— By Dave Weekley
TIER ONE (potential top four NCAA Tournament seeds)
BAYLOR
I’m going to fight the inclination to put WVU atop our first tier this week after Baylor has been less than impressive in their first two games back following a three-week pause for COVID. It’s going to take some time for BU to get back up to speed after reportedly eight Bears had the virus at some point during their pause. There were quite a few things that happened in their 71-58 loss to Kansas that I don’t think will continue. For example, the nation’s best three-point shooting team went just 6-of-26 at KU. Baylor lost the battle of the boards 50-28. Jared Butler, the odds on favorite to be the Big 12 POY scored just five points. Kansas proved Baylor can be beaten, but the Bears are still 18-1. Let’s see what happens in Morgantown on Tuesday night.
WEST VIRGINIA
The Mountaineers are now in sole possession of second place in the Big 12 standings after an outstanding week and are solidly in Tier One of our Snapshot. In WVU’s 65-43 win over K-State on Saturday, roster depth was key. Deuce McBride was out of the starting lineup with a toe issue and scored just five points in 23 minutes. Derek Culver scored 11 points in just 18 minutes. Jordan McCabe ran the point most of the afternoon and Sean McNeil led WVU with 16 points. K-State won the battle of the boards 36-35, including a 14-9 edge in offensive rebounding. West Virginia managed to win easily against K-State in a game in which the Wildcats shot just 29% and were 3-of-19 from three. Don’t expect Baylor to put up those kind of numbers.
KANSAS
Don’t look now, but here comes Kansas. The Jayhawks have now won six of their last seven games and re-appear in Tier One of our Snapshot this week after knocking Baylor from the ranks of the unbeaten on Senior Night at the Phog in easily their biggest win of the season. Conference play is over for KU and theyfinished with a flourish. David McCormack had a game high 20 points, Jalen Wilson grabbed 13 rebounds and Marcus Garrett, who was named as a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist last week, keyed a KU defense that held Baylor to just 35% from the field. Kansas wraps up the regular season by hosting UTEP on Thursday.
OKLAHOMA STATE
Even in a season turned upside down by COVID, Bedlam is still Bedlam. With all of the hype surrounding Cade Cunningham coming into the season, he’s had moments when he couldn’t buy a basket, seemed unaware of clock situations and made a lot of the mistakes all freshman make. But Saturday in Norman against Oklahoma, that wasn’t the case. In that 94-90 overtime win over the Sooners, Cunningham put his teammates on his back and virtually carried them to victory, scoring 40 points and grabbing eleven rebounds — both career highs. OSU has very little time to enjoy the win over their arch rivals, because a rematch with Oklahoma is set for Monday night in Stillwater.
OKLAHOMA
For the Sooners, there’s no shame in losing to Oklahoma State, but when that loss comes after dropping a head scratcher to K-State, this question has to be asked; is this a trend or just an aberration?OU is now 14-7, 9-6 in the Big 12 after their overtime loss at home to OSU. Austin Reaves more than did his part to keep the Sooners in the game, with 22 points, six rebounds and eights assists. De’Vion Harmon led OU with 23 points and was 9-of-13 from the fieldBedlam Part II comes Monday night in StillwaterOU will need to do a much better job blocking out in the rematch, after losing the battle of the boards 45-28 on Saturday night.
TIER TWO (post-season tournament (NCAA and NIT) contenders)
TEXAS
The poise that Texas showed in their come-from-behind win over Kansas early last week was in short supply against Texas Tech in Lubbock on Saturday. The Longhorns tried to push the issue, cutting a 13-point TTU lead to three with just over three minutes left, but UT shot just 20% from the field (5-of-25) after halftime and that was the difference. It was just one of those nights for Courtney Ramey, who went 1-for-10 from the field, scoring six points in 37 minutes. Unlike Kansas, which is finished with conference play, Texas has three games this week — all on the road, at Iowa State on Tuesday, at Oklahoma on Thursday and finally at TCU next Saturday night.
TEXAS TECH
If you want to look for things that have turned around the Red Raiders’ fortunes with Chris Beard at the helm, look no further than their series with Texas. After beating the Longhorns 68-59 in Lubbock, TTU is now 7-1 vs. UT under Beard. Texas Tech snapped its three-game skid in the win over Texas, Mac McClung led the way with 16 points. Among the positives for TTU; Texas Tech won the rebounding battle 36-31 and that’s no easy task against the Longhorns, who lead the Big 12 in rebounding margin. The Red Raiders also found their way back to the free throw line. In their overtime loss to Oklahoma State early last week, the Cowboys had the edge in free throw attempts 32-12. Against Texas, TTU went 20-of-26 from the stripe — Texas Tech came into the contest second in the nation with 15. 5 made free throws per game. The Red Raiders have a busy week ahead with three makeup games; hosting TCU on Tuesday, Iowa State on Thursday and visiting Baylor next Saturday.
TIER THREE (cellar dwellers)
TCU
The bottom of the Big 12 continues to be feisty. TCU bounced back from its home loss to WVU last week to complete a season sweep against Iowa State, dropping the Cyclones in Ames, 76-72. The Frogs have struggled at the free throw line at times this year, but went 18-of-18 (!) at ISU — that’s the kind of thing that wins conference games on the road. TCU also managed to outrebound ISU, 33-28. Mike Miles and RJ Nembhard scored 19 points each to lead the way. The Frogs visit TTU on Tuesday before visiting WVU on Thursday. TCU wraps up the regular season by hosting Texas next Saturday.
KANSAS STATE
K-State’s two-game winning streak came to an end at WVU on Saturday, as the Wildcats managed to score just 43 points in a 22-point loss in Morgantown. West Virginia’s top two players – Deuce McBride and Derek Culver had sub-par games, but KSU was unable to take advantageWithout Nijel Pack, who missed the game with an eye infection, K-State struggled, committing 18 turnoversAt 7-19 overall and just 3-14 in the Big 12, K-State is off until next Saturday, when they will have a chance to sweep their season series with visiting Iowa State.
IOWA STATE
It was a curious week for the Cyclones, who nearly upset previously unbeaten Baylor, but then lost to TCU on Senior Night in Ames, 76-72. It’s not as if ISU didn’t make it a game; after trailing by 14 points, they rallied to take the lead 56-53 behind some long-range shooting by Jalen Coleman-Lands, but TCU quickly went back out in front and made their free throws down the stretch. The Cyclones are now 2-18 overall, 0-15 in conference play and have a tough week ahead; hosting Texas on Tuesday before finishing the conference season with trips to Texas Tech (Thursday) and K-State (Saturday). One other ISU note; Fifth-year senior Solomon Young announced last Friday he won’t pursue a sixth-season and will instead turn pro.