For every Big 12 Tournament Session, I'll be doing some previews. Nothing extravagant, nothing incredible, nothing awesome. Just lightning-quick previews of some things you should expect to see in every game. Y'know, for those of you actually lucky enough to get to watch them.
Ugh.
Game #1 - #8 Nebraska vs. #9 Baylor - 12:30 (EST)
What to Watch: Turnovers. Baylor's strong suit on offense is not making stupid mistakes and not turning the ball over, while Nebraska's biggest strength on defense is turning you over. If Baylor really limits the giveaways, they have a shot. If not, and the Huskers consistently steal the ball, game over.
Baylor Might Win Because: They shoot the 3-pointers really, really well. They shoot the long ball a bunch, but they aren't always all that successful at it. If they are, though, they can be dangerous.
Nebraska Might Win Because: Those same turnovers. It's the entire emphasis of Doc Sadler's gameplan, and if they pull it off, they are an NCAA-caliber team. They just don't do it often enough.
Player of the Game: Ade Dagunduro. Love him to death. Him on Obi Muonelo are virtually identical players, to me, and both equally awesome and entirely underrated. Three-letter first names that are quite unusual, undersized players forced into playing the 4 out of necessity. And both entirely overlooked. Awesome, folks. Awesome. Hopefully Dagunduro can make a lot of money in Europe, because the dude is a really good basketball player.
Prediction: Baylor continues their lack of effort, they can't continue to knock down the threes while Doc Sadler coaches the hell out of Scott Drew. Immense difference in talent, but an even bigger one in the suits.
Nebraska 70 Baylor 57
Texas-Colorado preview after the jump...
Game #2 - #5 Texas vs. #12 Colorado - 3:00 (EST)
What to Watch: Texas' effort level. If they come in expecting to coast until a Thursday quarterfinal with Kansas State, they could be upset. And that would be big-time bad. Colorado has played much, much better of late, and don't be entirely surprised if they come from nowhere to stay close. Conference Tournaments tend to bring out the best of the worst; I mean, 0-18-in-the-regular-season DePaul beat Cincinnati today. Texas went to OT with Colorado earlier in the year, though, so I have a feeling they won't be looking beyond the Buffaloes.
Colorado Might Win Because: Cory Higgins. Dude is just absolutely fantastic. He has the ability to single-handedly make some noise in OKC, and this is his opportunity to earn some national spotlight. Honestly. Go on, Cory, make a name for yourself.
Texas Might Win Because: Dexter Pittman. Colorado has absolutely no semblance of an answer for the interior presence of Sexy Dexy, and he's been playing out-of-this-world of late. I'm on the Pittman Bandwagon, after he physically dominated Cole freakin' Aldrich on both sides of the floor on Saturday, and I think he might be their second-best player, after all-everything Damion James. With Colorado's expected defensive attention on James and Abrams, he could really explode.
Player of the Game: I've mentioned two prime candidates, but I'll go with an under-the-radar name. With Texas focusing solely on Higgins, I'll say that Dwight Thorne explodes for the Buffs to keep it close.
Prediction: Much, much closer than one might expect. Colorado hangs in until the very, very end, but can't quite pull the huge upset off in the end.
Texas 71 Colorado 66
***
That's all we're doing, for now. Maybe we'll expand, and we will certainly greatly expand for the Kansas games, but for the others this will likely be it. I'll try my best to get the Afternoon Session up thirty minutes prior to the tip, but if it's a little late I apologize in advance.
Also, use the Big 12 Tournament OGT, please.
The morning sessions might be semi-barren, depending on certain members' work schedules, but the afternoon session should be a-rockin'. I promise.