Big 12 Basketball Recap (December 29-January 4)

Last week marked the final week of non-conference play with eight of the ten conference teams starting conference play on Saturday. Only Kansas and Iowa State have yet to play a Big XII game. So, this is the last week for this format with changes coming next week when everyone is playing everyone else.

Baylor Bears, Record: 11-2 overall, 0-1 Big XII, RPI: 26
Results:
Non- Con: Baylor 92, Norfolk State 51

Big XII Play: Oklahoma 73, Baylor 63

In the loss to Oklahoma, Jonathan Motley had 24 points and Taurean Prince had 17 off the bench for the Bears.

Best Non-Con Win: Texas A&M. The Aggies have an RPI of 53.

Iowa State Cyclones, Record: 10-2 overall, 0-0 Big XII, RPI: 45
Results:
Non-Con: Iowa State 83, Mississippi Valley State 33

Non-Con: South Carolina 64, Iowa State 60

I wasn’t expecting to write about a loss to South Carolina in this space. The Cyclones went 1-18 from three point range in this one and that’s what happens sometimes when you depend on outside shooting.

Best Non-Con Win: Arkansas has an RPI of 28. Iowa State waxed the Razorbacks 95-77. The Cyclones own wins over three more RPI-Top 100 teams.

Kansas State Wildcats, Record: 7-7 overall, 0-1 Big XII, RPI: 164
Results:
Non-Con: Georgia 50, K-State 46

Big XII Play: Oklahoma State 61, K-State 47

K-State is bad at basketball and if Marcus Foster can’t adapt to a cold stretch and continues to sulk on the bench, I don’t see this team winning too many games in this league.

Best Non-Con Win: K-State beat Texas A&M in December and that was their only significant win of the season so far.

Oklahoma Sooners, Record: overall, Big XII, RPI: 29
Results:
Non-Con: Oklahoma 61, George Mason 43

Big XII Play: Oklahoma 73, Baylor 63

Senior TaShawn Thomas had a huge impact in his first Big XII conference game, going 11 of 17 from the field and finishing with 24 points. We’ll see what he can do when the Sooners travel to Texas on Monday to face the length of the Longhorns.

Best Non-Con Win: Butler at RPI 22 is easily the best non-conference win for Oklahoma.

Oklahoma State Cowboys, Record: 11-2 overall, 1-0 Big XII, RPI: 41
Results:
Non-Con: Oklahoma State 74, Missouri 72

Big XII Play: Oklahoma State 61, K-State 47

Four Cowboys scored in double figures in the win over K-State with Phil Forte leading the way with 20.

Best Non-Con Win: Their win over Tulsa (RPI: 48) in November is OSU’s biggest scalp of the season.

TCU Horned Frogs, Record: 12-1 overall, 0-1 Big XII, RPI: 112
Results:
Non-Con: TCU 60, Tennessee State 40

Big XII Play: West Virginia 78, TCU 67

Life against a real schedule begins for TCU and it’s probably not going to be pretty. Kyan Anderson had 19, Juwan Staten didn’t play for WVU, and the Horned Frogs still lost by 11.

Best Non-Con Win: The win at Mississippi on December 4 still stands as the best win for the Horned Frogs this season. The Rebels have an RPI of 80.

Texas Longhorns, Record: 12-2 overall, 1-0 Big XII, RPI: 21
Results:
Non-Con: Texas 66, Rice 55

Big XII Play: Texas 70, Texas Tech 61

Isaiah Taylor came back and promptly went 2 of 10 from the field for eight points for the Longhorns who will have to be much better if they hope to beat the Sooners on Monday.

Best Non-Con Win: Iowa is the best win. Iowa has an RPI of 60.

Texas Tech Red Raiders, Record: 10-4 overall, 0-1 Big XII, RPI: 139
Results:
Non-Con: Texas Tech 60, North Texas 45

Big XII Play: Texas 70, Texas Tech 61

The Red Raiders kept it closer than many would’ve thought. Also, they play in an arena called United Supermarkets Arena. Now you know.

Best Non-Con Win: The Red Raiders beat Auburn in a 46-44 thriller (sarcasm) and that win still stands as their best non-conference win from an RPI perspective. The Tigers are number 116 in RPI.

West Virginia Mountaineers, Record: 13-1 overall, 1-0 Big XII, RPI: 10
Results:

Non-Con: West Virginia 82, Virginia Tech 51

Big XII Play: West Virginia 78, TCU 67

Juwan Staten didn’t play in the game against TCU because of illness and WVU still dominated TCU.

Best Non-Con Win: North Carolina State’s RPI is at 54, but once they get into ACC play, this will certainly supersede Wofford (RPI: 36) as the Mountaineers’ best win.

Upcoming Big XII Schedule:

Monday, January 5

West Virginia at Texas Tech

Oklahoma at Texas

Tuesday, January 6

Oklahoma State at Iowa State

Wednesday, January 7

TCU at Kansas State

Kansas at Baylor

Saturday, January 10

Texas Tech at Kansas

Baylor at TCU

Texas at Oklahoma State

Kansas State at Oklahoma

Iowa State at West Virginia

Updated Big XII Standings:

West Virginia, 1-0, 13-1

Texas, 1-0, 12-2

Oklahoma State, 1-0, 11-2

Oklahoma, 1-0, 10-3

Kansas, 0-0, 11-2

Iowa State, 0-0, 10-2

TCU, 0-1, 13-1

Baylor, 0-1, 11-2

Texas Tech, 0-1, 10-4

K-State, 0-1, 7-7