Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 7 (Abridged Edition)

The midweek games provided no shortage of excitement in the Big XII, as Texas returned the favor on Texas A&M with a big 27 point win in Austin. Then in a NCAA bubble matchup, Oklahoma successfully completed the season sweep of Baylor with a 92-91 OT win. The big surprise on Wednesday was Nebraska's win over Kansas State, who has been anything but stellar as of late.

Iowa State (14-12) (4-7) at Texas Tech (14-11) (5-6)
- Outside of a miracle shot from David Godbold, Texas Tech has been perfect at home this season. Look for their perimeter play and hot three point shooting of late to be too much for Iowa State and their inside attack led by Jiri Hubalek.

Prediction: Texas Tech 74, Iowa State 69

Oklahoma (18-8) (6-5) at #7 Texas (22-4) (9-2)
- Oklahoma has won three straight behind improved perimeter play and Blake Griffin. Griffin will cause fits for the Texas front line, but DJ Augustin and the Longhorns are playing great defense and are spreading the ball around on offense.

Prediction: #7 Texas 78, Oklahoma 70

#5 Kansas (24-2) (9-2) at Oklahoma State (13-12) (4-7)
- Kansas rebounded nicely from their game against Texas with a win over Colorado. Oklahoma State doesn't have enough offensive firepower to hang with the Jayhawks. The Cowboys will try to slow it down and keep it close, but not for that long.

Prediction: #5 Kansas 75, Oklahoma State 63

Nebraska (15-9) (4-7) at #22 Texas A&M (20-6) (6-5)
- Nebraska is coming off a great upset win over Kansas State, but Aleks Maric will have his hands full against a physical front line in College Station. Nebraska would need to win this game with their guards, and there in lies the problem.

Prediction: #22 Texas A&M 61, Nebraska 53

Colorado (10-15) (2-9) at Missouri (14-12) (4-7)
- Colorado hasn't been close in the last few tries and Missouri actually has a chance at the NIT. Colorado also just had to dismissed Xavier Silas, a starting guard. If Missouri can pressure and up the pace and get the ball inside, they shouldn't have any problems.

Prediction: Missouri 71, Colorado 59

#25 Kansas State (18-7) (8-3) at Baylor (17-8) (5-6)
- Baylor needs to stop the bleeding desperately. But considering they don't play defense, their front court is weak, and the Wildcats boast possibly the most talented front court tandem in the country, they didn't pick the best game to try to stop the bleeding. Kansas State hasn't played great basketball for the last week or two though.

Prediction: #25 Kansas State 89, Baylor 84


Last Week: 4-2
Overall: 27-9

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 6, Part 2

Oklahoma (16-8) (4-5) at Texas Tech (13-10) (4-5)

- Both teams are fighting for their postseason life as Oklahoma desperately needs a win to keep their tournament hopes alive and Texas Tech needs the win to keep their NIT hopes a live. Oklahoma looked like they were in good position to be the sixth team to represent the Big XII, but after losing Blake Griffin to an injury, and then Longar-Longar, Oklahoma has played wildly inconsistent, losing their third straight in a devisating loss at Colorado. It was thought that Longar-Longar was out for the year, but apparently used an herbal remedy that had him back for the mid-week win over Iowa State. Oklahoma finally had their full lineup and got contributions from Tony Crocker and Austin Johnson and it showed in a good win against Iowa State. If Oklahoma doesn't have to rely on Blake Griffin on the offense end, this becomes a very dynamic basketball team. Texas Tech proved that even under new coach Pat Knight, they will be extremely tough to beat at home. The win over Kansas State was impressive as they got 30 points from Alan Voskuil? Really? The Oklahoma game will tell if it was just a one game outburst or if the Red Raiders have figured out how to get a full team contribution on the offensive end.

