Other Conference Previews

BIG 12 CONFERENCE 2012-13 PREVIEW

Predicted Order of Finish:
1. Kansas
2. Baylor
3. Kansas State
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma State
6. West Virginia
7. Oklahoma
8. Iowa State
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU

KANSAS JAYHAWKS
2011-12 SU Record: 82% (32-7)
2011-12 ATS Record: 51% (19-18-1)
2011-12 Over (Total): 35% (13-24)
Returning Starters: 3
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 15/1

This team will have to overcome two huge losses in PF Thomas Robinson and PG Tyshawn Taylor, who combined for 34.3 PPG last year in leading the Jayhawks all the way to the NCAA title game. But with C Jeff Withey (9.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.6 BPG) manning the paint, this will be a difficult team to score on once again. Senior guard Elijah Johnson (10.2 PPG, 3.5 APG) should be able to step in a bigger role for head coach Bill Self and pick up some of the scoring left by Taylor in the backcourt. Freshman Anrio Adams will join him in the backcourt, battling for minutes with swingman Travis Releford (8.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG), who is also a menace on the defensive end of the floor. The X-factor of this team could be the development of highly-touted freshman PF Perry Ellis, a state-bred athlete who could emerge as a dangerous threat in the paint and help fill Robinson's void.

BAYLOR BEARS
2011-12 SU Record: 79% (30-8)
2011-12 ATS Record: 45% (13-16-2)
2011-12 Over (Total): 58% (18-13)
Returning Starters: 2
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 50/1

After losing to Kentucky in last year’s Elite Eight, this will be a new-look Baylor squad without Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller—all gone to the NBA. But their leading scorer Pierre Jackson (13.8 PPG) returns for his senior campaign after tallying 5.9 APG last year and always threatening from beyond the arc with a 40.8% clip from beyond the arc. He should thrive as the focal point of the Bears offense and backcourt, joined by junior sharp-shooter Brady Heslip (10.2 PPG, 46% threes), who drained 26-of-48 (54%) from downtown last postseason. That veteran presence in the backcourt will be supplemented by the No. 2 center in the recruiting class, 7-footer Isaiah Austin, who should be expected to contribute immediately. Six-foot-7 freshman Ricardo Gathers is also a heralded newcomer, while fellow first-year L.J. Rose should also be effective off the bench as another great ball-handler for Scott Drew’s squad. Replacing that trio to the NBA will be a tall task, but this is one of the few recruiting classes in the nation prepared to deal with such a steep departing crew.

KANSAS STATE WILDCATS
2011-12 SU Record: 67% (22-11)
2011-12 ATS Record: 48% (14-15)
2011-12 Over (Total): 50% (14-14-1)
Returning Starters: 4
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 100/1

Kansas State welcomes former Illinois coach Bruce Weber to the fold as the head coach and he inherits a solid squad with four returning starters. That includes leading scorer Rodney McGruder (15.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG) who is a threat from deep but is also adept at using his body to score down low. Will Spradling (9.3 PPG) is also a key returning member of the backcourt having played 31.2 MPG last year. The frontcourt has undeniable size in 6-foot-11 forward Jordan Henriquez (7.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG) and sophomore bull Thomas Gipson (7.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG), but that duo will need to contribute more buckets than they have in the past for this team to threaten. Weber will need time to build the program here, with no top recruits coming in to help the crew coming back from last season.

TEXAS LONGHORNS
2011-12 SU Record: 59% (20-14)
2011-12 ATS Record: 35% (10-19)
2011-12 Over (Total): 52% (15-14)
Returning Starters: 2
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 75/1

Assuming Myck Kabongo is eligible to play this season (NCAA violations), this is a Rick Barnes squad that has the potential to be dangerous if it finds its groove. But Kabongo (9.6 PPG, 5.2 APG) will have to bear a heavy load, replacing the production of J’Covan Brown, who carried the team last year with 20.1 PPG. Kabongo and Sheldon McClellan (11.3 PPG) should form a potent backcourt duo, but the question is if they will be able to battle on the blocks. Six-foot-10 center Cameron Ridley is a top-10 recruit, but he should take time to develop and will have a heavy load to bear from day one. The McDonald’s All-American will be joined in the post by another first-year player standing 6-foot-10, Prince Ibeh, who should actually complement Ridley well as a more athletic post player who plays excellent defense.

