College basketball’s surprise conference at this point has to be the Big 12. With just three teams in the AP preseason Top-25, five members are now in the standings, with several more receiving votes. Baylor shows why they are the defending champions when Kansas is as stable as he expected. Still, no one could have seen Iowa State and Texas Tech being so good.
The emergence of the aforementioned teams has only added to what should be a few good months of Big 12 basketball. Let’s take a look at the Big 12 and everything to expect ahead of the conference. .
All odds via Tipico Sportsbook
Players to watch
(Photo AP/Adam Hunger)
Ochai Agbaji (garde) – Kansas Jayhawks
Who saw that leap of the senior season come from Ochai? He increases his score by almost eight points (22.0), making more than three than he has ever done before (3.1) while logging in at 48.4%. His progress was not only important in keeping the Jayhawks in the race for the national title, but it also raised his name on the NBA selection charts. Something would have to go wrong not to have Ochai’s name in the Big 12 Player of the Year conversations. Definitely a player to watch.
Izaiah Brockington (garde) – Iowa State Cyclones
Brockington is part of a powerful class of transfers who are helping elevate the Cyclones into one of their best seasons in quite some time. Brockington’s 16.9 points and 8.4 rebounds are the best on the team and among the best in the conference. He proved during his time at Penn State that he can produce in a Power 5 conference, so don’t be surprised to see Brockington continue to deliver as the Cyclones head to the Big 12.
Timmy Allen (attaquant) – Texas Longhorns
Allen and Longhorns’ seasons have been disappointments after such high expectations in the preseason. However, he leads this Texan team heavy in points and rebounds per game and is second on the team in assists per game. Texas are 10-2, although disappointing, and are still as good a bet as any to qualify for the conference championship. It will take Timmy Allen to produce like he did in Utah.
James Akinjo (garde) – Baylor Bears
From one elite basketball program to another, James Akinjo is showing a new conference how valuable he is to winning games. The Oakland native averages better than five assists for the third season of his career and leads all Big 12 players in assists per game (6.2). He walked straight into the Bears’ backcourt and plugged many holes that were vacant after losing Davion Mitchell and Jared Butler to the NBA. I can’t wait to see if he can help bring Baylor back to glory after being largely ignored as the season draws near,
United Gibson (garde) – Oklahoma Sooners
I was a three-point specialist in my day, so naturally I like shooters. Umoja is a top marksman for the Sooners, just check out his resume. He’s made more three than any other Big 12 player at this point in the season and knocked the three balls down to 39.5 percent. Be sure to watch Oklahoma games to watch Gibson warm up. You will enjoy the show.
Sleeper teams
Oklahoma Sooners (+3000)
OU is on the verge of ranking among the top 25. The Sooners are on a three-game winning streak after falling to Butler in overtime. If you can get over that bad loss, you’ll see Oklahoma have some really good wins over Arkansas and Florida. I think good wins are more like who OU is really opposed to close loss to Butler, but I understand if you are hesitant to join this team as a dark horse in the Big 12. I’m not saying they’ll win the conference, but I say they can. Don’t sleep on the Sooners.
Texas Longhorns (+350)
I’ve spoken before about how Texas has felt like a disappointment this season. He’s gone from preseason No.5 to currently at No.17. It’s also easy to forget the number of transfers and new players on the Longhorns this year. Finding some cohesion and getting in shape takes some time with a new group, so I expect them to figure that out by the end of the conference. If the Longhorns can piece it all together ASAP, they’ll have a real chance of winning a Big 12 championship. They’re one of the most talented teams in the conference.
Conference champion
(Photo AP/Charlie Riedel)
Jayhawks du Kansas (+175)
I know I’m supposed to be all-in on Baylor based on what the Bears have shown us so far. Still, I can’t help but think Kansas is going to beat them in the regular season. Is it partly because one of my colleagues convinced me? May be. But my reasoning mainly boils down to top talent.
Baylor and Kansas both have talents scattered from the top to the bottom of the roster, but what Ochai Agbaji is doing this season looks like a divider. The addition of Remy Martin also makes me siding a little more on the side of Jayhawk talent in a battle of otherwise equally talented teams. Kansas will win the Big 12 and lead in all-time victories among college basketball teams.
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