Prediction: Texas Tech 71, Oklahoma 65

#11 Texas (20-4) (7-2) at Baylor (17-6) (5-4)

- The Longhorns work is hardly over as they must recover quickly from their Big Monday win over #3 Kansas. They learned a lot about themselves in the Kansas game, and the biggest lesson is that this Texas team is going to win with their defense. If Texas plays hard on the defensive end, they can play with any team in the country. But Texas still has a few issues they need to resolve. DJ Augustin is still struggling to adjust to the way teams are defending him, and he is still stuck in a bad shooting slump. Texas will need DJ to get back to normal if they hope to win conference games on the road. Texas could also used more improved play out of the post. Connor Atchley and Damion James played great, but Texas still needs contributions out of Dexter Pittman, Clint Chapman, and Alexis Wangmene. While Texas is winning games off their defense, Baylor is losing them from no defense. They are letting opponents score at will. If they defend even just a little bit, their offense is good enough that they will be able to get back to winning games. Offensively Baylor will continue to use their guards to attack. They have one of the deepest and most talented back courts in the country and they will get their points. However, Baylor needs to not forget about Kevin Rogers. Getting Rogers involved makes him more active on the boards as well and gives Baylor some more balanced scoring.

Prediction: #11 Texas 89, Baylor 86

Missouri (14-11) (4-6) at #18 Kansas State (17-6) (7-2)

- Missouri has done a remarkable job staying in the conference race and keeping their team together after all the suspensions. Keon Lawerence has stepped up and provided scoring in the absence of Stefon Hannah. But Missouri needs to keep getting contributions from every man on their roster to have any chance of competing. Kansas State has struggled with consistency since their win over Kansas. They have lost both games on the road to Missouri and Texas Tech. Kansas State is a young team and they need to realize that everyone will be coming out and playing their best games against them. Also, Michael Beasley and Bill Walker can't afford to have off nights. They need to carry their team night in and night out if they want to continue to be at the top of the Big XII.

Prediction: #18 Kansas State 85, Missouri 76

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 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

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 4, Part 1

A wild Wednesday was the big story, as Kansas State jumped to the front of the Big XII with their upset win over #2 Kansas. Texas A&M also thrust itself back into the mix in the conference with a trouncing of the #10 Longhorns on their home floor. A few teams have fallen out of the conference race, but eight teams still remain in the thick of the conference race.

#22 Kansas State (15-4) (5-0) at Missouri (12-9) (2-4)

- With two games against Missouri and Nebraska, and one each against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech, 11-0 in conference can be classified as definite possibility as opposed to good possibility. The win against the Jayhawks turns Kansas State into a team with the confidence to make a run during March. They also are a team I don't think anyone wants to see during March. If point guard, Jacob Pullen's 20 point outburst is a sign of maturity out of the freshman, then the Wildcats suddenly become a very dangerous team. Lost in all of the excitement of Wednesday night was Missouri's loss at home to Nebraska. It was confirmation that Missouri will have a slow and painful fall to the bottom of the Big XII. And this season will be hard to watch for Tigers fans.

Prediction: #22 Kansas State 87, Missouri 73

#25 Baylor (16-3) (4-1) at #10 Texas (16-4) (3-2)

- Both teams come off a game where their weak interior defense was exposed. Baylor had a week to think about their home loss to Oklahoma at the hands of the Griffin brothers, and a week to get ready to take on the Texas Longhorns. This game is full of intreaguing matchups as Damion James will face off against Kevin Rogers, DJ Augustin against Aaron Bruce, and Curtis Jerrells will try and stop AJ Abrams on one end, and score against Justin Mason on the other end. Baylor relies on their guard play to win games, and Curtis Jerrells has emerged as the go to player for the Bears. The Austin product has come close to beating the school that spurned him each of the last two years, and they have the talent this year to finish the job. The Longhorns come off an embarrasing defeat against the Aggies in College Station. Texas needs Damion James to reassert himself offensively and exploit mismatch problems against the Bears. The only positive out of the Texas A&M might be the play of Dexter Pittman, as the sophomore scored 14 points and pulled down 7 rebounds. Time will tell however, whether it was one game or a turning point.

Prediction: #10 Texas 75, #25 Baylor 74

Oklahoma State (10-10) (1-5) at Texas Tech (11-8) (2-3)

- Oklahoma State has managed to lose five straight in conference, most in close games. Their one win came against the Red Raiders in Stillwater. They have been able to play with anyone during the streak, but haven't been able to get over the hump late in close games. James Anderson has played well, but the Cowboys have relied too much on the outside shot. Terrell Harris needs to find his confidence and Ibrahim Thomas needs to find a way to stay on the court if this team is going to be successful. Texas Tech is winless on the road in conference and unbeaten at home. Lucky for them, they get to try for redemption in the rematch against Oklahoma State in the tropical oasis of Lubbock*. Martin Zeno has to play well for this team to win as he opens up everyone else on the floor. Freshman guard John Roberson continues to improve each game, and is a huge boost for the Red Raiders when he is playing confidently on his home floor.

