Big 12 NCAAB Preview
Toast posted the ACC on Monday, here is his preview of Big 12 conference.
2021 RECORDS
Baylor Bears
HEAD COACH Scott Drew
HOME COURT Ferrell Center (10,347)
KEY DEPARTURES
JAMES AKINJO (13.5 ppg, 5.8 apg, 2.0 spg)
JEREMY SOCHAN (9.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.8 apg)
KENDALL BROWN (9.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.9 apg)
MATTHEW MAYER (9.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 spg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
KEYONTE GEORGE (freshman, IMG Academy)
LANGSTON LOVE (freshman, Montverde Academy)
JALEN BRIDGES (transfer, West Virginia)
CALEB LOHNER (transfer, BYU)
DANTWAN GRIMES (transfer, Kilgore JC)
JOSH OJIANWUNA (freshman, NBA Global Academy)
Baylor is a force. Baylor has ranked No. 1 in the country in each of the past three seasons. They won two of the past three Big 12 regular season titles. They won the national title in 2021. If not for an COVID outbreak, they may have gone undefeated that year. If not for a handful of season-ending injuries last year, they may have gone back-to-back. Even this year they have the best back court in the country. Not to mention talent up and down the roster, with a coach that is top 5 in the country. I have Baylor as a Final Four team and winning the BIG 12
Iowa State Cyclones
HEAD COACH T.J. Otzelberger
HOME COURT Hilton Coliseum (14,267)
KEY DEPARTURES
IZAIAH BROCKINGTON (16.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
TYRESE HUNTER (11.0 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.5 rpg)
GEORGE CONDITT IV (4.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
TRISTAN ENARUNA (4.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
TRE JACKSON (3.7 ppg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
JAREN HOLMES (transfer, St. Bonaventure)
OSUN OSUNNIYI (transfer, St. Bonaventure)
JEREMIAH WILLIAMS (transfer, Temple)
HASON WARD (transfer VCU)
ELI KING (freshman, Caledonia HS)
DEMARION WATSON (freshman, Totino-Grace HS)
TAMIN LIPSEY (freshman, Ames HS)
Fresh off a sweet 16 run. The Defense that carried this team last year should still be able to keep them in games this year as well. Scoring is a different story, they should struggle to score. The hope would be that the defense can force turnovers and then the Cyclones can get easy points in transition. I would say it is safe to say they make the dance.
Kansas Jayhawks
HEAD COACH Bill Self
HOME COURT Phog Allen Fieldhouse (16,300)
KEY DEPARTURES
OCHAI AGBAJI (18.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.6 apg)
CHRISTIAN BRAUN (14.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.8 apg)
DAVID MCCORMACK (10.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
REMY MARTIN (8.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg)
MITCH LIGHTFOOT (4.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
KEVIN MCCULLAR JR. (transfer, Texas Tech)
GRADEY DICK (freshman, Sunrise Christian)
MJ RICE (freshman, Prolific Prep)
ERNEST UDEH JR. (freshman, Dr. Phillips HS)
ZUBY EJIOFOR (freshman, Garland HS)
You do not need me to tell you Kansas will be good. Bill Self is a very good coach, a cheater though 'Kansas begins its national title defense while still in the crosshairs of the NCAA’s enforcement arm" is something you are going to see a lot this year. The Jayhawks do it a little different check this quote “We’ve had nine one-and-dones, and three of them weren’t one-and-dones; they just left after a year. Where we make our living is with the Marcus Morrises — guys ranked around the 70s that, after three years, are as good as those one-and-dones. They’re grown men, and they’re pros.” —Bill Self
They are deep, talented and well coached.
