A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
In episode #19 of The Bottoms Line College Hoops Talk Podcast, host Andy Bottoms is joined by Raphielle Johnson of CollegeHoopsNet to discuss all the latest news and events in college basketball.
This week’s episode features a thorough look at the world of college basketball with hot topics from all BCS conferences discussed as well as some notable mid-majors as well.
Maybe it was the sheer volume of annoying “Road Test Saturday” promos I saw a couple weekends ago, but I started to wonder why the notion existed that playing non-conference road games was worthy of such special billing. After doing some research this weekend, I no longer need to wonder.
What I found is a staggering lack of road games for college basketball teams from major conferences.
In episode #13 of The Bottoms Line College Basketball Podcast, host Andy Bottoms is joined by Rob Dauster and Troy Machir of Ballin’ Is a Habit to discuss all the latest news and events in college basketball.
As was the case with the Pac-12, I took an early look at the Big 12 a few months ago, so it’s time to revisit what is now the smallest of the six major conferences.
A few players expected to play key roles for their teams won’t be suiting up this season, which should have a significant impact on the conference race. In putting together my predictions for the league, it was actually easier to slot in the last two teams than it was the first two.
With so many great games this week in college football it was hard to pick a game of the week, so instead the focus is on a game that upset written all over it.
#4 Oklahoma State is taking their fast paced offense on the road to Columbia, Missouri where the Tigers have won 10 straight at home. This current winning streak has included victories over some of the top teams in the Big 12 and none was bigger than last season’s upset victory over #1 Oklahoma. Many people think Oklahoma State is going to stroll into their final game undefeated, but this game has the potential to ruin the Cowboys’ perfect season.
Here is why the Missouri Tigers will upset the Oklahoma State Cowboys. [Read more...]
If you spent the weekend enjoying a double sunset on one of the moons of Kepler-16b, here’s what you missed:
Each day brings new rumors about schools that are prepared to leave one conference or accept an invitation from another. And while no school has moved yet this year (the SEC invitation to Texas A&M is still pending), there is no lack of speculation about what might happen.
At this time, when everyone is looking ahead to 16-team superconferences and/or conferences that are geographically abhorrent and make no effort to preserve traditional rivalries, let’s look back at where these conferences started and where they have come.
Since Texas A&M announced its intention to leave the Big XII Conference, the conventional wisdom is that the conference will not survive much longer.
(For a complete timeline of the events that led to the Big XII’s current state, click here.)
Colorado and Nebraska left last year; and rumors that the SEC will go after Missouri or that the Oklahoma schools will bolt for the Pac 12/14 never seem to go away. Both the Big Ten and Pac 12 have long coveted Texas, and the Big East has suggested that it would welcome the four schools from the former Big XII North.
But is the Big XII really as doomed as everyone seems to think it is?
The University of Texas and ESPN are getting set to unveil the Longhorn Network on August 26 and it is already creating controversy before any programming has aired.
What has sparked the outrage around the Big 12 and the rest of college football, is that the Longhorn Network wants to show the high school games of players that are committed to Texas. Texas A&M is the first team to speak out against the unfairness towards recruiting that this presents and more teams could follow their lead. [Read more...]
The loss of Colorado and Nebraska left Big 12 fans and supporters largely unphased heading into the 2011-12 season. Sure, those teams had some bright moments last season, and Colorado was arguably the biggest NCAA Tournament snub. But the losses of two teams without a storied college hoops history in a league where pigskin reigns supreme isn’t enough to work anyone into a panic.
However, the conference lost its share of star power with five players entering the NBA draft along with high-scoring guards LaceDarius Dunn and Jacob Pullen (beard sold separately). Iowa State’s Diante Garrett was another underrated player who has earned high praise from NBA scouts.
The departure of 10 of the league’s top 12 scorers (including the top six) and six of its top eight rebounders should lead to a wide open race for the conference championship with four squads holding a relatively equal shot at the crown. And oh by the way, there are four new coaches in the mix as well.