Prediction: Texas Tech 64, Oklahoma State 57

Last Week: 5-1
Overall: 14-4

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 3, Part 2

Oklahoma (13-5) (1-2) at #25 Baylor (16-2) (4-0)

- Oklahoma avoided going 0-3 to start the conference season with a two point win over Texas Tech on Wednesday. With Blake Griffin out injured, the Sooners turned to his older brother Tony who responded with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Longar-Longar also had a big game as the Sooners attacked Texas Tech in the paint. Oklahoma will need to do that again if they have any hope of pulling off the upset. Oklahoma's guards have let them down so far this season, and it showed against Tech, shooting 29% from three point range. Baylor continues their ride of success as they are planting the seed to become America's Cinderella story for the season. Their 5 OT win at #18 Texas A&M is a milestone win for the program. Curtis Jerrells established himself as the go to player on this team. Also, this team can't afford for Kevin Rogers to get into foul trouble as he is their only reliable interior player. Baylor's weakness is their interior play, but if they can manage to limit opponents inside, their deep and talented guard play will carry them through a lot of games.

Prediction: #25 Baylor 75, Oklahoma 71

Iowa State (12-7) (2-2) at Kansas State (13-4) (3-0)

- Coming off a game where they had no chance against Kansas, the Cyclones will try and rebound on the road at the other Big XII surprise, Kansas State. Iowa State will need to attack inside with Wesley Johnson and Craig Brackins and try to get Bill Walker and Michael Beasley into foul trouble. It would also help Iowa State if they could get some consistent guard play, but most of all they need Rashon Clark to step up and be a leader for this team. As for Kansas State, it all depends on the two-headed monster. If you stop Beasley and Walker, you will beat Kansas State, but that's where people are having trouble. Beasley and Walker are averaging a combined 47 points and 14 rebounds a game in conference play. But as was the case in the Colorado game, that's all that Kansas State had going for it. The rest of the Wildcats combined to shoot 32% against the Buffaloes. Beasley and Walker are a force, but if either player is off or gets in foul trouble, this becomes a decidedly weaker team.

Prediction: Kansas State 77, Iowa State 68

Texas Tech (11-7) (2-2) at #12 Texas (15-3) (2-1)

- Martin Zeno is coming off of a career high 33 points against Missouri and will look to continue attacking a Texas team that has looked like anything but the #12 team in the country. Texas Tech is a guard oriented team which should allow them to match up well with Texas. Zeno is the best of their four starting guards, but freshman point guard John Roberson has come on strong as of late and gives the Red Raiders another offensive weapon. Knight teams are always scrappy and well coached, and with Zeno, they have one potent scorer. It is well known that Texas goes as far as DJ Augustin takes him. This has been even more true as of late as Texas has struggled to develop any inside presence. Damion James needs to have a big game and be active on the boards, but most of all Texas needs to develop their bench. All five starters played over 35 minutes in the Oklahoma State game, and they didn't get much of any contribution from their three freshman power forwards on the bench. It also wouldn't hurt for AJ Abrams, shooting 22% from 3 point range in conference play (32 attempts in 3 games), to get back on track. But regardless, if DJ Augustin plays well, Texas will be in the game at the end.

Prediction: #12 Texas 76, Texas Tech 72

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 2

Baylor (14-2) (2-0) at Nebraska (11-4) (0-2)
- In a game where confidence and momentum play such a role in a team's season, this is exactly the start Baylor was hoping for, and exactly what Nebraska did not need from the start of conference play. Baylor has played solid and taken advantage of two winnable road games. Their experience has led the way has Henry Dugat has averaged 19 through the first two games and Aaron Bruce and Kevin Rogers have played well. Baylor needs to continue to rely on their experience until their talented youth can start to exert themselves in conference play. Nebraska's loss to Kansas was expected, but the loss at Colorado kills their early season hopes of being relevant in the Big XII. Aleks Maric needs to do even more than his 16.5 conference ppg for this Nebraska team if they hope to do anything. They will also need more consistent play from their entire roster and someone to step up and be the second and third scoring option on this team.