Kansas State Wildcats
HEAD COACH Jerome Tang
HOME COURT Bramlage Coliseum (12,528
KEY DEPARTURES
NIJEL PACK (17.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.2 apg)
MARK SMITH (12.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg)
MIKE MCGUIRL (7.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.0 apg)
SELTON MIGUEL (7.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
KAOSI EZEAGU (4.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg)
DAVION BRADFORD (3.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
LUKE KASUBKE (1.9 ppg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
KEYONTAE JOHNSON (transfer, Florida) DESI SILLS (transfer, Arkansas State)
NAE’QWAN TOMLIN (transfer, Chipola College)
CAM CARTER (transfer, Mississippi State)
TYKEI GREENE (transfer, Stony Brook)
ABAYOMI IYIOLA (transfer, Hofstra)
DAVID N’GUESSAN (transfer, Virginia Tech)
JERRELL COLBERT (transfer, LSU)
TAJ MANNING (freshman, Granview, MO/La Lumiere)
DORIAN FINISTER (freshman, New Orleans, LA/Carver)
To be honest I'm really not sure what to think of this Kansas state team. Obviously the big 12 is a difficult challenge Is on a night tonight basis. I think they're gonna have some issues in the front court but if they can somehow figure out a way to mask those issues maybe they surprise some teams, but I have them at the bottom of the conference.
Oklahoma Sooners
HEAD COACH Porter Moser
HOME COURT Lloyd Noble Center (11,562)
KEY DEPARTURES
UMOJA GIBSON (13.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
JORDAN GOLDWIRE (10.4 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.6 rpg)
ELIJAH HARKLESS (10.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 spg)
MARVIN JOHNSON (4.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
ETHAN CHARGOIS (4.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
GRANT SHERFIELD (transfer, Nevada)
JOE BAMISILE (transfer, George Washington)
OTEGA OWEH (freshman, Somerset, NJ/Blair)
MILOS UZAN (freshman, Las Vegas, NV/Desert Pines)
YAYA KEITA (transfer, Missouri) BENNY SCHROEDER (freshman, Munich)
SAM GODWIN (transfer, Wofford)
I really like Porter Moser as a coach, and I think in time he is going have a good program at Oklahoma. Not this though. This is not a knock on the program, the BIG 12 is a wagon and I just do not see the Sooners dancing this year.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
HEAD COACH Mike Boynton
HOME COURT Gallagher-Iba Arena (13,611)
KEY DEPARTURES
BRYCE WILLIAMS (8.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.2 apg)
ISAAC LIKEKELE (7.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.4 apg)
KEYLAN BOONE (6.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 31.6% 3PT)
RONDEL WALKER (4.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.6 spg)
MATTHEW-ALEXANDER MONCRIEFFE (4.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg)
DONOVAN WILLIAMS (3.1 ppg, 44.4% 3PT)
KEY NEWCOMERS
JOHN-MICHAEL WRIGHT (transfer, High Point)
CALEB ASBERRY (transfer, Texas State)
RUSSELL HARRISON (transfer, UL-Monroe)
QUION WILLIAMS (freshman, Jonesboro HS, Ark.)
The Pokes finished fourth-nationally in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency metric. They finished 161st offensively, just ahead of juggernauts like UMBC and Tulsa. I do not think they will have as good as a team as they did last year, but I do think they will be in the middle of the pact in the conference. Coach Boyton will have his guys ready on the defensive end, so if they can figure out a way to get buckets, maybe they make a run.
TCU Horned Frogs
HEAD COACH Jamie Dixon
HOME COURT Schollmaier Arena (6,800)
KEY DEPARTURES
FRANCISCO FARABELLO (4.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
PJ HAGGERTY (freshman, Crosby, TX/Crosby)
RONDEL WALKER (transfer, Oklahoma State)
You could look at this TCU team and say something to the fact that they are bringing back a lot of guys from last year. At the same time, that team was not that good, below 500 in conference. I guess it would be safe to say the Horned Frogs should be better than last year, but I still do not like the talent, and do not see them dancing.
