There’s no substitute in college basketball for postseason success. It’s how leagues are compared, how teams are remembered, how TV contracts are decided.
Big 12 teams remember the 2004-05 season as a disappointment because of their NCAA Tournament play. They’re eager to make amends.
“The way we ended last year left a very sour taste in everybody’s mouth,” said Kansas coach Bill Self, referring to the Jayhawks’ first-round NCAA Tournament loss to 14th-seeded Bucknell that seemed to set the tone.
Self could have been speaking for the entire conference when he added, “I don’t think you can have great years unless you perform in March. Good years, but not great years.”
Six Big 12 teams got invitations to the NCAA Tournament, which is par for the league. And nobody should have complained about its seeding. Oklahoma State received a No. 2 seed, and Kansas and Oklahoma drew No. 3 seeds. Nobody received a seeding worse than ninth.
And nobody got close to the Final Four in St. Louis.
Kansas and Texas didn’t get out of the first round, and only Oklahoma State and Texas Tech made it past the second round. The Cowboys and Red Raiders didn’t survive the regional semifinals, however. OSU, with most of its roster returning from a Final Four team, was nipped 79-78 by third-seeded Arizona; sixth- seeded Texas Tech fell 65-60 to seventh-seeded West Virginia.
“We were just missing something,” said Oklahoma State assistant Sean Sutton, who will take over for his father, Eddie, after this season.
The entire league was lacking something. The Big 12 had become regulars at the Final Four, leading all conferences with five Final Four appearances in the previous three seasons before fizzling last spring.
A new season has dawned and hopes are high. Those hopes appear realistic with at least two teams, No. 2 Texas and No. 6 Oklahoma, capable of reaching the Final Four in Indianapolis.
Oklahoma’s frontcourt tag-team tandem of Taj Gray and Kevin Bookout can muscle with the best and score at will. Terrell Everett, 6-feet-4, developed into an imposing playmaker.
Texas might have had a long stay in the NCAA Tournament last year if forward P.J. Tucker had kept going to class. Tucker, averaging 13.7 points and eight rebounds, was ruled ineligible for the second semester. Without him, the Longhorns lost eight of their last 14 games. Tucker has regained his eligibility. The Longhorns also welcomed back 6-10 forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who missed the last 15 games with a hip problem. Sophomore Daniel Gibson ranks among the nation’s top point guards.
Tucker could be the key. At 6-5, 225 pounds, he presents an almost impossible matchup underneath – too strong for wing forwards, too quick for power players.
“I let the team down last year; everybody knows that,” Tucker said. “I’m anxious to show what I can do. And what we can do.”
So is the rest of the Big 12.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
Big 12 men’s hoops
Teams in predicted order of finish
1. Texas
Last season: 20-11, 9-7 in Big 12 (tie fifth), NCAA Tournament
Coach: Rick Barnes, eighth year, 161-69
What to look for: Texas faded last season, but point guard Daniel Gibson (14.2) and the return of 6-foot-5 forward P.J. Tucker (academic ineligibility) and 6-10 center LaMarcus Aldridge (hip surgery) give the Longhorns a trio as talented as any in the country.
Did you know? Barnes never has failed to win at least 20 games during seven seasons in Austin.
He said it: “Without (Tucker and Aldridge), it helped a lot of players gain experience; the game will slow down for them.” – Gibson
Kensler says: This is a potential Final Four team unless nobody steps up to replace departed outside gunners Kenny Taylor and Sydmill Harris.
2. Oklahoma
Last season: 25-8, 12-4 in Big 12 (tie first), NCAA Tournament second round
Coach: Kelvin Sampson, 12th year, 259-100
What to look for: Nobody has a stronger inside tandem than Sooners’ 6-9, 238-pound Taj Gray and 6-8, 259-pound Kevin Bookout. Gray (14.6, 8.2) is a preseason All-American, and Bookout could be a future Olympic discus thrower.
Did you know? 6-6 transfer Nate Carter (Cal-Riverside) was 2002-03 Big West freshman of the year.