All is not lost though. Perry Jones stunned many experts by returning to Baylor, and a number of impact transfers (mostly at Iowa State) become eligible this year. Throw in three Top 25 recruiting classes, including three of the Top 10 players by some rankings, and things should remain entertaining in the Big 12.
Worst case, you get to hear Bob Knight breaking down Big Monday matchups once a week. Shot fake!
For a league that boasts two of the nation’s top teams in Kansas and Texas, the drop-off after the top third of the Big 12 is pronounced. In fact, outside of the top four teams in the league, I count possibly just four quality wins: Colorado over Missouri, Kansas State at Washington State, Nebraska over Texas A&M, and potentially Oklahoma State over Missouri State. So yeah, things are pretty ugly.
Given the current state of the bubble and the apparent reality that no one actually wants to make the tournament, another team or two may well sneak into the field of 68.
As I’ve done previously with the Big Ten and ACC, here’s what you may have missed so far in the Big 12 this season.
So, did you hear the news?
The Big 10, which actually had 11 teams, added a team from the Big 12, which did in fact have 12 teams at the beginning of today. So now, the Big 10 actually has 12 teams while the Big 12 actually has 11…no wait, 10, because Colorado is now a part of the Pac-10, which had 10 teams but now has 11.
So, let’s try this again: the Big 12 had 12 teams, but lost two and now has 10, technically making it the Big 10. And the Big 10, which had 11 teams, added one and now has 12, technically making it the Big 12. The Pac-10, which no one will care about anyway now that USC is on probation, is now the Pac-11.
[Deep breath....deep breath]
I can’t take this anymore. Let’s make fun of some coaches.
Johnny, let’s show the Big 10 (12) and Pac 10 (11) what they’ve won!
The Big Ten is getting bigger and it may not stop at 12 schools.
First things first though, or to be over dramatic, THE FUTURE IS NOW!
All the indications from the mainstream media are that The University of Nebraska will formally announce a move from the Big XII to the Big Ten by this weekend. This, ironically, would leave the Big XII at 11 teams (insert “they always were 11, Iowa State sucks” joke here) and Nebraska boosts the Big Ten from 11 to 12 teams.
If that is confusing, so too will be a redesigned symbol if the conference tries to hold onto the Big Ten name.
If you came to this page looking for picks and predictions for the 2009 NCAA Tournament, we’ve got you covered.
Follow the link to our 2009 NCAA Tournament Game-by-Game Picks all the way through the Final Four.
Or, you can view them by region:
And if you actually came to this page to review our 2009 Big 12 Tournament predictions, pardon the interruption and continue reading below.
So, if you didn’t realize from my Big 12 Tournament Preview post earlier this week, I have always thought one thing when I look at Kansas head coach Bill Self: Jon Arbuckle. I was a huge Garfield fan when I was a kid, and Self is the spitting image of Garfield’s toolish owner.
Luckily for Kansas fans though, Self has been much more successful as a college basketball coach than Jon Arbuckle ever was…at anything.
The Jayhawks enter the 2009 Big 12 Tournament as the champions of the last three, and winners of six of the twelve Big 12 tournaments that have taken place. I don’t think many people expected Kansas to have the #1 seed this year, considering what they lost off of last year’s NCAA Championship team, but here they are.
Will Kansas achieve a very impressive Four-Peat? Or will they ar-buckle under the pressure and allow a new Big 12 Tournament champion to emerge?