Texas Longhorns
HEAD COACH Chris Beard
HOME COURT Moody Center (10,000)
KEY DEPARTURES
ANDREW JONES (11.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
COURTNEY RAMEY (9.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
TRE MITCHELL (8.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
JASE FEBRES (3.9 ppg)
DEVIN ASKEW (2.1 ppg) J
AYLON TYSON (1.8 ppg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
TYRESE HUNTER (transfer, Iowa State)
DILLON MITCHELL (freshman, Tampa, FL/Montverde)
ARTERIO MORRIS (freshman, Dallas, TX/Kimball)
SIR’JABARI RICE (transfer, New Mexico State)
ALEX ANAMEKWE (freshman, McKinney, TX/McKinney)
Really hard not to like this Texas team. With Hunter and Carr running the show, and we all know that Chris Beard teams are always great on the defensive end. “Growth comes when you’re uncomfortable. I told [our returners], first day of postseason meetings … we have to improve, whether you’re all-conference or trying to get into the rotation. Make improvements.” —Chris Beard. When you are making comments like that, it tells me coach Beard has his expectation is a deep run in the dance, and I think he is right.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
HEAD COACH Mark Adams
HOME COURT United Supermarkets Arena (15,300)
KEY DEPARTURES
BRYSON WILLIAMS (14.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 41.7% 3PT)
TERRENCE SHANNON JR. (10.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.0 apg)
KEVIN MCCULLAR (10.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.1 apg)
DAVION WARREN (9.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.4 spg)
ADONIS ARMS (8.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.8 apg)
MARCUS SANTOS-SILVA (4.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
CLARENCE NADOLNY (3.5 ppg, 1.2 rpg)
MYLIK WILSON (2.5 ppg, 1.7 rpg)
SARDAAR CALHOUN (3.5 ppg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
DE’VION HARMON (transfer, Oregon)
FARDAWS AIMAQ (transfer, Utah Valley)
KERWIN WALTON (transfer, North Carolina)
JAYLON TYSON (transfer, Texas)
ELIJAH FISHER (freshman, Crestwood Prep/Toronto)
D’MAURION WILLIAMS (transfer, Gardner-Webb)
ROBERT JENNINGS (freshman, Texas Alliance/Dallas, TX)
RICHARD ISAACS (freshman, Coronado HS/Henderson, NV)
LAMAR WASHINGTON (freshman, Compass Prep/Chandler, AZ)
Coach Mark Adams is just done a fantastic job at Tech. Tech lost a lot of guys but they also brought in a lot of very talented guys. Playing in the Big12 I would assume they take their share of bumps in the road. Although, if they are healthy, they are capable of make a run in the dance.
West Virginia Mountaineers
HEAD COACH Huggy Bear
HOME COURT WVU Coliseum (14,000)
KEY DEPARTURES
AZ SHERMAN (17.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.4 apg)
SEAN MCNEIL (12.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.4 apg)
MALIK CURRY (9.7 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.5 apg)
JALEN BRIDGES (8.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
GABE OSABUOHIEN (4.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.2 spg)
ISAIAH COTTRELL (4.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
PAULY PAULICAP (3.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
DIMON CARRIGAN (1.9 ppg)
KEY NEWCOMERS
ERIK STEVENSON (transfer, South Carolina)
EMMITT MATTHEWS (transfer, Washington)
TRE MITCHELL (transfer, Texas)
JOE TOUSSAINT (transfer, Iowa)
MOHAMED WAGUE (transfer, Harcum College)
JIMMY BELL JR. (transfer, Moberly Area CC)
PAT SUEMNICK (transfer, Triton College)
JOSIAH HARRIS (freshman, Richmond Heights HS/Canton, OH)
Last year’s roster featured a 10-man rotation. Eight of those 10 guys are gone, either via graduation or the transfer portal. Some of that is by design, though, as Huggs has decided to rebuild his roster. I know Huggy is a very good coach, but the point guard play is not geat, and it may take a while for this to gel. Playing in such a great conference. I could see WVU dancing, but would not bet on it.
Players to watch
Adam Flagler, Baylor
Keyonte George, Baylor
Mike Miles, TCU
Timmy Allen, Texas
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
Dajuan Harris, Kansas
LJ Cryer, Baylor
Avery Anderson, Oklahoma State
Kevin Obanor, Texas Tech
Moussa Cisse, Oklahoma State
This conference has it all. Last 2 national championships have came from this conference. Baylor has the best backcourt in America, Texas Tech still hates Chris Beard. TCU is loaded, and teams projected to be near or at the bottom all have great experienced coaches. Nothing will come easy in this conference. It will be a grind on a nightly basis.