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
2011-12 SU Record: 46% (15-18)
2011-12 ATS Record: 50% (15-15-1)
2011-12 Over (Total): 52% (16-15)
Returning Starters: 4
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 200/1

Even though this team brings back four starters, head coach Travis Ford’s hopes for this campaign rest in the hands of five-star recruit Marcus Smart, who has the potential to emerge as one of the most dangerous point guards in the nation. He’ll have to make up the production of last year’s leading scorer Keiton Page, who averaged 17.1 PPG. In addition to Smart, swingman Le’Bryan Nash (13.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG) is a matchup nightmare while guard Markel Brown (10.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.4 APG) will also make a bigger impact. Look for sophomore Michael Cobbins (5.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.5 BPG) to also make more noise in the paint after steadily improving down the stretch last season.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
2011-12 SU Record: 58% (19-14)
2011-12 ATS Record: 50% (15-15)
2011-12 Over (Total): 57% (17-13)
Returning Starters: 3
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 100/1

West Virginia and Bob Huggins join the conference, returning three starters after compiling a 9-9 record in the Big East last season. After sitting out a year, Dayton transfer Juwan Staten will be a big factor at guard while sophomore Gary Browne (6.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG) should be prepared to take a big step up in the backcourt. But replacing last year’s two leading scorers Kevin Jones and Darryl Bryant, who combined for almost 37 PPG last year will be a difficult task. PF Deniz Kilici (10.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG) is the lone double-digit scorer returning, but he will be joined in the frontcourt by La Salle transfer Aaric Murray, who at 6-foot-10 is a shot-blocking force (143 blocks over two college season) who can also step out and hit jumpers, averaging 13.7 PPG and making 36% of his threes at La Salle.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS
2011-12 SU Record: 48% (15-16)
2011-12 ATS Record: 43% (12-16)
2011-12 Over (Total): 37% (10-17)
Returning Starters: 5
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 200/1

In his second year with the Sooners, Lon Kruger will have a team returning all five starters from last year’s campaign. With three returning double-digit scorers, the question is if Kruger can guide this team that won just 15 games last season to a more respectable finish. SG Steven Pledger (16.2 PPG, 42% 3-pt FG) is the best of that crew, while forwards Romero Osby (12.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG) and Andrew Fitzgerald (12.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG) will look to form a solid frontcourt that can hopefully help this team eclipse the .500 mark.

IOWA STATE CYCLONES
2011-12 SU Record: 68% (23-11)
2011-12 ATS Record: 66% (19-10-1)
2011-12 Over (Total): 50% (15-15)
Returning Starters: 2
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 100/1

Fred Hoiberg is making strong progress with this Iowa State program, but he will need everything to mesh perfectly for this team to compete this season. He brings in a solid recruit in PF Georges Niang to help fill the void of last year’s leading scorer and rebounder Royce White (13.4 PPG, 9.3 RPG) who is now in the NBA. The biggest unknown on this team is how transfer point guard Korie Lucious will fit in after sitting out a year coming from Michigan State. Lucious has seen big moments and could be a force in the conference and will be joined in the backcourt by fellow transfer Will Clyburn, who came over to Hoiberg after averaging 17.1 PPG two seasons ago at Utah. How those two respond to their new conference will determine if this team can be a contender.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS
2011-12 SU Record: 26% (8-23)
2011-12 ATS Record: 27% (7-19-1)
2011-12 Over (Total): 35% (9-17)
Returning Starters: 2
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 100/1 (Field)

This is a program amid turmoil with the departure of Billy Gillispie in late September, with more players transferring than coming in. Now it's up to interim head coach Chris Walker to use his up-tempo offense to try to breathe life into this program. The one Red Raiders player to watch out for will be Jordan Tolbert (11.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG), the only double-digit scorer on last season's squad that finished 1-17 in Big 12 play.

TCU HORNED FROGS
2011-12 SU Record: 55% (18-15)
2011-12 ATS Record: 46% (13-15)
2011-12 Over (Total): 64% (18-10)
Returning Starters: 2
Odds to win 2013 NCAA Championship: 100/1 (Field)

Welcome to the Big 12 and the conference’s cellar TCU. It will take time for Trent Johnson to rebuild this program, taking over a team that went just .500 in the Mountain West last year. Six-foot-7 swingman Garlon Green (9.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG) will have to bear too much of the brunt for this year’s squad, and he won’t be enough to make this team threaten to knock off superior teams on most nights.