Before I give you my predictions, let’s break down a few important things first: a) a few links on the Big 12 Tourney and to help you buy tickets to the Big 12 or NCAA Tournament; b) the bracket, which I will update as the games become final; and c) the current odds for each team. Here we go:
Links:
- Big 12 Tournament History: Past Champions and MVPs
- StubHub Tickets: 2009 Big 12 Basketball Tournament Tickets
- StubHub Tickets: 2009 NCAA Tournament Tickets
| Game | Date | Matchup | Time | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wed, March 11 | #9 Baylor def. #8 Nebraska 65-49 | 11:30 AM | Big 12 Network |
| 2 | Wed, March 11 | #5 Texas def. #12 Colorado 67-56 | 2:00 PM | Big 12 Network |
| 3 | Wed, March 11 | #7 Oklahoma State def. #10 Iowa State 81-67 | 6:00 PM | Big 12 Network |
| 4 | Wed, March 11 | #11 Texas Tech def. #6 Texas A&M 88-83 | 8:30 PM | Big 12 Network |
| 5 | Thu, March 12 | #9 Baylor def. #1 Kansas 71-64 | 11:30 AM | ESPN2 |
| 6 | Thu, March 12 | #5 Texas def. #4 Kansas State 61-58 | 2:00 PM | Big 12 Network |
| 7 | Thu, March 12 | #7 Oklahoma State def. #2 Oklahoma 71-70 | 6:00 PM | Big 12 Network |
| 8 | Thu, March 12 | #3 Missouri def. #11 Texas Tech 81-60 | 8:30 PM | ESPN2 |
| 9 | Fri, March 13 | #9 Baylor def. #5 Texas 76-70 | 6:00 PM | Big 12 Network |
| 10 | Fri, March 13 | #3 Missouri def. #7 Oklahoma State 67-59 | 8:30 PM | Big 12 Network |
| 11 | Sat, March 14 | #3 Missouri def. #9 Baylor 73-60 | 5:00 PM | ESPN |
And here are the odds of winning the 2009 Big Ten Championship game for each team (according to OffShoreInsiders.com):
And now, let’s break down the 2009 Big 12 Tournament game-by-game until we come up with a hypothetically predicted Big 12 champion:
What a disappointment Baylor has been this season. Coming off last year’s success, Scott Drew was the favorite of some IU fans to become the new head coach in Bloomington. And with guys like Curtis Jerrells and LaceDarius Dunn back, Baylor was a trendy pick to be a Top 25 team in 2008-09. However, the Bears are 17-13 (5-11 in conference) after starting the season 12-2. Still, I think the Bears’ ability to score (despite recent struggles), and their postseason experience from last year, makes them a darkhorse in the Big 12 Tournament. Nebraska just beat Baylor 66-62 in each team’s final regular season game, but I think Baylor pulls off the mini-upset here and advances. Baylor wins.
Colorado went 1-15 in conference play and sucks. Texas only went 9-7, but this is a solid 20-10 team that will play in the NCAA Tournament. I’d be shocked if this is even a game. Texas wins.
Oklahoma State finished in the four-team quagmire at 9-7, and this is a team that can 
really score and that is playing well. In their last 7 games, OSU is 6-1 with a four-point loss to Oklahoma being the only blemish. They spanked Iowa State earlier this year and the Cyclones, losers of 5 out of their last 7, have done nothing to show they have improved since the first meeting. Oklahoma State wins.
As a die-hard Hoosiers, Texas Tech has been my 2nd-favorite team since Bob Knight took over there. Now that Pat Knight is the head coach, the Red Raiders remain a favorite of mine. Unfortunately, Tech has sucked this season, going 3-13 in conference play and not stopping anyone on D. A&M beat them twice, scoring 79 each time. Of course, Texas Tech did recently beat Kansas by 19, so anything is possible. I hope Texas Tech proves me wrong, but I think Texas A&M wins.
Assuming that my Wednesday picks prove true, my darkhorse Baylor will be playing Kansas in Round 2. Can the Bears win? Probably not. Kansas has really played well in conference play, minus the hiccup against Tech. They beat Baylor earlier this year, and while I think the Bears will make this a good game, I don’t think they play enough D to win it. Kansas advances.
Texas would play Kansas State in my hypothetical 2nd round. Both teams went 9-7 in conference play and both teams went 20-10 overall. However, Kansas State beat Texas in their one meeting in Austin. This game is a really toss up, so I’m going with Kansas State — because I live in Dallas and Longhorn fans can be really 
annoying. Not a very scientific way to pick a victor, I know, but there just is not much separating these two teams.
