Trying to Save the Season With No Hits

From the beginning of the season the Longhorns looked a little bit off. While they were ranked in the top 25 nationally and had a solid record, the Horns were playing inconsistent, uninspired baseball and didn't look promising going into conference play. The lackluster play finally turned into a full blown disaster as the Longhorns have been 11-11 since March 28th and have a un-Longhorn-esqe 10-11 conference record.

What was the absolute low point? Probably losing to UT-Arlington and UT-San Antonio during that 22-game stretch has to be near the top. A 3-6 record at home during conference play has been a point of embarrassment, but the worst moment probably goes to that 31-12 drumming at the hands of Missouri. (Yes, that's a baseball score.)

What has been the problem? Well the hitting hasn't been spectacular, but a .284/24/128 isn't far off 2007's .302 average during conference play. The defense has certainly been underwhelming, with 24 errors in 21 games. But one would definitely need to look at the pitching to find the source of the Longhorn's problems. A 6.34 team ERA in conference play is absolutely atrocious, especially compared to last year's 3.19 mark in conference play.

The biggest problem has been the Longhorns inability to find starting pitching. Though the entire staff hasn't exactly been anything other than a big problem. The ace of the staff, Austin Wood has been 1-1 with a 7.26 ERA in conference play, while Riley Boening (7.13) and Kenn Kasparek (6.16) haven't faired much better against the Big XII. Augie Garrido has been trying everything as Cole Green, Chance Ruffin, and Brandon Workman (7.01) have gotten chances to start as well. Green (2.81) and Ruffin (2.93) have been working out of the pen mostly, but the two freshman might have to be what carries this team down the stretch.

The Longhorns might be trying to turn the corner, as Kenn Kasparek threw a complete game no-hitter against Texas State yesterday, but the Longhorns will need to greatly improve as a staff if they hope to turn this season around. Texas has 7 games left and will need to show well to even hope for an at large birth into the NCAA Tournament. The way this season has been going, the safest bet looks to be that that Longhorns will be at home this post season. Which might not be a bad thing, as bad of a disaster as this season has been. But, there is still a hope if the Longhorns can sweep the Baylor (26-20) series and take that momentum into their three game season finale against #6 Texas A&M (38-7). Taking two out of three from the Aggies would put the Horns in good shape with a (33-19)(16-12) mark, and riding great momentum.

But, that is highly optimistic. It might be better off to hope that the Aggies don't drop 31 runs on us, and let this season ride off slowly into the sunset and out of our collective memory

Top Coaching Jobs - #5

With Indiana facing certain sanctions from the NCAA for the next several years, the Hooisers were still able to land Tom Crean. Roy Williams left the Kansas Jayhawks for North Carolina in 2003. Kansas was able to replace him with Bill Self, from Illinois, who just recently turned down Oklahoma State to stay at Kansas.

It makes you wonder, what are the Top 10 coaching jobs in college basketball? We here at Drinking the Forty consulted with some of the finest basketball experts in the country to find out. Hey, if ESPN can pull random people off the street and call them experts, then we can too.

Here is our Top 10, based on a program’s national persona, recent success, fan base, facilities, history and tradition, and potential for future success.

#5.) Kentucky Wildcats

Another storied program that is in a period of transition. Things had started to come unraveled in Lexington under coach Tubby Smith, who grew tired of the extreme expectations of the Big Blue and saw the writing on the wall. With Smith heading to Minnesota, he left the Kentucky program depleted and in need of a minor rebuilding job.

After a disastrous hiring search, Kentucky was able to make a great hire in Texas A&M coach Billy Gillespie. He immediately came in and instilled his defensive minded, tough, winning attitude and was able to salvage what was a very sub-par Kentucky team. Under Gillespie you could see the transformation taking place during the season, as he began to put his imprint on the program.

Kentucky is a program where 20 wins and tournament appearances aren’t enough. Over the last seven seasons the Wildcats have posted 169 wins and a .728 winning percentage. But that wasn’t enough for Big Blue. One of the most demanding and rabid fan bases in all of college basketball, the Wildcat faithful expects Final Four appearances and National Titles.

Under Adolph Rupp, the Kentucky Wildcats became one of the most successful and storied programs in the game. That tradition grew even more under the championship teams of Rick Pitino. With seven championships and 13 final four appearances, Kentucky is one of the most historic programs in college basketball. They are nationally known and respected.

But in the last several years, recruiting has been down, and Kentucky has fallen behind Tennessee and Florida in the SEC. Kentucky hasn’t been able to maintain the level reached by Rick Pitino, and Tubby Smith became burned out with the expectations and pressure that this Kentucky job brings. Whether it is warranted or not, there’s the Derby and Wildcat basketball in Kentucky, and that’s it. The scrutiny and pressure that comes with this job is second to none, and Billy Gillespie will have to work hard to please his critics.

Gillespie has a style of basketball that wins in the NCAA Tournament and is a proven recruiter. He’s young and highly motivated and is probably the type of hire that could end up getting the Kentucky program back on top. While the Kentucky program has been down the past few years, it won’t stay there for long. And that’s why they come in on our list at number five.

#6.) Indiana Hooisers
#7.) Florida Gators
#8) Michigan State Spartans
#9.) Connecticut Huskies
#10.) Arizona Wildcats

NCAA Bubble Watch: 3/5/08

Texas A&M (21-8, 7-7) v. Baylor (20-8, 8-6): This is easily the biggest game in the Big 12 this week. A&M has played themselves onto the bubble as they have lost 4 of their last 5. The Aggies RPI is 48 and only have a 74 strength of schedule rank. A&M finishes with Kansas, which makes this game a MUST win against the Bear. If Baylor can win tonight they will add a huge notch to what already is a pretty solid tournament resume.

(4) Tennessee (26-3, 12-2) v. Florida (21-8, 8-6): While Florida has won 21 games, the reigning back-to-back champs have a strength of schedule of 104 and are 60 in the RPI. The SEC is not as strong a conference as it usually is. Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi and Arkansas are all looking good for the tournament. It seems unlikely that the SEC will get 5 or more teams in the NCAAs. They really only have one solid win, over Vanderbilt. Florida may have to knock off Tennessee and Kentucky in their last two games to ensure a tournament bid.

Oklahoma (19-10, 7-7) v. Oklahoma State (16-12, 7-7): OU is looking good for the tournament right now. But it would be really nice to have a win over a solid OSU team to pad the resume. The COwboys have been hot of late as they are making a very late run at the post season. A win against the Sooner may put this marginal team near the front of the bubble teams. OSU really needs to win their last 2 games and maybe 1 or 2 in the Big 12 tournament, but a win over the Sooners will be a nice step forward.

South Florida (12-17, 3-13) v. Villanova (17-11, 7-9): Nova needs to finish 9-9 in the Big East and win some in the Big East tournament to make the Dance. That means a win over S. Florida and Providence are a must. Nova is definitely on the outside looking in. They are going to have to win tonight and hope for a great showing in the conference tournament to make it to March.

Central Florida (16-12, 9-5) v. Houston (21-7, 10-4): The Cougars are a very controversial team on the bubble. They have a great record but play in a really weak Conference USA. Their SOS is a unflattering 152 and a 60 RPI. Tom Penders and the Cougs beat Kentucky earlier in the year but lost to a hapless East Carolina team last game. UH is right on the cusp of the tournament, but need to finish really strong to get a look. With Memphis a lock and UAB looking okay, it is unlikely that CUSA will get 3 teams in the tournament.

Boston College (13-14, 4-10) v. Miami (FL) (20-8, 7-7): Right now the Hurricanes and former Texas assistant, Frank Haith, are looking really good for a NCAA bid. They got a big win over Virginia and have wins over Clemson, Georgia Tech, Duke and Maryland. Unless Miami losses to both BC and Florida State to close the year, look for them to be in the Big Dance.

