Big 12 Basketball Recap (February 2-8)

Things got interesting again in the Big 12 this weekend as Kansas dropped a road game. Here is a recap of the week’s events, excluding games involving the Jayhawks.

Oklahoma 71, West Virginia 52

Buddy Hield poured in 21 for the victorious Sooners who, with the win and most of their most difficult games in their home arena, are looking like one of the top three teams in the conference again. Jordan Woodard, Ryan Spangler, and Isaiah Cousins each added double figure point totals as they gave the Mountaineers another large defeat on the road. Juwan Staten added his customary 15 in the losing cause for West Virginia.

Oklahoma State 65, Texas 63

Texas has lost four games in a row, and not to take anything away from what is happening in Stillwater, but how exactly is that possible?  With the talent that Texas has, they should never lose four in a row; I don't care who the opponents have been.  And certainly playing Oklahoma State in the confines of the Erwin Center should've ended the streak at three.  But despite battling back to force overtime, the Longhorns fell at home on two late free throws from Phil Forte.

Texas Tech 64, Kansas State 47

Marcus Foster probably would have helped the slumping Wildcats overcome Texas Tech down in Lubbock, but the sophomore was suspended for a violation of team rules and K-State didn't have enough in its arsenal to take down the Red Raiders. Toddrick Gotcher and Devaughntah Williams scored 25 of the Texas Tech 30 second half points while the Tech defense held KSU to just 21 points in the second stanza.

Baylor 77, TCU 57

Baylor forward Rico Gathers had another monster night (this time against legitimate competition!) as he scored 14 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in the win over the Horned Frogs.  Royce O'Neale, Taurean Prince, Kenny Chery, and Lester Medford all scored in double figures for the Bears who were in complete control of this game from the opening tip.

Baylor 87, West Virginia 69

Baylor got off to a fast start and never looked back in their game against the Mountaineers. They went up by margins of 23-3 and 30-9 before West Virginia settled into the game and cut the deficit to 16 at the half. By that time it was already too late. Rico Gathers had another dominant game, and four other Bears scored in double figures as the team continues its upward march in the standing.

Iowa State 75, Texas Tech 38

Not much to say in this one other than I hope that this is the Texas Tech squad that Kansas faces on Tuesday.

Oklahoma 68, TCU 56

An attack led by Buddy Hield (16 points, 10 rebounds), Isaiah Cousins (11 points, 6 rebounds) and Ryan Spangler (21 points, 5 rebounds) was all Oklahoma needed to fend off pesky TCU. The Sooners have won four straight games and are looking like a real contender in the weeks to come.

Texas 61, Kansas State 57

Texas ended its four game losing skid with a win over a depleted Kansas State team, but at this point, Texas will take anything it can get. Isaiah Taylor scored 23 and said, "We played desperate. Today we didn't get down on ourselves. Everyone played with an attitude and it's sort of like (a sense) of cockiness that we needed to win and that's what happened."

Win of the Week: Oklahoma State over Kansas

Many predicted that it would happen, and Bill Self has had the hardest time winning in Stillwater than in any other Big 12 city, but more than anything, the win by the Cowboys opens up the Big 12 race to the other title contenders.

Team of the Week: Oklahoma State

This award could’ve also gone to Oklahoma or Baylor who finished the week off perfectly by each beating West Virginia and TCU, but instead we’ll give it to the Cowboys for knocking off the reining conference champs at home and for finding a way to beat a team many thought would contend for the conference crown on the road.

Player of the Week: Rico Gathers, Baylor

All he did was average 15.5 points and 16.5 rebounds in the Bears’ two wins this week. Those kind of performances will earn you our player of the week award most weeks.

WTF of the Week: West Virginia

The Mountaineers were sitting pretty in second place (with two more games remaining against league leaders Kansas) at the start of the week, but after humiliating losses to Oklahoma (by 19 points) and to Baylor (by 18 points), West Virginia now finds itself in fifth place in the league amidst a pack of teams that are far hotter than they are.

Updated Big XII Standings:

Kansas, 8-2, 19-4

Iowa State, 7-3, 17-5

Oklahoma, 7-4, 16-7

Baylor, 6-4, 18-5

West Virginia, 6-4, 18-5

Oklahoma State, 6-5, 16-7

K-State, 5-6, 12-12

Texas, 4-6, 15-8

Texas Tech, 2-9, 12-12

TCU, 1-9, 14-9

Upcoming Big XII Schedule:

Monday, February 9

Oklahoma State at Baylor

Iowa State at Oklahoma

Tuesday, February 10

Kansas at Texas Tech

Wednesday, February 11

Kansas State at West Virginia

TCU at Texas

Saturday, February 14

Baylor at Kansas

West Virginia at Iowa State

Oklahoma State at TCU

Oklahoma at Kansas State

Texas Tech at Texas