An Oklahoma-Oklahoma State matchup in the 2nd round would be fun. Most people think, and I agree, that Oklahoma is the best team in the conference. Had Blake Griffin not gotten hurt, they might not have dropped that back-to-back set against Texas and Kansas. Still, the Sooners have lost three of their last five. But they beat Oklahoma State twice during the regular season, and are now back at full health. I think Griffin and the Sooners will be on a mission to prove that they are the best team in the Big 12. Oklahoma wins.
Texas A&M-Missouri in the second round would be a rematch of both teams’ final regular season game, in which A&M won by 10 at home. In the two previous games, Missouri lost to Kansas by 25 and then beat Oklahoma by 9. Will the real Tigers please stand up? The Aggies are playing very good defense of late and have won six in a row entering the tourney. I think the Aggies score another win over Missouri and advance to the semi-finals.
The battle of Kansas would ensure if my above predictions prove true. They played twice this season, with Kansas winning by double figures each time. And while I think Kansas State will pull of the win over Texas, the Wildcats have not scored an impressive victory since February 7th at Texas A&M. The Jayhawks will march on to the Big 12 Championship game.
Oklahoma-Texas A&M could be a very good game, and one the Aggies could win. However, Oklahoma won both regular season meetings and this would be A&M’s third game in three days. I think their Big 12 Tournament run ends here, as the Sooners and Blake Griffin will just be too much to overcome with less-than-100% legs.
It is the matchup that everyone wants to see: Kansas versus Oklahoma. You know Blake Griffin wants a chance to avenge the February 23rd loss, and a pissed off/motivated Blake Griffin is not a good thing for any opponent. Oklahoma is the best team in the Big 12 when healthy, and is still gunning for a #1 seed. I think the beat Kansas, and beat them convincingly to win the Big 12 title.
So there you go — one man’s first impression, quick hit predictions for the 2009 Big 12 Tournament. As always, I suggest that you run to your nearest bookie and bet completely the opposite way, but that’s your call. Game 1 between Nebraska and Baylor tips off in a little over an hour, so I’ll be updating the bracket above as the day and week goes on.
Well December is here, which means that the Heisman Trophy winner will be announced soon. Personally I’m predicting a Big 12 winner, but that is as far as I can go because both Sam Bradford of OU and Colt McCoy of Texas have had excellent seasons and presented excellent cases as candidates. I am leaning towards Sam Bradford, but either one could win the Heisman Trophy, and be more than justified.
Sam Bradford has thrown for 4468 yards and 48 touchdowns in an extremely tough Big 12 conference. In the last 5 games, Oklahoma has hung at least 60 points on their opponent. These opponents include the second ranked Texas Tech and the twelfth ranked Oklahoma State. This impressive season could mean that Sam Bradford will be the Heisman Trophy winner.
Colt McCoy has also put his name in the hat for the Heisman Trophy this season, throwing for 3445 yards and 32 touchdowns while rushing for 10 more on his own. He has truly been the MVP for the Longhorns, who were kept out of the National Championship game by the flawed BCS, but that’s another story.
Other candidates include Florida’s Tim Tebow, Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell, and Iowa’s Shonn Greene.
Last years Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow, has also had a great season with 25 passing touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns to boot. This is more impressive considering the utter class that is the SEC, however his 2515 passing yards combined with his TD rate simply cannot compare to either Sam Bradford or McCoy.
Graham Harrell, who leads the always impressive Texas Tech offense, is a candidate who also had a good year. With 4747 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes, Harrell is no slouch, but his team’s crushing loss to Oklahoma definitely hurt his chances for the Heisman Trophy.
Finally the NCAA’s leading rusher for the season, Shonn Greene definitely deserves to be considered a candidate. Greene rushed for at least 100 yards every game this season. With 1729 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, Greene is certainly no slouch, but 2008 was the year of the quarterback, and Greene does not have a chance at this year’s Heisman Trophy.
The Heisman Trophy winner will be announced on December 15, 2008 in New York.
Who Will Win the Heisman Trophy?
Total Voters: 370
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