Syracuse (17-12, 7-9) v. Seton Hall (17-12, 7-9): Both of these teams are in serious trouble of missing the NCAAs. In fact, they most likely will not get in. The loser of this game is absolutely eliminated from consideration. Both have to win and and then have A LOT of work to in the Big East tournament. This game will go further in eliminating a candidate than it will in getting someone in the tournament.

Kentucky (16-11, 10-4) v. South Carolina (13-15, 5-9): It has been a tale of two seasons for Billie Clyde and the Wildcats. They have made up for a horrendous early schedule with a great conference record. Kentucky is most likely not getting in, especially with top player Patrick Patterson out for the season. If Kentucky has any hope they will have to win tonight and against Florida to end the season. A 18-11, 12-4 Wildcat team will have to get a long look from the NCAA selection committee. The fact that they are Kentucky won't hurt either.

No More Mugging Down During Dinner

Finally unexpecting Americans, stuffing their faces on Thanksgiving will be spared from that horrifying sight of seeing Texas A&M co-eds mugging down on National Television during meals. Now they'll wait till later that evening to feel sick to their stomachs.

Texas and Texas A&M will return their Thanksgiving Day rivalry to where it was a long time ago, and by a long time ago, before 1996. New Aggie Coach Mike Sherman, who remembers what it was like watching the first of the 115 Lone Star Rivalries when he was a teenager, is very excited. "I am very excited," Sherman said.

The game will be in primetime on ESPN, which apparently means ABC didn't want to carry the game anymore. I don't know why they didn't want to nationally televise a 9-3 team playing a 6-6 team every year. I just don't. Probably to make way for that new Thanksgiving Hannah Montana special*.

No word on whether Texas will horribly under achieve against the Aggies at night like they do during the day.


http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3264040


*May not actually be a Hannah Montana special.

Big XII Bubble Watch

The Big XII race appears to be sorting itself out, as there is starting to be some seperation between the top 6 teams. The question still remains as to how many tournament teams the Big XII can muster. Oklahoma and Baylor remain the biggest question marks on the bubble as to whether the Big XII will get four, five, or six teams into the dance. The postseason outlook for the Big XII...

#5 Kansas (24-2) (9-2) RPI: 6; SOS: 58
W - vs. Arizona, at USC
L - at Kansas State
To Play: vs. #25 Kansas State, at #22 Texas A&M
- Kansas should be able to win the rematch against Kansas State, as the Wildcats have been struggling as of late, and the Jayhawks should be able to contain the Aggies front line. This would give Kansas either the #1 or #2 seed heading into the Big XII tournament and have them at 29-2. While the record is impressive, they haven't played the most difficult of schedules and if they don't win the Big XII they might not garner a #1 seed.

#7 Texas (22-4) (9-2) RPI: 5; SOS: 3
W - vs. Tennessee, at UCLA, vs. St. Mary's, vs. Kansas
L - at Missouri
To Play: vs. Oklahoma, at. #25 Kansas State
- Texas seems in prime position to take the Big XII title. Though they will need to play their best on the road against Kansas State, a game that will test their front line. Texas has played a great schedule and has three wins against the top 6 teams in the country. If they can manage to win out and make it to the finals of the Big XII tournament, they could sneak into a #1 seed, but they profile best as a #2 seed. If they drop two of their last five, they would probably become one of the most dangerous #3 seeds in the tournament.

#25 Kansas State (18-7) (8-3) RPI: 29; SOS: 33
W - at Oklahoma, vs. Texas A&M, vs. Kansas
L - vs. George Mason, at Xavier, at Missouri, at Texas Tech, at Nebraska
To Play: at Baylor, vs. Texas, at Kansas
- Losing to Missouri, Texas Tech, and Nebraska have really hurt Kansas State in conference play. They now have tough trips to Baylor and Kansas with a visit by Texas to close out the season. If Kansas State goes 2-3 the rest of the way, they should still be dancing, but a win over Baylor or Texas would help cement what has been a solid season for the Wildcats behind Michael Beasley. A 21-9 mark for the season could slot the Wildcats as a #5 or #6 seed that no one will want to play.

#22 Texas A&M (20-6) (6-5) RPI: 39; SOS: 80
W - at Ohio State, vs. Texas
L - at Texas Tech, at Kansas State, vs. Oklahoma State, at Texas
To Play: at Oklahoma, at Baylor, vs. #5 Kansas
- The Aggies have not made things easy on themselves with inconsistent play throughout the conference season. They have a tough stretch ahead of them and really need to take one or both of the OU and Baylor games. The Aggies need to win 3 of their last 5 to avoid going 8-8 in conference and putting themselves in a difficult position come tournament time. Even if the Aggies go 23-8, it might not be enough to make them a #6 seed in the tournament. And while this is an Aggies team that is built for close games in the post season, life as a #7 or #8 seed would make life extremely difficult.

Oklahoma (18-8) (6-5) RPI: 26; SOS: 13
W - vs. Arkansas, vs. Gonzaga, at West Virginia, Baylor twice
L - vs. Stephen F. Austin, at Kansas by 40, at Colorado
To Play: at #7 Texas, vs. #22 Texas A&M
- The Sooners have done well as of late and appear to be finally healthy heading down the stretch. They have impressive RPI and SOS numbers that should help them in front of the selection committee. They have been wildly inconsistent this season, looking very good at times, and at other times, far from it. They should win at least 3 of their final 5, which should be enough to get them in the dance, but a win over Texas A&M would be nice to solidify their place in the tournament. They should end up as a #8 or #9 seed in the dance, which would be a nice accomplishment for a young program under Jeff Capel.

Baylor (17-8) (5-6) RPI: 40; SOS: 38
W - at Notre Dame, at Texas A&M
L - vs. Arkansas, Oklahoma twice, at Oklahoma State
To Play: vs. #25 Kansas State, vs. #22 Texas A&M
- Baylor has CBS executives worried. What once was easily the feel good story of the tournament has fallen on shaky times, as Baylor has free falled the past few weeks as it has forgotten how to play defense. While three easy games will help to turn things around, Baylor really needs to protect their home floor against either one or both of the games against KSU and A&M. A 20-10 record should let the Bears sneak in, but they really need one more big win to cement their resume and not have to rely on mediocre computer numbers. One or two wins in the Big XII tournament wouldn't hurt either.

The Race for the NIT:

Texas Tech (14-11) (5-6) RPI: 62; SOS: 6
- Tough games down the stretch with this Saturday vs. Iowa State as the only one that they will be favored to win. Great computer numbers, but will need to pull an upset somewhere down the stretch.

Missouri (14-12) (4-7) RPI: 86; SOS: 21
- The kindest closing schedule of the NIT hopefulls, with games vs. Colorado, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State looming. Missouri could do the unthinkable if they suspend half their team and then make the NIT. I will be rooting for them.

Oklahoma State (13-12) (4-7) RPI: 111; SOS: 37
- This may come down to the Bedlam Series for the Cowboys as they will probably need to beat Oklahoma at home along with Nebraska at home and Missouri on the road if they hope to have any chance at the NIT. With their sluggish computer numbers, they will need to have a winning record overall and close to .500 in conference.

Nebraska (15-9) (4-7) RPI: 133; SOS: 134
- While the win over Kansas State gave them life, the computer numbers remind you that those 15 wins came against lesser foes. They will need to do some work and get more than just the visit from Colorado. That means beating Oklahoma at home or OSU on the road. Or if they prefer to dream big, A&M or Texas on the road. The computer numbers and the conference record might leave the Huskers at home.

Iowa State (14-12) (4-7) RPI: 135; SOS: 66
- If Iowa State hopes to see a postseason of any sort they will have to do their work away from Ames. Kansas and Kansas State are the only remaining visits they have, but don't count them out as wins are possible at Texas Tech, Missouri, and Colorado. But it may take them two or all three of those road games to make it to the promised land that is the NIT.