Prediction: Baylor 77, Nebraska 69

#3 Kansas (17-0) (2-0) at Missouri (11-6) (1-1)
- Missouri of course followed their upset win over #13 Texas by losing at Iowa State this week. Missouri is learning a new system and trying to endure a change in culture for a program warped with scandal. Winning will make it an easier process, but to do that, you need to win the games you can. DeMarre Carroll and Stefhon Hannah are going to produce every game, but the team needs to play consistently to succeed in the conference. They've proven they can beat a good team in Texas, but they need to follow those up by beating teams like Iowa State. And instead of heading into this game sitting pretty at 2-0, they will face an uphill battle after Kansas beats them. This Kansas team has bigger fish to fry as they will be a favorite to win the National Title. They can score inside with Arthur and Jackson, have a premier swing man in Brandon Rush, a great two guard in Mario Chalmers, two great point guards in Russell Robinson and Sherron Collins, and even solid role players in seniors Sasha Khan and Roderick Stewart. This team is dangerous. The only potential road block is the fact that this team underachieves on the biggest stage, but they don't have to worry about that until after Conference play.

Prediction: #3 Kansas 91, Missouri 76

Colorado (9-7) (1-1) at #19 Texas (13-3) (0-1)
- Colorado got a big win against Nebraska this week, but will have a tough time building on it on the road in Austin. What they do have going for them is a disciplined system from Coach Bdzelik, that when followed will cause the Longhorns problems on the offensive and defensive ends. While they only play two players over 6'6", Colorado boasts a stable of big guards (3 starters at 6'5" or 6'6") that will cause match up problems for the Longhorns' small back court. It also helps that Texas has played uninspired basketball over the past month, culminating in an uninspired and atrocious defensive display in Columbia last weekend. With a week to think about the 97 points given up, the Longhorns should come out hungry to play. But the uninspired play is the least of their worries. DJ Augustin has played sloppy over the past several games and he needs to refine his decision making on the court. More importantly, the introduction of Gary Johnson has not gone as smoothly as hoped. It has affected Johnson's play (19 min, 0-4 vs. Missouri) as well as Connor Atchley's play. Atchley has seemingly regressed from the early season form he showed, and much of it can be attributed to the Longhorns once again trying to figure out every one's offensive roles. Equally worrisome has been the inability to find any consistency from the bench. Wangmene has provided solid minutes with his hustle and defense, but the inability of Dexter Pittman, Clint Chapman, and JD Lewis to contribute in any significant way has been disappointing. But we all know the biggest disappointment. It has been the struggles of sophomore guard Justin Mason who's minutes keep dwindling as he loses more confidence, his shot worsens, and his defense begins to slip. Mason needs to find some sliver of hope soon, or he will be lost for the season, and probably out of the rotation. Texas needs to take advantage of these winnable early conference games and get back on track as a team. The first step will be getting back to outworking their opponents, and the rest will come.

Prediction: #19 Texas 71, Colorado 61

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...

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 1, Part 2

Kansas State (10-4) at Oklahoma (12-3)
- This game is probably the biggest contest of the weekend in the Big XII. Neither team has a great shot to compete against the Big 3 in the conference, but the winner of this game will be in the drivers seat towards making an NCAA tournament bid. It could be very likely that these two teams sit 4 & 5 in the Big XII at the end of the season with very similar tournament resumes. Kansas State is lead by their two stars, Michael Beasley (24.3 ppg/13.3 rpg) and Bill Walker (15.3 ppg/6.9 rpg). They make a formidable front court tandem as both can play inside and out and can run the floor, handle the ball, and score. It will be a difficult test for Oklahoma's two leading scores, PF Blake Griffin (Fr; 14.7 ppg/8.8 rpg) and C Longar-Longar (Sr; 12.7 ppg/6.1 rpg). Both are more traditional big men and will have a difficult time dealing with their athleticism. If they can attack Kansas State inside and get Beasley in foul trouble, Oklahoma will have a good chance to win this game.

Prediction - Oklahoma 67, Kansas State 64

Iowa State (10-5) at Baylor (12-2)
- No, really. Baylor is good. And they proved themselves on the road, with wins at Wichita State, Notre Dame, and South Carolina. They also lost to #3 Washington State by 3 and Arkansas by 7 in Waco and beat Winthrop. This team has 5 guys scoring in double figures and deep and talented guard play. With Curtis Jerrells, LaceDarius Dunn, Aaron Bruce, Henry Dugat, and Tweety Carter, Baylor can play with any team in the country. The one glaring weakness for the Bears is in the front court where Kevin Rogers is expected to pick up most of the slack. This is the weakness that Iowa State will need to attack if they have any hope of winning this game. With three forwards and a center scoring in double figures for the Cyclones, they have the weapons to attack Baylor's weaknesses. It will come down to which team can dictate the pace and their style of play. And that's where you think that Baylor's backcourt will prevail.

