to be enough to bump them out of the Top 25.
Here is how I voted in this week’s poll: 1. Kansas; 2. Texas; 3. Kentucky; 4. Purdue; 5. Duke; 6. North Carolina; 7. Michigan State; 8. Villanova; 9. Syracuse; 10. Kansas State; 11. West Virginia; 12. Tennessee; 13. Georgetown; 14. Mississippi; 15. Connecticut; 16. New Mexico; 17. Gonzaga; 18. Wisconsin; 19. Florida; 20. Texas A&M; 21. Florida State; 22. Georgia Tech; 23. Clemson; 24. Texas Tech; 25. BYU.