Post Game Points: Texas v. Texas A&M

TEAM DEFENSE... By Texas was amazing. Texas put together their best team defensive game of the year by holding the Aggies to 19% shooting in the first half and just 30% for the game. The Longhorn defense swarmed all night on the Aggie guards, disrupting the post entry passes and preventing open shots. Justin Mason seemed to be everywhere on the defensive end as he hounded dribblers and crashed the boards for rebounds. AJ seemed to play his best defense, since he matched up with Brandon Rush of Kansas, as he was in the face of Josh Carter all night causing Carter to go 3-11 from the field (1-5 3pts) and score just 11 points. Connor Atchley, Damion James and Dexter Pittman played some solid post defense as no Aggie big man scored in double figures and Texas recorded 12 blocks. The key to Texas' defense was effort and intensity; exactly the kind of defense that keeps teams playing in March.

JOSEPH JONES... Is broken. I don't know what exactly was the turning point, but it just feels like Jones has given up on basketball. There was a time when I feared him more than any other player on the floor. He always seemed to bring it against the Horns, hitting mid-range jumpers, pounding it inside and patrolling the lane on defense. Now, I sometimes forget he is out there. Last night, Jones went 1-7 from the floor and left the Erwin Center with 3 points. But the problems with Jones are not limited to one game against Texas. Jones is having the worst season of his four year career at A&M as he is averaging career lows in points, rebounds and FG%. As a sophomore, Jones seemed a lock to be a high pick in the NBA and some even speculated on his early exit to the pros. After this year, it will be a shock if Jones even gets a sniff from the NBA. Its sad to see. Even though he is an Aggie, I always like and feared him as an opponent.

JUSTIN MASON... Is the glue of this Texas team. I am convinced, more than ever, that Texas is going to go as far as Mason takes them. He may not put in a bunch of points, but he is a high energy guy that does the things that don't show up in the box score. Whether it be shutting down the opponents best perimeter player or hitting the boards, Mason is the most consistent defensive force the Texas has. Mason has also seemed to have overcome his offensive mini-slump and can be counted on to occasionally take the ball to the rim and hit a few open threes. If Texas can get Mason's usual defensive and rebounding efforts, along with 6-8 points a game, they will be a formidable matchup for any squad in the NCAAs.

DJ's EXHAUSTION... May have been over stated. Many have been saying that DJ's recent struggles have been due to his excessive playing time, and that his legs are just wearing down as the season progresses. Augustin seemed to put that talk to rest as he exploded for 27 points on 9-14 shooting, with 9 assists. DJ was hitting all the shots he seemed to be missing in the last 5 games and he looked much more confident taking the ball to the basket. I think we can safely say that DJ went through a mini-slump and is now turning the corner to regain his top point guard status. I think part of the problem was that DJ was putting to much pressure on himself and caused his struggles. Last night he looked more relaxed and confident as he knew when to drive, pull up for the shot or dish it to a teammate. If there was any doubt that DJ had the energy to finish the season was put to rest as DJ took a late game pass and blew by his defender to make a lay up and get fouled on the play. Of course, it also helped that Texas had a commanding lead the entire game and allowed DJ to get a little rest on the bench.

Youtube Tuesday

Its time for a new weekly post called "Youtube Tuesday." The name is pretty self explanitory, as I will be posting various clips from youtube on a weekly basis. They may be old UT game highlights, player highlight reels, some funny sports video, or something totally of topic and random. i will try to keep it as interesting and fun as possible.

To start of the inaugural posting, I bring you this music video by the "Rammers" called "Ram it." This of course is the 1980 LA Rams singing, dancing and rapping (I use all three of those terms very loosely). Why, you ask, is this clip important to us? Well, for two reasons: One, it shows that white people must read their rap lyrics from a cue card. And, two, prominently featured #21 is non other than current Texas Aggie offensive coordinator, Nolan Cromwell. His dancing at the end of the video rivals, Elaine's "Little Kicks" on Seinfeld in the annuls of horrendous dancing moves.

Win of the Year

Texas did everything right last night in their 77-50 win against #22 Texas A&M. DJ Augustin had a great game and everyone contributed as Texas dominated from the opening tip. It was a great win and Texas looked the best they have all season.

I'm sure Royal will have more on this game later, so I'll leave it to him, but an interesting thought on DJ's recent shooting slump that he seemed to have broken out of last night. During the slump Texas had to rely on AJ, Damo, Connor, Gary, and even Mason and the bench guys stepped up to play increased roles. It seems that even though Augustin regained his shooting touch he has a new found confidence in giving up the ball to his teammates that showed last night. Last night it seemed like DJ was just as big of a threat to pass the ball as he was to shoot the ball, which we haven't seen a lot of this year. His new found confidence to get his teammates the ball in scoring position, and their ability to contribute makes this Texas team dynamic and dangerous.

More on this later, but for now, enjoy a 27-point win over the Aggies. All together now...


POOR AGGIES!!!

Keys to the Game: Texas v. A&M

DJ CONTRIBUTING.... It's no secret that Augustin has struggled shooting the past 5 games. Most likely, it has to do with the fact that he has played nearly every single minute this season. DJ's legs may be getting tired, and that is understandable. However, despite his poor shooting performance against Baylor, DJ may have been the offensive MVP with his game management and ball distribution. DJ still took the ball strong to the basket, but was able to dish the ball to an open Damion James or Gary Johnson. There is no way Texas could have won in Waco if it weren't for Augustin (late free-throws aside).

FREE-THROWS... Texas is not only going to have to get to the free-throw line often, but they are going to have to actually hit them. Texas has been better as a team from the foul line recently, but had a hiccup in Waco as DJ and AJ Abrams missed 3 FT in the last minute. In College Station, Texas only hit 11-21 from the foul line. Texas needs to take more than 20 FT tonight, and they are going to have to make more than 50%. Last A&M game, DJ had ZERO FTs. He is going to have to get to the hoop and draw fouls. A&M can be prone to fouls, so Texas needs to take advantage of this. Get the A&M big men in foul trouble and make your free-throws, and Texas has a lot better chance at winning this game.

BIG MEN PLAY... Damion, Gary, Dex, Connor and Alexis are going to be big parts of this game. At least 3 of these 5 are going to have to step up and have great games. Whether it be Damion & Gary crashing the boards and getting to the line, Connor from the outside, or Pittman pounding inside, there needs to be a presence felt from the Texas big men. Gary Johnson only played 4 minutes in the first A&M game, but he is obviously going to see many more minutes this time around. And Barnes was so disappointed in the way Damion played in College Station, that he kept him out of the starting line up for a few games. Something tells me James is going to be on fire tonight and be huge force for Texas.

CONTAIN JOSH CARTER... For the most part, Texas knows they might struggle containing the Aggie big men. De'Andre Jordan, Joe Jones and Brian Davis are going to be strong inside and outplay the Texas big men. So the area Texas needs to control is the shooting of Josh Carter. Carter has killed Texas teams in the past and dropped 19 on them earlier his year. You may see Texas in a lot of zone defense and they are going to have to close out and get a hand in Carter's face on the kick out pass from the post. They simply cannot allow him to stand and fire uncontested 3's all night. If Texas can contain Carter and the Aggie outside shooting, then Texas will have a much better chance at pulling off this critical home game.