He said it: “If size was so important, what happened to the dinosaurs? Size only helps if they are good. (Bookout and Gray) are good.” – Sampson
Kensler says: Could be Final Four-bound if former junior college All-America guard Michael Neal lives up to expectations.
3. Texas Tech
Last season: 22-11, 10-6 in Big 12 (fourth), NCAA Regional semifinals
Coach: Bob Knight, fifth year, 90-44
What to look for: Picked to finish seventh or worse in the Big 12, the Red Raiders surprised everyone by reaching the Sweet 16. Knight still hasn’t signed blue-chippers, but guards Jarrius Jackson (15.3) and Martin Zeno (12.5) proved to be diamonds in the rough.
Did you know? Eight-man recruiting class features four players weighing 225 pounds or more, including 288-pound wide body Dazzmond Thornton from Denver.
He said it: “Me.” – Knight, when asked if the Red Raiders will have a team captain this season
Kensler says: NCAA Tournament team, but lack of depth in frontcourt means short tournament run.
4. Iowa State
Last season: 19-12, 9-7 in Big 12 (tie fifth), NCAA Tournament second round
Coach: Wayne Morgan, third year, 39-25
What to look for: College basketball is said to be a guards game, and in juniors Curtis Stinson (17.2, 4.5 assists) and Will Blalock (12.3, 4.9), the Cyclones may have the nation’s best backcourt.
Did you know? Iowa State won nine of its last 11 games in regular-season conference play.
He said it: “(Blalock and I) just clicked when we got here. It’s probably an East Coast thing.” – Stinson
Kensler says: The Cyclones could go deep into the NCAA Tournament if they can find someone to replace the inside toughness and clutch play of Jared Homan (13.6, 8.7 rebounds).
5. Kansas
Last season: 23-7, 12-4 in Big 12 (tie first), NCAA Tournament first round
Coach: Bill Self, third year, 47-16
What to look for: If possible a lingering hangover from loss to Bucknell and departure of stalwart senior class weren’t bad enough, junior forward J.R. Giddens transferred to New Mexico after off-court problems.
Did you know? KU’s top returning scorer, 6-8 Christian Moody, averaged 5.8 points.
He said it: “He did some 360-degree dunk I can’t really explain.” – senior guard Jeff Hawkins, on freshman high flier Julian Wright
Kensler says: A gifted recruiting class and home-court advantage of Allen Fieldhouse will enable KU to add to its string of 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
6. Oklahoma State
Last season: 26-7, 11-5 in Big 12 (third), NCAA Tournament regional semifinals
Coach: Eddie Sutton, 16th year, 351-135
What to look for: Don’t be surprised if sophomore guard JamesOn Curry (9.4) leads the Big 12 in scoring. Joey Graham (17.7), John Lucas (17.7), Ivan McFarlin (12.5) and four other departing seniors must be replaced.
Did you know? Sutton (781 career victories) needs five wins to tie Lefty Driesell for fifth place all-time.
He said it: “(This team) is a very talented group … (with) a lot of interchangeable parts.” – OSU assistant Sean Sutton, who will replace his father as head coach after this season
Kensler says: The Suttons will ask a lot from an eight-man recruiting class ranked among nation’s best. If the newcomers hold up, Eddie will go out with another NCAA Tournament bid.
7. Nebraska
Last season: 14-14, 7-9 in Big 12 (tie eighth)
Coach: Barry Collier, sixth year, 70-77
What to look for: Huskers won at Iowa State in late February and had several other winnable games slip away or they would have made the NCAA Tournament for first time since 1998. This will be Collier’s quickest team, but the leadership of departed seniors Jake
Muhleisen and John Turek isn’t easily replaced.
Did you know? Sophomore guard Joe McCray (15.5) set a Big 12 freshman record for 3-point goals with 80.
He said it: “We can compete athletically with upper-
echelon teams in our league now.” – senior guard Jason Dourisseau
Kensler says: Recruiting has improved, but will school administrators remain patient with Collier if Huskers don’t make NCAA this season?