Prediction - Baylor 82, Iowa State 69

#3 Kansas (15-0) at Nebraska (11-2)
- With wins over Arizona State and #16 Oregon, behind the play of first team All Big XII center Aleks Maric (Sr; 16.2 ppg/8.4 rpg) , Nebraska has looked its strongest in the past four years. Will that matter against Kansas? No. This team is too talented, too deep, and too well coached. They have been tested against Arizona, USC, Georgia Tech, and Boston College this season and they have handled them all. The only time they look vulnerable is when they get complacent. Their roster is littered with future NBA players and are the clear favorite to win the Big XII this season. They won't drop their conference opener.

Prediction - Kansas 87, Nebraska 69

Big XII Weekend Capsule: Week 1, Part 1

Big XII Conference play opens this weekened with Kansas State and Oklahoma meeting for an important early matchup in Norman. #13 Texas and #3 Kansas also have challenging road tests in Missouri and Nebraska to start the conference slate. Everyone knows Kansas, Texas, and #10 Texas A&M will be battling for the crown at the end of the season, but it will be interesting what other teams will be in the mix towards the end of the season out of a group that includes Oklahoma, Kansas State, Missouri, and could it be, Baylor? Here's a look at this weekend's opening week matchups...

#13 Texas (13-2) at Missouri (10-5)
- Former UAB coach Mike Anderson has come to Columbia with his high energy, high pressure system, and it has already begun to show results. With a good recruiting class in place for next year, Anderson has this program on the right track. While they aren't ready to contend right now, Quin Snyder did leave some non-criminal talent at Missouri. Missouri is lead by DeMarre Carroll (PF/Jr; 14.8 ppg/6.8 rpg) and Stefhon Hannah (PG/Sr; 13.9 ppg/5.5 apg). But Missouri will run a lot of players at Texas and pressure the entire game. DJ Augustin, AJ Abrams, and Justin Mason will all be called upon to handle the ball and face the pressure, and if they can hold up, Texas' offensive fire power should be too much for Missouri to handle. The guard play at Texas is its strongest point, and the recent play of Damion James and the addition of Gary Johnson has Texas at the strongest it has been all season.

Prediction: Texas 87, Missouri 79

Texas Tech (9-5) at Oklahoma State (9-5)
-It is strange to not have Tech and OSU near the top of the Big XII. But this year both programs are in rebuilding mode. At times both have looked very good and very bad. Tech with wins over #14 Gonzaga and a one point loss to #25 Stanford, and losses to Sam Houston State, Centenary, and New Mexico by 17. Oklahoma State with wins against LSU and Washington by 25 and losses to Illinois, Oral Roberts, and #13 Marquette by 30. Tech is lead by Martin Zeno, but I'm told they have other players. The backcourt of Alan Voskil and John Roberson are the only other threats with both scoring in double figures. Oklahoma State will counter with their three guards, James Anderson, Terrel Harris, and Byron Eaton. The game may very well come down to the play of Marcus Dove inside for Oklahoma State. If he can have a big day he will take the pressure off of his guards to win the backcourt battle.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 65, Texas Tech 59

Colorado (8-6) at #10 Texas A&M (14-1)
- You would think Colorado is a talented Division III team the way they don't have anyone over 6'6" that averages at least 13 minutes a game. I guess that also could explain why they couldn't beat New Orleans. No, not the Hornets. The...um...well New Orleans....College/University/High School? Richard Roby leads this team in scoring, rebounding, and attempts to kill himself or a teammate. I suppose I could go into how Texas A&M is playing well under Mark Turgeon, and Josh Carter has developed into a solid go-to threat, and how DeAndre Jordan is getting better every game averaging 10.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg, and how this program will continue to get better as they've already signed two ESPN 150 recruits for next year from, get this, Florida? But really, I think all you need to know is that Colorado is really, really, really bad.

PREDICTION: Texas A&M 81, Colorado 63

Tomorrow: Kansas State at Oklahoma, Iowa State at Baylor, and #3 Kansas at Nebraska