JUST WIN... That's what Texas has been doing lately. It hasn't always been pretty. There have been bad starts, poor shooting, come backs, late game rallies and almost blown opportunities. But somehow Texas keeps on winning and have pulled off 5 straight wins and 8 of their last 9. Not lost in all of these wins, is the fact that Texas now controls its own destiny in competing for the Big 12 regular season title. They are tied in the loss column (8-2) with Kansas (9-2) and still have to face Kansas State (8-2). Texas has the tie-break over Kansas, and can knock out the Wildcats with a win in Manhattan. Texas' tough road to the Big 12 Championship starts tonight against the Aggies. If they can win tonight, the only real threat to derailing their title plans are the Kansas State Wildcats, on February 25th.


MY PREDICTION: TEXAS 72, A&M 71

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 6, Part 1

Upset specials across the Big XII, as the Longhorns started off the week with a Big Monday win over #3 Kansas. However, the excitement didn't stop as upsets were rampent in mid week action. Missouri won on the road in overtime against Nebraska and the part duex coaches showed some life as Texas Tech knocked off #18 Kansas State at home and Oklahoma State managed to steal one from Baylor at home. The upsets knocked Baylor out of the Big XII Championship race and brought the bottom a little closer to the top.

Colorado (10-13) (2-7) at #3 Kansas (23-2) (8-2)

- How do you win when your opponent takes 60 shots and you take 33? Make 66% of them and go to the free throw line 29 times. Colorado did just that in their upset win against Oklahoma last week. They also finally got some scoring from people not named Richard Roby. If Colorado can score in the 70s instead of the 50s, they have a chance to win because of their defense. But now, coming back to reality, they get to face Kansas, after a loss for the second time this season. It will probably end up much like the first time. After watching Kansas in the Texas game, they are the best team in the conference, by far. They are deep and talented and they play unselfish basketball. There are four things that could derail this team's season.

1.) PG Play - Russell Robinson and Sharron Collins have gotten outplayed in their two losses this season. These two need to combine to stop the opposing point guard from scoring and controlling the pace of the game. They didn't do it against Jacob Pullen or DJ Augustin.

2.) Go to player - Who do you go to when you need a basket? There is no one that stands head and shoulders above the rest as the guy who is going to take the last shot. It hurt them in the Texas game and it will continue to be a problem if they're not up 20.

3.) Too much perimeter - I was amazed how good everyone on Kansas is around the basket. It seemed like Texas worked on taking away the inside game in the second half and Kansas became more perimeter oriented. Kansas moves the ball too well and is too talented up front for anyone to stop them from getting to the basket.

4.) Out worked - Like any great team, they are prone to getting outworked by a good team. Kansas got outrebounded 23-12 in the second half, which is just unexcusable for a team as strong inside as Kansas. They are talented, but they need to come out and out work their opponents if they want to win the big games.

Prediction: #3 Kansas 77, Colorado 54

Oklahoma State (12-12) (3-7) at #16 Texas A&M (20-4) (6-3)

- The Cowboys are the prime example of the difficulty of winning conference road games. They haven't won any road games this season and it probably won't start Saturday. Oklahoma State got a big win over Baylor on Wednesday and are hoping to try and build any kind of momentum to save their season. Against the Aggies they will need to win the guard battle. Eaton, Harris, and Anderson have to be better offensively and defensively than Sloan, Kirk, and Carter. They also need Marcus Dove and Ibrahim Thomas to stay out of foul trouble against the big Aggie front line. Texas A&M has won five straight games after losing three straight. They have gotten back to their principals of defense and interior play and it has saved their season. The biggest advantage their front line gives them is the rebounding edge and taking away second chance points. The Aggies outrebounded Missouri 41-21 last week. If they can keep Joseph Jones out of foul trouble, which they only seem to do against Texas, then this A&M team is one of the toughest outs in the country.

Prediction: #16 Texas A&M 67, Oklahoma State 58

Nebraska (14-8) (3-6) at Iowa State (13-12) (3-7)

- A battle of bottom dwellers as neither team can get their season on track. Nebraska finally got a huge game from Aleks Maric, but no one else stepped up to help, and the Huskers lost again. Maric is a force inside, but all season he has failed to get any consistent help from the rest of the team. Iowa State has lost four straight and six of their last seven as they have come close, but can't get into the win column. Iowa State needs to get better guard play and should turn to Diante Garrett as their starting point guard. He may be a freshman but he can score and does more for the offense than Peterson. Iowa State also needs to attack inside. They have three forwards and a center in their lineup but still get away from attacking teams in the paint. They need to go at Maric and overwhelm him. They should have too much talent for this Nebraska team to handle.

Prediction: Iowa State 65, Nebraska 61

Last week: 5-1
Overall: 23-7

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 5, Part 1

The Big XII experienced a return to normalcy this week as the conference began to sort itself out. Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Baylor, and Texas A&M all won and created some seperation from the rest of the conference. Kansas is still the favorite to win the title, but spots two through five will be a complete dog fight. This weekend's games are rather tame as Baylor's trip to Kansas is the only one worth noting.

#18 Texas A&M (19-4)(5-3) at Missouri (13-10)(3-5)

-The Aggies officially have momentum back on their side as they have found their identity over the last few games. They have gotten back to dominating in the paint, playing hard defense, and using kick outs to their shooters on the perimeter. This is Texas A&M basketball and they have the weapons needed to play it. Byron Davis maybe the biggest surprise of this team as he has completely outplayed DeAndre Jordan to this point and has provided scoring and rebounding when Joseph Jones inevitably gets in foul trouble. The trip to Columbia shouldn't cause too many problems as long as the A&M backcourt can keep from turning over the basketball. The Tigers pulled off a heart-warming win against a sleeping Kansas State team, but were overmatched by the Jayhawks. This one should be another contest that Missouri will need lady luck on their side, if they hope to get a win.

Prediction: #18 Texas A&M 74, Missouri 63

#12 Texas (18-4)(5-2) at Iowa State (13-10)(3-5)

- Another team that poses a dangerous threat to the Longhorns because of their front court play. If Texas can defend the interior this game won't be close, but the Longhorns have yet to prove that they are capable of doing so. If that is the case, then the Longhorns will once again need to shoot well. It would also be nice to see Damion James return to form offensively and become the double double mis-match that he's capable of being. After a good start, Iowa State has struggled. They need to slow the game down and attack the Longhorns in the paint if they have any hope of winning this game. They also need to take advantage of a Longhorns team that seems to start slow in every game. If they can dictate the pace and attack inside, it will be very difficult to come back from any early holes. The biggest question that the Cyclones have to answer, is whether they can do anything to slow down AJ Abrams and DJ Augustin.

Prediction: #12 Texas 74, Iowa State 67

Oklahoma (15-7)(3-4) at Colorado (9-13)(1-7)

- It is always nice to see Colorado on the schedule when you need to bounce back from two straight losses. The injury to Longar Longar definitely hurts this team and will but more pressure on the guards of Oklahoma to step up and accept some sort of the scoring burden that is now facing the Griffin brothers. They also need to have more than four players score in their games. Austin Johnson needs to give this team some kind of contribution from the point guard spot. He was a non-factor against the Longhorns and has been uninspiring for most of the season. As for Richard Roby, he knows how Dwayne Wade feels. An NBA prospect on a terrible team, Roby continues to help his team, all by his lonesome. Colorado needs anyone else to step up and play well to take the defensive focus off of Roby even a little bit. They also are going to have their hands full covering the Griffins in the post. Hopefully three Colorado players at once will be enough to stop Blake Griffin. It should be a low scoring affair that even the coaches, players, and families wish they weren't a part of.

Prediction: Oklahoma 52, Colorado 44

Last Week: 4-2
Overall: 18-6

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 4, Part 2

#2 Kansas (20-1) (5-1) at Colorado (9-11) (1-5)

- The Jayhawks are coming off their first loss of the season and they will be taking out all of that anger on the hapless Colorado Buffaloes. Kansas was going to lose a game eventually and this should refocus them and allow them to put a beating on Colorado. Kansas got outplayed against Kansas State. Their combination of Collins and Robinson at point guard was outplayed by Kansas State's freshman point. The Jayhawks also had no answer for Beasley and Walker. The longterm prognosis of this loss isn't any huge weakness as much as it is one bad game and a loss. Colorado doesn't stand much of chance in this game. They're coming of a dismal 41 point performance against Iowa State and are struggling to get production from anyone not named Richard Roby. Two of their next four games are against Kansas, so they should be making themselves comfy in the cellar of the Big XII standings.

