The Big 12 Contenders On The Road

While Allen Fieldhouse is an oft cited reason as to why the Jayhawks have dominated the Big 12, Kansas's record on the road is as much a reason as to why Kansas has won 10 straight Big 12 titles.

This year is no exception. Kansas is currently the only Big 12 team with 4 league wins on the road. They've also been pretty good on a per possession basis. Below I've listed all the contenders (a contender is anyone with 5 or fewer conference losses), and their corresponding records and efficiencies, as well as some notes about the tough or easy opponents they have to face:

Kansas:

Road record: 4-2 (1st)

Road PPP: 1.05 (2nd)

Road PPP allowed: .98 (2nd)

Road EM: +.074 points per possession (1st)

Notes: have played both Tech and TCU, not WVU or OU

Oklahoma

Road record: 3-3

Road PPP: .992 (4th)

Road PPP allowed: .988 (t-3rd)

Road EM: +.005 (3rd)

Notes: Haven't played at Tech or Iowa State

Iowa State

Road record: 1-4

Road PPP: 1.06 (2nd)

Road PPP allowed: 1.14 (6th)

Road EM: -.079 (6th)

Notes: Haven't played at TCU or OSU

West Virginia

Road record: 3-2 (2nd)

Road PPP: .912 PPP (6th)

Road PPP allowed .963 PPP (1st)

Road EM: -.051 PPP (4th)

Notes: Haven't played at KU or ISU.

Oklahoma State

Road record: 2-4

Road PPP: .939 (5th)

Road PPP allowed: .991 (5th)

Road EM: -.052 PPP (5th)

Notes: Tech, TCU, and West Virginia remaining

Baylor

Road record: 2-3

Road PPP: .994 (3rd)

Road PPP allowed: .988 (t-3rd)

Road EM: +.006 (2nd)

Notes: Haven't gone to KU, ISU, or Tech

Even though Kansas hasn't played at West Virginia or Oklahoma, I am pretty confident in saying they are the best road team. Kansas's efficiency margin is much higher than anyone else's, and historically their performance against the top teams in the league and the middle teams isn't much different. It is worth noting, though, that in addition to two tough games against West Virginia and Oklahoma, they have a game against Kansas State who, although terrible, is KU's biggest rival, which would lead me to believe Kansas will do a bit worse against them than other Big 12 opponents.

I definitely didn't see Baylor as 2nd in the league in efficiency margin, but given the schedule they've faced it makes sense. If I did this next week I imagine they'd look much worse (hopefully).

Oklahoma at 3rd definitely didn't surprise me, as I have been pretty consistent in believing they are the 2nd best team in the league all year, and it definitely would have benefited Kansas for the Sooners to have taken a home loss to ISU. Unless Kansas State can pull off a miracle, it looks like Iowa State will have to do some dirty work for the Jayhawks.

West Virginia is going to continue to slide a bit, as their pressing style will get murdered in Ames, and Kansas should have enough firepower to beat them at home as well (and while we're here I think Kansas will win in Morgantown as well).

Oklahoma State's uptick shouldn't be a surprise given that their first three road games were in Ames, Lawrence, and Norman. They just have West Virginia, TCU, and Tech left on the road, so it's probably a good thing they picked up 5 fairly quick conference losses.

These words might come back to bite me, but Iowa State is pretty overrated, and still have a couple tough road games left. Yet another reason why I wish they would have won at Norman. Though I do think they'll be a good NCAA tournament sleeper because tournament games aren't played on the road.