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College Basketball Preview - Inside the Big 12

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NCAAB Preview:  It’s All About Kansas vs. Texas in the Big 12

The Big 12 has two teams that could make a run to the Final Four in the 2009-2010 NCAAB Season.

Both Kansas, who is currently ranked #1 in the polls, and Texas, who is currently ranked #3 in the polls, have legitimate shots to make it all the way in to the championship round this coming March.  Both are loaded with good players are expertly coached, but what about the rest of the Big 12?

Is there a long shot team that could upset Kansas and Texas?  Let’s take a look at the Big 12 Conference.

Big 12 Conference

  1. Center Dexter Pittman can put up 20 and 10 each game depending on who is matched up against and guard Varez Ward is now a sophomore which means he should be even more effective than he was last season.  There’s a reason this team is ranked #3 in the polls to start the season.  This team is good.
  1. Kansas Jayhawks -250 - - The Jayhawks seemingly return everybody, Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich, Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed to name just a few.  Collins is a potential NCAAB player of the year.  7’0” center freshman Jeff Withey could very well add to this already superstar group. Coach Bill Self has already won a championship with Kansas.  He figures to be in line to do it again, but at the odds of -250 to win the Big 12, most gamblers will want to pass on wagering on the Jayhawks.  Texas might be just as good at the odds are better on the Longhorns.  Still, Kansas will be a force in the NCAAB Tournament in 2010.
  1. Texas A&M Aggies +650 - - Texas A&M returns both guard Donald Sloan and forward Bryan Davis.  The two are now seniors and because of that the Aggies have an outside shot, a very outside shot, of winning the Bi 12 Conference.  They will need some luck in the form of injuries to both Texas and Kansas, but if that occurs, then the Aggies could very well win the Big 12 and garner a top seed in the NCAAB Tournament.  The potential is there, but, and this is a huge but, the Big 12 is the conference with Sherron Collins and Damion James.  The chances of the Aggies actually winning the conference are much worse than the +650 odds they are at currently in the sportsbook.
  1. guard Tony Crocker.  The 6’6” senior will be counted upon to provide leadership to an Oklahoma team with six freshmen.  The Sooners have little chance of beating Kansas or Texas or Texas A&M, for that matter, for the Big 12 title, but they will be a decent squad.

Long Shot

Kansas State Wildcats +1500 - - Freshman Wally Judge from Washington D.C. might not be as good as Michael Beasley was as a frosh in his first year, but he’s going to be plenty good enough to make the Wildcats competitive in the Big 12.  Junior forward Dominique Sutton returns to help Judge on the front line and senior guard Denis Clemente is seriously underrated.  Figure the Wildcats to upset at least one of the big two, Kansas or Texas, once or twice this season and to make it into the NCAAB Tournament.