Prediction: #2 Kansas 79, Colorado 54

Iowa State (13-8) (3-3) at Nebraska (12-6) (1-4)

- Outside of Kansas State (who we knew would be good, just not that good) Iowa State has been the surprise team out of the Big XII. While they have played well, they need to take advantage of this game as A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma are looming on the horizon. Iowa State has been helped by their interior scoring, but if they hope to upset any of their upcoming opponents they will need to find some outside scoring to give them some balance on the offensive end. Nebraska finally got their first win in the Big XII, though I don't know how excited you can get about a four point win against the team formerly known as Missouri. I don't really know what to say about what Nebraska other than getting new players to go along side Aleks Maric. I'm sure he's counting the days until he can get out of Lincoln.

Prediction: Iowa State 68, Nebraska 61

Oklahoma (15-5) (3-2) at #23 Texas A&M (17-4) (3-3)

- After dropping their first two in conference, Oklahoma has reeled off three straight wins behind the play of stud freshman Blake Griffin and the surprising play of his older brother Taylor Griffin. The two have combined to reak havoc in the paint and give Oklahoma a formidable identity. They are playing well right now, but still need to get more consistent and improved guard play if they hope to move up the charts in the Big XII. This game should be extremely physical since both teams love to attack inside. Texas A&M got the win to turn their season around and it should stay with them for a few weeks. The win was big for the Aggies who were playing anything but their best basketball, but most importantly they found their identity in the victory. They got back to pounding the ball inside with Joseph Jones, DeAndre Jordan, and Byron Davis and using them to open up the three point shooting of Carter, Sloan, and Kirk. A&M had been relying on their perimeter players to create, something that they hadn't been asked to do in the past. A&M was able to pound the ball inside, kick it out for open threes, and then drive once the defense extended to guard the threes. This style of play is what they do best and makes them a force to contend with in the conference.

Prediction: #23 Texas A&M 68, Oklahoma 64

A Regrettable Decision

Looking back now, doing a running account of the Texas at Texas A&M game was a horrible idea. We got run out of the gym in a game that was an absolute disaster. But hey, I have pages of material written, so I suppose I should post it. If any part of the account seems slanted or irrational, well by the end of that game I was slanted and irrational.

Tonight, arguably four of the best teams in the Big XII are in action against each other. Also known as Kansas and teams that think they have a chance. What a perfect opportunity to keep a running account of the festivities. Of course there’s only one problem. Kansas at Kansas State is on ESPNPlus, so I can’t see it. So I’ll watch the Texas at Texas A&M game and keep tabs on the Kansas game.

8:45 pm - Texas doesn’t start for another 15 minutes, so let’s turn our attention to the Kansas game. Oh my Kansas State is up 28-26, so the young Wildcats have come to play. Kansas State has lost many many many in a row against Kansas, so this would be a huge win for the program, especially since they’ll be terrible next year when Michael Beasley and Bill Walker have gone pro. Bill Walker is leading the Wildcats with 12 points, while Beasley only has 2 points. Of course Bill Walker is stepping up. He’s big game. He eats, sleeps, and pisses basketball. If Kansas State can stay close until the beast that is Michael Beasley awakens, the Wildcats could actually win this thing. Because when everything is said and done, Beasley will have at least 20 points.


8:52 pm - Not surprising that Brandon Rush and Mario Chalmers are the two leading scorers for the Jayhawks with 10 and 7 respectively. Both seniors, they will be the players that the Jayhawks rely on in big games this season. It’s almost like Arthur and Jackson are their younger brothers. They’ll let them get the pub and put up the stats, but when push comes to shove, Rush and Chalmers are going to step forward and take care of business.

8:55 pm – It will be interesting to see how Texas responds to the atmosphere in College Station. I know we’ve played in some tough places. But the Aggies live for these days. The day where they have a chance to best the Longhorns. They play harder, they want it more, and the fans get scary loud. And it makes for an extremely hostile environment and it is because of this that the game will be close throughout, unless the Aggies run away with the thing. But I don’t foresee a blowout for either squad.

8:57 pm – Georgetown 62, St. John’s 28. Really? Come on, it’s conference play. Did someone give the St. John’s basketball program the death penalty when I wasn’t looking? Or did Isaiah Thomas start running them too?

9:00 pm – Kansas State leads Kansas by 2 at halftime. K-State had a chance to jump out to a bigger lead but Kansas kept it close. I’d keep an eye on the first 5 minutes of the second half. If Kansas State can survive the Kansas intensity and run to start the second half they might have a chance to pull the upset. If Kansas State does pull the upset, it will be on the back of Michael Beasley, but I’m still not feeling it. Bill Walker has 3 fouls. That could be a problem. Unless of course there’s popcorn on the bench, then it’s a party!

9:05 pm – ESPN 2 studio show. Jimmy says if Memphis can raise their free throw percentage by 4% they will be your 2008 NCAA Champions. Good to know Jimmy. I’m sure Calipari has them in the gym right now. Where the hell is Digger? I can’t listen to basketball analysis without matching ties and highlighters and shameless Notre Dame plugs.

9:10 pm – Nope, I thought Aggies wouldn’t look as ridiculous whooping in all white. I was wrong. Dominique Kirk is the star for Texas A&M? Yeah, safe to say they’re missing Acie Law. I can’t say I am. DeAndre Jordan is still on the bench. Needless to say he has been underwhelming so far this season.

9:12 pm – A wide open 3 pointer and a traveling violation for Texas. This is about the typical start for a Texas game. We look a little tight, and the Aggies are absolutely fired up.

9:16 pm – 2 fouls on Atchley in the first 3 minutes. Alright, already to our bench big players. Thanks for joining us tonight Conner. We’ll see you in the second half. We are completely rattled and A&M is pounding the ball inside with great success. Jones, Jordan, it doesn’t matter who is in the post, they’re scoring with ease. 11-2 Aggies.

9:20 pm – I think this game has started about as badly as it possibly could have for the Horns. James and Augustin both missed wide open threes. Oh, the announcers told me it was because of the suffocating Aggie defense that we missed those uncontested wide open threes. Good to know. And on the other end, we can’t cover them in the post, and if we double, they are going to find a way to get Josh Carter a wide open 3-pointer. That’s good; you usually want to let the other team’s best shooter get wide open looks. Kansas State up 6 in the second half and Beasley has 14 points now. You should have gotten them before Beasley woke up, Jayhawks.

9:24 pm – Can you let an opponent catch a ball too far under the basket? Because we’re about to find out. If they get it under the basket any deeper, they’ll be out of bounds. Well at least the Aggies can hit their fade away 18 footers too. We have seen the adjustment from Barnes though. We have upped the perimeter pressure trying to force their guards out more and not allow them easy entry passes. Will it work? Well it did that possession.

9:28 pm – And Joseph Jones has finally started acting like Joseph Jones as he picked up his second foul 30 feet from the basket. Really, we will need to get their bigs in foul trouble otherwise they will keep pounding it inside. Though I can’t say it will matter if we continue to shoot 2 of 13 from the field. The worst part of it is that five of the misses were wide open. That’s just nerves. But I would be scared too if I was in a building full of Aggies. You know you just shuddered.