8. Texas A&M
Last season: 21-10, 8-8 in Big 12 (seventh), NIT quarterfinals
Coach: Billy Gillispie, second year, 21-10
What to look for: Texas A&M wasn’t taken seriously during its pillow-soft nonconference schedule, but surprised everyone by going .500 in the Big 12. Joseph Jones, a 6-9, 250-pound sophomore, provides a solid foundation, but NBA first-rounder Antoine Wright (17.8) will be missed.
Did you know? Guard Eddie Smith was national junior college player of the year last season at Moberly (Mo.).
He said it: “There are not too many teams than can replace an Antoine Wright.” – Gillispie
Kensler says: The Aggies will be among several teams vying for the last NCAA Tournament bids granted to the Big 12.
9. Colorado
Last season: 14-16, 4-12 in Big 12 (11th)
Coach: Ricardo Patton, 10th year, 157-130
What to look for: With eight seniors on scholarship, CU certainly is experienced, which should help in close games. The trick will be keeping everybody happy. It will help if junior college transfer Dominique Coleman becomes a distributor at point guard, which has been a problem position.
Did you know? Last season, Richard Roby (16.0) became the first CU freshman to lead the team in scoring since Chauncey Billups in 1995-96.
He said it: “The last few years, we’ve had most of the pieces except a point guard.” – Patton
Kensler says: Patton seeks a contract extension from a new athletic director, and the last thing he needed was senior center Julius Ashby becoming academically ineligible for fall semester.
10. Missouri
Last season: 16-17, 7-9 in Big 12 (tie eighth), NIT first round
Coach: Quin Snyder, seventh year, 116-80
What to look for: The unexpected departure of 6-9 Linas Kleiza to the NBA (Nuggets) after his sophomore season leaves Tigers thin in the paint. Missouri has proven perimeter scorers, led by Thomas Gardner (10.4), but can the Tigers stop anybody?
Did you know? Sophomore Jason Horton is the younger brother of Michigan senior Daniel Horton, who also plays point guard.
He said it: “For us to be good, we have to play harder than (our opponents) and play more unselfishly.” – Snyder
Kensler says: If touted 6-9 freshman Leo Lyons doesn’t fill a need inside, Snyder’s job will be in jeopardy.
11. Kansas State
Last season: 17-12, 6-10 in Big 12 (10th)
Coach: Jim Wooldridge, sixth year, 68-77
What to look for: Wooldridge finally found an impact player in 6-7 Jeremiah Massey (17.9, 6.9 rebounds), but he’s already gone. That’s what happens when a program depends on junior college players. The team’s strength this season is the backcourt.
Did you know? Guard Clent Stewart became the first K-State freshman to start every game.
He said it: “There’s a different feel this year because of athleticism; everybody can run.” – Stewart
Kensler says: Wooldridge posted his best record at K-State last season, yet school officials thought it necessary to call a news conference to announce his return. That speaks volumes.
12. Baylor
Last season: 9-19, 1-15 in Big 12 (12th)
Coach: Scott Drew, third year, 17-40
What to look for: Nothing in the early going because the final phase of NCAA sanctions from the Dave Bliss regime prohibit the Bears from playing a nonconference schedule this season. Drew can build around sophomore guard Aaron Bruce (18.2) and 7-foot freshman center Mamadou Diene.
Did you know? Bruce captained Australia’s under-21 national team during the summer.
He said it: “Obviously, we have no control over what happened so we are just focused on coming together as a team.” – Bruce, on the NCAA sanctions
Kensler says: Any progress will come in baby steps.
Five players to watch
JamesOn Curry, G, 6-3, Soph., Oklahoma State
Daniel Gibson, G, 6-2, Soph., Texas
Taj Gray, F, 6-9, Sr., Oklahoma
Richard Roby, G, 6-6, Soph., Colorado
Curtis Stinson, G, 6-3, Jr., Iowa State
Newcomers to watch
Mario Boggan, F, 6-7, Jr., Oklahoma State
Dominique Coleman, G, 6-3, Jr., Colorado
Byron Eaton, G, 5-11, Fr., Oklahoma State
Michael Neal, G, 6-3, Jr., Oklahoma
Julian Wright, F, 6-8, Fr., Kansas
