Big XII Power Rankings

Last week I did my Big East Power Rankings, and once a week for the next few weeks I will do the same for another college basketball conference.  Today I will analyze the Big XII.

1. Kansas- Led by senior Sherron Collins and junior Cole Aldrich, the Jayhawks were the preseason #1 ranked team and did not disappoint early in the season.  Aided also by the presence of highly regarded freshman Xavier Henry, the Jayhawks demolished almost every opponent in non-conference to post a 12-0 record through the new year.  The Jayhawks’ lone loss was to Tennessee on January 10th, and are 17-1 and are the lone undefeated left in Big XII play at 3-0.

2. Texas- Yes, I understand that Texas lost to Kansas State earlier this week.  However, that game was played at Kansas State’s Bramlage Coliseum, which is an extremely intimidating atmosphere and a very difficult venue for an opponent.  In addition, while it did seem that some weaknesses of Texas were presented in this game, Texas has looked, on the whole, slightly more impressive than Kansas State on the season.  Led by talented seniors Damion James and Dexter Pittman, Texas has a strong combination of athletic guards, forwards, and a dominant center down low.  Texas is a team that is a potential National Championship contender, but needs to become more mature in big games like the one played against Kansas State earlier this week.

3. Kansas State- The Wildcats put themselves directly on the map after winning a big game at home against #1 ranked Texas.  Kansas State is a run and gun team that looks to put constant pressure on the opponent and relies on the great home court advantage it has at Bramlage Coliseum.  Led by senior point guard Denis Clemente, K-State has compiled an impressive 16-2 record and is 3-1 in the Big XII.  Denis Clemente runs the offense for the Wildcats by both scoring at will and distributing for key players Jacob Pullen, Jamar Samuels, and Curtis Kelly, who are all averaging in double figures.

4. Baylor- After these top 3 teams, the Big XII seems to take a step down.  However, Baylor appears to be the best of the rest.  The Bears have a 14-3 record and a 2-2 Big XII record, including an impressive effort in a 6 point loss to Kansas last night.  The Bears are an extremely explosive offensive team that can score at will against talented defenses.  Led by guards LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter, the Bears rely upon one of the most talented backcourts in the Big XII, a conference that has very talented guard play this year.

5. Missouri- The Tigers have had an up and down season after losing some key pieces from its elite 8 team of last year.  After starting 5-3, however, the Tigers embarked upon a 9 game winning streak that ended only after a thrilling loss in Norman to the Sooners this past Saturday.  The Tigers also won an impressive game against Kansas State.  Missouri remains a run and gun offense led head coach Mike Anderson, and relies upon Kim English, Marcus Denmon, and Lawrence Bowers to provide the explosive offense.  My only concern with the Tigers is that they are 1-3 on the road, although their road win at Texas Tech was an impressive win.  The road struggles will be something to watch as the season progresses.    

6. Texas A&M- Although the Oklahoma State Cowboys have a better record than Texas A&M, the Aggies are a better team.  Texas A&M has a 13-5 record, with losses to West Virginia, New Mexico, Washington, Kansas State, and Texas.  The Aggies had the gumption to schedule some difficult games in the non-conference, and has two early tests in Big XII play against 2 of the 3 best teams in the Big XII.  As a result, the Aggies’ 13-5 record and 2-2 record in Big XII play somewhat masks the true talent level of the Aggies, led by Donald Sloan and Derrick Roland.

7. Oklahoma State- At this point many of the Big XII teams begin to look about the same.  However, Oklahoma State posts a superior record (14-4) and has less bad losses than the rest of the remaining Big XII teams.  Led primarily by James Anderson, who is averaging over 20 points, Oklahoma State is a high scoring offense that looks to score early and often on Big XII defenses.

Teams 8-12

8. Texas Tech

9. Oklahoma

10. Iowa State

11. Nebraska

12. Colorado