9:33 pm – Who would have said that 10 minutes into the game Dexter Pittman would be outscoring DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams combined. At least Augustin is putting up shots that are pretty good looks. Abrams is just dribbling the ball off his leg. And when you do that, you get to sit next to Rick Barnes. Wow, a technical foul on Dexter Pittman. That was a pretty weak hit to the face. You know, from one 300 pounder to another. 24-7. Think any Texas football players are having nightmares of a game at Kyle Field? Okay good, 26-7, now the football team can breathe easy.

9:39 pm – Down 20, but fear not, Alexis Wangmene and Dexter Pittman shall carry us back!! Wait, what did I just say, oh shit, we’re screwed. Alright, two air balls in the last two minutes. This is getting painful to watch, especially as we turn to Gary Johnson and Clint Chapman to turn this ship around. It’s like we’re trying to scar our new freshman so we can always struggle at Texas A&M for years to come. Kansas State is up 12 with 10 minutes left. 34 points between Walker and Beasley. Yeah, you might want to guard those two guys Kansas. Just a suggestion. Not that we’re one to talk about guarding people.

9:45 pm – 13 minutes and DJ Augustin and Abrams are on the board. 5-0 run. There is hope! Maybe they realized that if they didn’t do it, Gary Johnson and Clint Chapman were offering to shoot some more. I think I know why AJ has struggled as of late. That haircut is ridiculous. Justin Mason for three? I’m not going to lie. I yelled NO!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!?!?!?!!? I’m a firm believer in theories. One theory on A&M, they don’t have average looking females. They are either gorgeous or look like they have a future as a farm hand. Thank you ESPN2 for confirming my theory thus far.

9:49 pm – 67% for A&M and 27% for Texas? Well you figure that has to turn around a bit. Clint Chapman, Alexis Wangmene, and Dexter Pittman have as many points as DJ Augustin, AJ Abrams, and Damion James. I’m going to take a guess and say that if that keeps up, we won’t win this game.

9:53 pm – We are slowly crawling back into this game. If we can get this game down to a 5 or 7 point game by halftime, that would be a huge victory. They are still shooting lights out, and our interior defense is still a joke. But Abrams and Augustin are heating up. And by heating up I mean Abrams is starting to hit three pointers without actually catching the basketball. It’s like a 26 foot tip in. Kansas State is up 7 with 4:34 left to play. The Wildcats have drawn up elaborate plays that involve falling down, kicking the basketball, and Michael Beasley hitting wide open threes.

9:58 pm – As goofy as he looks, and as poorly as he does it, Dexter Pittman has been playing his best game of the season. It would also be nice if we weren’t shooting 6 of 13 from the free throw line. I have to say, if Augustin, Abrams, and Damo were playing half as well as Chapman, Wangemene, and Pittman, we would be winning this game. Yes, more missed free throws. Okay, I changed my mind, I’ll take a 10 point deficit at halftime.

10:02 pm – Gary Johnson plays so out of control I can’t stand it. A&M is getting every roll, bounce, and whatever you want to call it. They are dominating the paint and when they’re not the ball is bouncing right to their guys under the basket. All momentum has been lost and we need to really regroup at halftime. AJ Abrams is forcing his shot and A&M has successfully forced Longhorns other than DJ to make plays.

10:04 pm – Manhattan is going crazy and Beasley and Walker are dominating this game. The difference in this game? 18 points for point guard Jacob Pullen. I’ve never seen Kansas State play before, so it’s news to me that they actually played with 5 guys on the court. I thought Bill Walker played two positions and Beasley played the other three. Well, I guess Memphis is going to be the only team to go unbeaten this season. Mental note, Kansas will follow the Memphis model and sign up to play in the Sun Belt Conference next year. Ladies and Gentleman, your Big XII leaders, Kansas State, okay, sorry, I will call them the Beasley Walkers. I know they prefer that.

10:08 pm – More insight from Jimmy. Kansas is exposed. Those 20 wins? Nothing. They are eliminated from the College Basketball season. Wait, no! Steve Lavin has informed us that they are still alive. It is only in football where one loss and your season is over. I bet Ohio State wishes that were actually the case. And Les Miles would like to remind you that if it is in overtime it is not actually a loss.

10:13 pm – 9 of 31 shooting in the first half (29%). AJ Abrams is the team leader with 6 points. DJ Augustin threw up a solid 2 of 10 shooting. I think I’m just going to forget that half even happened. You can say we’re getting killed in the paint, but Carter has 11 and Kirk has 10. So we’re not getting out to their shooters either. 46% from the free throw line for us. As for A&M? 64% from the field, 75% from three, and 72.7% from the free throw line for the worst free throw shooting team in the Big XII. Why am I not surprised. It is always different when they play Texas.

10:17 pm – Even giving Russell Robinson six fouls cannot stop these Kansas State Wildcats. You can tell Frank Martin is an inexperienced coach. I would have Walker and Beasley in the locker room under lock and key before this game ends and the court gets stormed. All you need is the Beasley Walkers to be without, well the Beasley or the Walker and they will return to Big XII mediocrity. How will Bill Walker celebrate this victory? Probably stop by the concession stand for a hot dog and grab some napkins just in case he needs to use the restroom before he gets home. I predict me going to that joke at least two more times before the evening ends.

10:21 pm – Rece just informed us that the Kansas State game is over with 30 seconds left, so we’ll keep you on that game instead of going back to the Texas game. Genius. Absolute genius. Can we get some coverage of the 20 point Memphis win too? There are people on the court. That’s good. Riveting. Wonder what is happening in the Texas game. ESPN2 wonders as well. We are into 40 seconds of court storming. A full minute. Seriously, it is a mid season conference game.

10:25 pm – Well it is good to see we’re still ice cold and our second half strategy? Get Dexter Pittman the ball. Augustin cannot hit anything, so who knows, maybe that is a good strategy. Oh well, too late, 3 fouls for Pittman. A solid air ball by Abrams. We can’t even get close on the open looks. This could be a very long second half. If it doesn’t much better someone please call me in the morning to see if I haven’t jammed something into my eyes.

10:30 pm – Players shooting 50% or better for Texas: Dexter Pittman, Justin Mason. Players shooting 33% or better for Texas: Clint Chapman, Connor Atchley. I think that adequately sums things up. Oh, wait, take Atchley out of that 33% category.

10:33 pm – Great block by Connor Atchley after the basketball hit the front of the rim. Those are actually known as misses Connor, you should try and grab those. Pittman is a beast. Where has this been all season? I mean just because he struggles to remain coordinated during his stay on the court? Minor details. I never thought I would be so distraught to see Pittman pick up his fourth foul.

10:38 pm – Augustin and Abrams continue to miss shots. A&M is playing great defense against them, but I think at this point it doesn’t really matter if they are covered or open. They are at the shooters point of no return. They’re just going to try harder and harder to make it go in and it will become further and further from going in. We’re not so much chipping away at the lead the way you’re supposed to. Down 15 with 12 minutes left. Let’s follow this and see where we are at the 8 minute mark. I’m not getting my hopes up.

10:43 pm – Augustin hits his first three pointer of the night. He relaxed and didn’t have an Aggie on him for the first time tonight. He has not been able to penetrate and when he has, he’s found large Aggies in the lane waiting for him. That and he has been playing with too much pace all night long. He still has to get to the point where he’s cool and calm in any situation before he becomes a truly great point guard. But I would still take him with the ball over Alexis Wangmene trying to score in the post.

10:49 pm – This game is getting completely out of hand. Augustin got leveled in a completely legal screen that Wangmene didn’t call out. Then Wangmene had DeAndre Jordan come down on his head and Wangmene reacted with an elbow, and now he will probably get ejected and miss a game. We are tip toeing that fine line called complete meltdown. At least Augustin is getting 20 minutes of stoppage time to get his wits about himself.

10:53 pm – Great, Wangmene is gone. Though he won’t miss Saturday’s game against Baylor. It’s probably the right call, but a crappy situation for Wangmene. The karma gods agree with me since A&M missed the technical free throw.

