Big 12 Tournament: Struck by the Thunder
Not only is the Thunder the talk of the NBA this season, the team also has drawn attention in the Big 12 media circuit.
Several reporters covering the Big 12 Tournament have inquired about the Thunder this week. The most common opinion shared? “I love watching those guys play.”
Perhaps Big 12 media are lured because several Thunder players could still be in college — Kevin Durant (senior season at Texas); Russell Westbrook (senior season at UCLA): James Harden (junior season at Arizona State); and Byron Mullens (sophomore year at Ohio State).
Big 12 Tournament: Lower seeds rise
With its 75-60 victory over No. 5-seeded Missouri on Wednesday in the second game of the Big 12 Tournament, Nebraska became only the second No. 12 seed to win. Bottom-seeded Colorado beat Baylor in double-overtime two years ago at the Sprint Center.
Coupled with No. 9-seeded Texas Tech’s 82-67 victory over No. 8-seeded Colorado, this is the fourth straight Big 12 tournament at least two lower-seeded teams won opening-round games.
There were several stunned faces in the crowd and on media row during the NU win. “The people that follow us know our season. It’s been a tough season,” Cornhuskers coach Doc Sadler said. “I think for you all, that’s the first time that you’ve seen us play this year.”
Wednesday’s loss could drop Missouri down to a No. 9 or No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. “I think we’ll be fine,” MU coach Mike Anderson said.
Big 12 Tournament: Bedlam tranquility
Last year’s Bedlam game in the Big 12 Tournament drew a split crowd of 18,000 inside the Ford Center.
The beginning of Wednesday night’s opening round of Bedlam drew a crowd of roughly 4,000. It was a mix of Big 12 fans, but Oklahoma State supporters outnumbered Oklahoma fans at least two to one. By halftime, the Sprint Center was three-fourths full with the day’s final game between Iowa State and Texas.
Big 12 Tournament: A chance to listen in
There was a sparse gathering at the outset of the opening game in the Big 12 men’s tournament. One benefit of no crowd noise was being able to listen in on the Texas Tech huddle at the Sprint Center.
Red Raiders coach Pat Knight shared a salty chat with his team in the early going. Though it was only a 30-second timeout, Knight managed to get off an impressive string of expletives before the horn sounded.
His team had it coming. The Red Raiders played atrocious defense early, falling behind 13-5 at the 14:46 mark. Evidently, Knight got through to his team, which had pulled ahead 35-31 at halftime.
The crowd gradually grew from maybe 1,000 people at the opening tip (11:30 a.m.) to roughly 12,000 by the end of the game, which Texas Tech won 82-67.
Big 12 Tournament: Coach(es) of the year
Several publications throughout Big 12 territory select their own all-conference teams. The only consensus for 2010 Big 12 coach of the year is that there was no consensus.
The Associated Press, the Big 12 coaches and the Kansas City Star selected Kansas State’s Frank Martin. The Austin American-Statesman and Fort Worth Star-Telegram chose Baylor’s Scott Drew. The Dallas Morning News and San Antonio Express-News picked Texas A&M’s Mark Turgeon. The Oklahoman tabbed Bill Self of Kansas.
All four coaches have first-round byes at this week’s Big 12 Tournament at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
“They’re all good picks,” said veteran Star sports writer Blair Kerkhoff. “A case can be made for each one of them.”
In the preseason Big 12 poll, which was voted upon by the coaches, KU was picked first and finished first; KSU was picked fourth, finished in the three-way tie for second and as the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Tournament; Baylor was picked 10th, finished tied for second and as the No. 3 seed; Texas A&M was picked fifth, finished tied for second and as the No. 4 seed, despite a season-ending injury to guard Derrick Roland in December.
Big 12 Tournament: Notables
SMALL TURNOUT: Tuesday’s practice sessions were free and open to the public inside the Sprint Center. The eight teams that practiced drew modest gatherings.
No. 5-seeded Missouri topped the list with roughly 500 fans. No. 7-seeded Oklahoma State drew roughly 150 fans and No. 10-seeded Oklahoma had probably half that many.
Texas (No. 6), Colorado (No. 8), Texas Tech (No. 9), Iowa State (No. 11) and Nebraska (No. 12) also drew less than 100 fans each.
TIDBITS: This is the lowest Big 12 Tournament seed ever for the No. 10 Sooners, who were a No. 9 seed in 2007, which was coach Jeff Capel’s first season at OU. Oklahoma State has ranged from a No. 1 to a No. 9 seed in the tournament …
The best first-round Big 12 Tournament record belongs to OSU at 7-0. Texas A&M has the worst first-round mark at 1-10. That record will remain the same, however, because the No. 4-seeded Aggies earned a first-round bye this week …
Two teams have a good chance to advance to their first-ever Big 12 Tournament championship game — Kansas State and Texas A&M …
Kansas leads the way with six Big 12 Tournament titles. OU has won three titles and OSU has won two, which came consecutively from 2001-05. Texas is 0-5 in title games.