10:55 pm – The last two possessions Connor Atchley has hit three pointers. But it doesn’t matter if we’re allowing Texas A&M’s guards to get all kinds of penetration. No excuse for our guards to not defend on the perimeter. Our interior defenders are overmatched as it is and we’re not helping them at all.

11:00 pm – Who would have thought that Kansas State and Baylor would be at #1 and #3 heading into game 6 in the conference season? Not I, not I. And Kansas State should easily win their next six games. Wow. 11-0 Kansas State in conference? Who saw that one coming? Not I, not I. Down 15 with 5 minutes left? Who sees us winning this game? Not I, not I? Can we get our shooting percentage back under 30% for the night? I think it’s a definite possibility.

11:08 pm – Well it is safe to say that this game will only get uglier before it gets any better. Texas is packing it in and the Aggies are getting lay-up after lay-up after lay-up. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong for the Longhorns. Which isn’t that uncommon for games at A&M. They have great fans. Fans that struggle with assimilating into the real world, but really great fans. And we get rattled in the hostile environments.

11:13 pm – Mason is done for the night, but at least he didn’t give up highlight real dunk #19 of the night. Augustin played terrible tonight. AJ Abrams played terrible tonight. And Damion James didn’t so much play terrible as much as he wasn’t in the gym after the first 10 minutes of the game. We won’t win when this happens. We kind of knew that going in. A&M caused a lot of it, but we came in and got overwhelmed by everything that was going on. Augustin needs to take over a game like this and he didn’t do that. They had a good strategy for slowing him down and he never adjusted. A disappointing game all the way around.

11:17 pm – As is always the case with basketball, down 18 with 1:40 left we’re not going to let this game end quickly. We’re going to draw this game out. I’m tempted to put this game on mute, because if I’ve learned anything tonight, announcers and studio people like to overreact. Because I learned Kansas’ season is over tonight. Kansas State is the new favorite to challenge for the NCAA tournament. Donald Sloan, after 18 disappointing games as point guard has fully replaced Acie Law. Joseph Jones, despite the fact that he has gotten in foul trouble for 92% of his games this season, is a franchise player that should have an offense run through him. And Texas has major issues and Rick Barnes better hit the panic button.

11:20 pm – Let’s be realistic. Kansas State has two phenomenal players and has solid players around them. Kansas is still ridiculously good, but they had to lose sometime. A&M is built to beat Texas, and low and behold, they beat Texas. Texas has no interior presence and lives and dies by DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams, and tonight they died.

11:21 pm – 80-63, final. I hate Texas A&M. But I hate Baylor too, so hopefully I can feel better Saturday. But for now, I’m sick to my stomach. Night.

Game Points: Texas v. Texas A&M

DJ Augustin v. Dominique Kirk- The guard match up might decide the outcome to this game. DJ is obviously the best point guard in the Big 12 and Texas' offense is predicated on his effectiveness. DJ has come through almost every time this year, but has on occasion taken some poor shots that hamstrung the Horns. Kirk has had the impossible task of following Acie Law as Aggie PG. Kirk has been wildly inconstant and the Aggie offense has struggled. They have been waiting for a leader to step up and make the big plays Law did. Reed Arena will be rocking and the PG that performs the best under pressure will lead his team to victory.

A&M and the Free Throw Line- To say the Aggies struggle at the foul line is an understatement. They shoot the most FTs per game, but hit at the lowest percent in the Big 12, at 60%. Aggie free throws already cost them the Baylor game and they show no signs of improving from the charity stripe. This is going to be a close game that could easily come down to late free throw shooting. Texas will have the advantage here.

AJ Must Continue Hitting- Half way into Texas' game against Texas Tech, AJ Abrams had missed his last 9 three point attempts. However, he exploded from his mid season slump to score 15 in the Tech second half. AJ hit threes and was able to create his own shot several times. If Texas has any shot in stealing a victory in College Station, AJ will have to on his game and hitting from the outside. With their smaller line up, Texas may struggle to get points in the paint and have to rely on AJ to open things up in the middle.

Texas Quickness v. Aggie Strength- DJ Augustin, AJ Abrams, Justin Mason & Damion James against De'Andre Jordan, Joe Jones and Bryan Davis. Texas has strong guard play and A&M has a dominant interior. Jones is a constant for A&M, as you can expect 10 & 10 most nights. So far, it is safe to say that Jordan has not lived up to his hype. He has shown signs of his potential, but is now out of the starting lineup. If Jordan can assert himself, then Texas will have a hard time containing the Aggie front court. Similarly, Texas has the back court and speed advantage. Texas must penetrate with the ball and attack to basket against the slower Aggie defense. If they can get the foul prone Aggie big men into foul trouble, A&M will lose its one advantage.

Whichever team can dominate in these points of the game is going to come out of College Station with a huge victory. The Reed Rowdies will be out in full force, but this Texas team is used to dealing with hostile environments, having already played at Oklahoma State, UCLA and Michigan State. Texas' guards will have to out play the Aggie front court and hold the damage in the paint to a minimum. Connor Atchley and Big Dex maybe called on for some big time interior defense. Look for Texas to do just enough and hit be able to hit a few key free throws to finish off the Aggies.

Prediction: Texas 78, Texas A&M 75

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 3, Part 1

The big story is obviously the 5 OT thriller in College Station on Wednesday, as Baylor announced their presence as a contender in the Big XII and the loss signaled real trouble for the Aggies. Not to be lost in all the excitement is a convincing win by Kansas State, and another blowout victory for Kansas.

Nebraska (11-5) (0-3) at #2 Kansas (19-0) (4-0)

- Something has to give, right? Or not. Nebraska comes into this game winless in conference play and it isn't going to change heading into the Phogg. Aleks Maric had 21 and 9 in a two point home loss to Baylor, but until he can get any consistent production from his backcourt, Nebraska will stay in the cellar of the Big XII. Kansas has won their four conference games by an average of 20 points a game. Kansas is content attacking teams inside with Dorell Arthur and Darnell Jackson, but this team has weapons galor and the only thing that can stop them, is themselves.

Prediction: Kansas 86, Nebraska 63

#18 Texas A&M (15-4) (1-3) at Oklahoma State (10-8) (1-3)

- All kinds of problems for the Aggies, who drop their third straight in conference play and are reeling. Freshman standout DeAndre Jordan was moved to the bench for the Baylor game which has to be a disappointing sign for the Aggies, who needed him to be a productive player on the offensive end, which he just hasn't been yet. The one positive was the play of sophomore Byron Davis who scored 30 points and had 14 rebounds in the starting role against Baylor. The real problem with this team continues to be the inability to fill the void left by Acie Law. Donald Sloan and Dominique Kirk are capable players, but no one has stepped up to provide the mental toughness, leadership, and late game heroics that Law provided the Aggies. They had hoped Josh Carter would have stepped up to become their go to guy, but he has relied to much on his streaking shooting and hasn't become that all-around swingman that the Aggies needed him to become. While Oklahoma State has also lost three straight in conference, it isn't as much of a surprise as it was for Texas A&M. It is a rebuilding year as the Cowboys rely solely on freshman James Anderson to provide their offensive fire power. Byron Eaton has continue to improve as a tough, physical point guard, but the Cowboys are in dire need from a more consistent offensive production from Terrell Harris and Marcus Dove. Anderson seems to be the only player that can create his own shot and is a dangerous threat each time down the floor. The Cowboys will stay in games because of their defense, but they will need more help for Anderson if they hope to start picking up in the win column.

Prediction: #18 Texas A&M 62, Oklahoma State 61

Missouri (11-8) (1-3) at Colorado (9-9) (1-3)

- Missouri has not been able to build of their upset of the Longhorns and are 0-4 on the road and have lost 3 straight in conference. They have played terribly on the defensive end, giving up 92 points against Texas Tech this week. They also have relied too much on their outside shot. Against Colorado they will need to attack the undersized Buffaloes with DeMarre Carroll, who got into foul trouble early against Texas Tech. Carroll provides the Tigers with some inside balance to their heavy guard lineup. As is the case with Colorado, their biggest test each game is managing to rebound and defend the paint with only two players over 6'6" that see playing time. Colorado will have to grind it out and slow the pace down against the Tigers, who like to pressure and run. If Colorado turns the ball over, this game could get out of hand. The Buffaloes also need to find some scoring outside of Richard Roby. Roby is the only Colorado player who is scoring night in and night out.

Prediction: Missouri 65, Colorado 59

Last week: 5-1
Season record: 9-3

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 2, Part 1

Either the Big XII is a very strong conference this season, or an extremely mediocre one. Only Kansas, Baylor, and Kansas State are without a loss as both Texas and Texas A&M were upset in the first week of games. Kansas State won a pivotal match up with Oklahoma and Kansas looked all but unstoppable. Coach Knight got his 900th win as Texas Tech protected their home floor and upset #10 Texas A&M. The biggest news of the week definitely comes from Norman, where Oklahoma will be without their leading scorer and rebounder for at least 4 weeks, as freshman Blake Griffin went down with a knee injury. Saturday boasts another six games with some key early match ups...

Oklahoma State (10-6) (1-1) at Iowa State (11-6) (1-1)
- Road wins have been hard to come by so far this season, and this one shouldn't be any different. Oklahoma State is the better team, but they are young and inconsistent. James Anderson injured his ankle in the loss at Baylor earlier this week, and while he isn't expected to miss any time will be less than 100%. Oklahoma State will have a difficult time dealing with the size of the Cyclones as the guard heavy Cowboys will rely heavily on Marcus Dove. Iowa State will be riding the momentum from their win over Missouri. Wesley Johnson was dominant in the post in that game and should be again. Also look for the senior Rahshon Clark to continue to cause match up problems as a 6'6" combo guard. In a close game like this, you have to go with the home team, especially when you don't feel comfortable with Sean Sutton on the road.

Prediction: Iowa State 69, Oklahoma State 67


Texas Tech (10-6) (1-1) at Oklahoma (12-5) (0-2)
- Oklahoma started the conference slate off on a rough note, with a tough home loss to Kansas State by two. Things didn't get any better as Kansas smoked them by 30, and they lost freshman Blake Griffin for 4 weeks. The guards of Oklahoma are going to have to carry the Sooners if they have any hopes of steadying the ship while Griffin is out. Texas Tech got a huge win last night over #10 Texas A&M and Martin Zeno was great. While Tech is one of those teams that should only be a challenge in Lubbock, Knight will pounce on a Sooner team that has to overcome the mental hurdle of the Kansas loss and losing their best player.

Prediction: Texas Tech 74, Oklahoma 69


#10 Texas A&M (15-2) (1-1) at Kansas State (11-4) (1-0)
- Texas A&M typical pressure defense was nowhere to be found in Lubbock as the Red Raiders got whatever they wanted for much of the game. Texas A&M is also going to need better play out of Joseph Jones and DeAndre Jordan if they want to be a force in the Big XII. Both players got into foul trouble in Lubbock, and the guard play and bench is not as good as last season. Kansas State is a pretty easy scouting report. Contain Michael Beasley and stop Bill Walker and you've won the game. Oklahoma didn't do that as Beasley scored 32 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and Walker scored 22 as the only two Wildcats players in double figures. If A&M's defense can return to form and get better play from their interior, the Aggies should prevail. But it will be short prep time for what should be a hostile arena in Manhattan.

Prediction: Kansas State 81, #10 Texas A&M 77


Season Record: 4-2

Baylor at Nebraska, #3 Kansas at Missouri, and Colorado at #19 Texas tomorrow...

Black People Are Mad at A&M...

So, not everyone seems to be pleased with the Aggie hiring of Mike Sherman; namely, black people. And who can blame them? I mean, Mike Sherman is like the exact opposite of black (some may say "white"). But honestly, why would any black coach want to be subjected to coaching at A&M and in College Station? I mean, it's only made up of 98% white, suburban, conservatives. I am pretty sure their idea of "Hip Hop" is Charlie Pride. Sounds Fun!

Minorities Clamoring to Go To College Station

I make light, but don't get me wrong, the article brings up some good and important points. I mean schools always say they want "experience" but how are you supposed to get that if you can't get your FIRST job? (sounds like my attorney job search right now). Anyway, it's a good discussion topic with no real "right" answer But it does seem like job hirings need to look a little more transparent than they currently do. It's just a little hard to get past the "Good 'ol boy" perception.

AS SEEN ON TV!!!

Texas A&M Welcomes the Sherman-ator

Well, it's official. Texas A&M has hired a new coach.

It's Mike Sherman

Boy, that took all of 3 days. I bet they were really debating whether or not to keep Fran for a while there. Is it me, or is Mike Sherman not a name that scares you as a Texas fan? I mean, he's been an NFL head coach and he is an Aggie, but it's not a name that strikes fear. If you listened to Aggies over the past few weeks, you would have heard the names Jimmy Johnson, Tommy Tubberville, Steve Spurrier and the ghost of Vince Lombardi.

But, to me Mike Sherman is a name the will excite old, white former Aggies (mostly because he is, himself, an old, white former Aggie). But I don't see the "kids" getting too pumped over this hire. I may be wrong, but I doubt the inner-city kids have been clamoring for this hiring.

But I do love this quote:

Sherman called the program "a sleeping giant" and vowed to turn things around.

Seems like EXACTLY what Aggies love to hear and think about themselves. So, until I am proven wrong by a 3rd straight loss to A&M, I will continue to not be concerned with this hiring.

A Season of Firsts

The Lady Longhorns came into the 2007 soccer season much like they have every year, a top ranked team filled with talent and expectations. Typically the hype has fallen short of performance and the Longhorns have fallen short in the conference tournament, the NCAA tournament, and against Texas A&M.

This season has been different as Texas defeated #2 UCLA in a neutral site game early in the season and have continued with a season of firsts. Texas added their second consecutive Big XII Tournament title with a victory over #2 Texas A&M. Heading into the tournament Texas got a tough draw, ending up in College Station with a second round rematch with the Aggies looming.

Texas accomplished another first on Thursday, defeating BYU in the first round. Texas to that point had never won a match in College Station, against the Aggies or anyone else. The win put the Longhorns in the second round, with a match up against the Aggies, whom they had never beaten in College Station.

In a game that faced adverse weather conditions, throughout, Texas A&M controlled the first half after a 50 minute weather delay, and took a 1-0 lead into the half. The second half is when the magic happened as Texas overcame the weather, the opponent, and the atmosphere, and did something they've never done before. Three straight second half goals put them on top 3-1, and they held on for the 3-2 victory, defeating the Aggies for the first time ever in College Station, and their fourth win in the last five matches against the Aggies.

Freshman Erika Campanelli picked the best time for her first career collegiate goal tying the game at one. And then seniors Caitlyn Kennedy and Kelsey Carpenter scored the second and third goals, respectively. Then the Longhorns played defense and held on, as Dianna Pfenniger had 7 saves, as Texas A&M had 23 shots.

The win is huge for this Texas program and one can only hope that the Longhorns can build on this victory and take on the only other hurdle standing in this program's way; they have never made it out of the third round. The Longhorns will try and fix that this Friday as they head to Tallahassee, Florida to take on the #3 seed in the region, the #6 nationally ranked Florida State Seminoles. The winner will meet the winner between the #5 seed in the region Connecticut and the #1 seed in the region and #9 nationally Stanford.