Big 12 Tournament: Beware of Los Lobos
For the past few weeks, we’ve assumed Kansas and Kansas State will be headed to the Ford Center for first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games.
That remains a safe assumption — pretty much.
The team to keep an eye on is New Mexico, which is bidding to become a No. 3 or No. 2 seed.
The top-ranked Jayhawks presumably are headed to Oklahoma City as a No. 1 seed, no matter what happens at the Big 12 Tournament, which begins Wednesday at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.
If KSU wins the Big 12 Tournament and Duke falters early in the Atlantic Coast Tournament, the Wildcats could rise to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
If that’s the case, KU and KSU no doubt would head for the Ford Center. But what if KSU and New Mexico are the same seeds, or UNM is a No. 2 and KSU is a No. 3? Would the Lobos then get the nod over KSU for the Ford Center? Possibly.
The NCAA selection committee does what it can to keep high-seeded teams as close to home as possible. UNM is not close to any first-round site, really. It’s 543 miles from Oklahoma City; 1,092 miles from Sacramento; and 1,170 miles to New Orleans.
What the selection committee could do is ship the Lobos to Sacramento, then make it up to them by sending UNM to the West Regional at Salt Lake City, which is 621 miles away.
AP hoops poll for March 7
Despite going 0-2 last week, I still ranked Kansas State at No. 5 in this week’s Associated Press poll. The Wildcats’ loss at Kansas on Senior Night certainly was no disgrace. The Jayhawks haven’t lost a regular-season home finale since 1983. KSU’s loss at home against Iowa State was embarrassing, but keep in mind the Cyclones have two NBA players in Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap.
The reason I voted Kansas State ahead of the Big Ten trio of Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue is very simple: I believe the Wildcats are slightly better than those three teams.
The season’s final poll will be taken next Sunday. Here is how I voted this week:
1. Kansas; 2. Kentucky; 3. Syracuse; 4. Duke; 5. Kansas State; 6. Ohio State; 7. Michigan State; 8. Purdue; 9. West Virginia; 10. Butler; 11. New Mexico; 12. Brigham Young; 13. Villanova; 14. Temple; 15. Gonzaga; 16. Wisconsin; 17. Baylor; 18. Texas A&M; 19. Pittsburgh; 20. Tennessee; 21. Vanderbilt; 22. Georgetown; 23. UTEP; 24. Maryland; 25. Cornell
Voting All-American style
Those who vote in the weekly Associated Press men’s basketball poll were asked to submit three All-America teams, plus a national player of the year and national coach of the year. Here is how I voted:
FIRST TEAM: Evan Turner (Ohio State); John Wall (Kentucky); Wesley Johnson (Syracuse); James Anderson (Oklahoma State); Jon Scheyer (Duke)
SECOND TEAM: Sherron Collins (Kansas); Cole Aldrich (Kansas); Scottie Reynolds (Villanova); Matt Bouldin (Gonzaga); Greivis Vasquez (Maryland)
THIRD TEAM: Damion James (Texas); DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky); Robbie Hummel (Purdue); Luke Harangody (Notre Dame); Aubrey Coleman (Houston)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Evan Turner (Ohio State)
COACH OF THE YEAR: Jim Boeheim (Syracuse)
AP hoops poll for Feb. 28
The nation’s top three ranked teams were defeated last weekend in Kansas (at Oklahoma State), Kentucky (at Tennessee) and Purdue (home against Michigan State). That left the top spot open for Syracuse.
That’s right, the new No. 1 began this season unranked and lost in an exhibition game to Le Moyne College, a Division II school located about 3 miles away in the same town. Suffice to say, Jim Boeheim has made a big push for national coach of the year.
Here is how I voted in this week’s Top 25: 1. Syracuse; 2. Kansas; 3. Duke; 4. Kentucky; 5. Kansas State; 6. Michigan State; 7. Purdue; 8. Ohio State; 9. Villanova; 10. Butler; 11. New Mexico; 12. Brigham Young; 13. West Virginia; 14. Temple; 15. Gonzaga; 16. Wisconsin; 17. Georgetown; 18. Pittsburgh; 19. Tennessee; 20. Vanderbilt; 21. UTEP; 22. Baylor; 23. Texas A&M; 24. Cornell; 25. Maryland.
