There’s a whole lot of bubble trouble in Big 12 men’s basketball.
As the regular season enters its final two weeks, four teams still have a shot at joining cinch-picks Kansas, Texas A&M, Texas and Kansas State in the NCAA Tournament.
For the bubbles, history suggests there isn’t much room for error. Texas Tech (17-10, 6-6 Big 12), Oklahoma (15-10, 6-6), Oklahoma State (19-7, 5-6) and Missouri (16-9, 5-7) should be aware that the Big 12, now in its 11th year, never has sent a team to the NCAA Tournament with a worse regular-season league record than 9-7.
Barring a surprise champion in the Big 12 Tournament, don’t look for that 9-7 or bust trend to change. The Big 12 sits below the other five power conferences in RPI computer power ranking.
Here’s what must happen to prevent the Big 12’s four bubbles from slip-sliding away:
Oklahoma State (36 RPI): The only bubble with five regular-season games remaining, the Cowboys had better win at home Wednesday against Texas A&M and then win at least two of their remaining three games on the road. Oklahoma State is 0-5 on league opponents’ home courts.
Texas Tech (41): Best nonconference win was against Arkansas, which has a losing record in the Southeastern Conference. But if the Red Raiders get to 9-7 they’re in, having swept Texas A&M and beaten Kansas.
Missouri (73): Under first-year coach Mike Anderson, the Tigers are the league’s Jekyll and Hyde. They stand 3-3 in Big 12 road games, just 2-4 at home. Mizzou had better sweep its last four games (including the finale at Texas A&M) and then win a couple in the conference tournament.
Oklahoma (83): Don’t worry about that RPI. The computer will reward the Sooners if they win at least three of their last four, which is probably what it will take. Oklahoma finishes the regular season, in order, at Missouri, home against Texas and Kansas, and at Kansas State.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for us. I don’t look at it as doomsday,” Sooners coach Jeff Capel said Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference.
Clearing the air
Colorado freshman guard Dwight Thorne asked to speak to the team on the floor before Thursday’s practice. Thorne talked about team togetherness.
“I said some things I wanted to get off my chest,” Thorne said Monday. “We agreed that some of the things that had come out in the media (regarding disagreements with the coaching staff), we just needed to keep to ourselves and work as a team. All that stuff got in everybody’s head. Hopefully we can learn from that.”
CU coach Ricardo Patton had not yet come out of the locker room, but assistant coaches were present during Thorne’s comments.
“Whatever happened in that meeting, I think it went well,” Patton said, despite a 95-74 loss Saturday at Texas Tech. “I was proud of the way guys fought.”
Patton said Monday that Richard Roby will return to the starting lineup for Wednesday night’s game at Iowa State.
Bad idea?
The NBA rule that requires players to be at least 19 years of age has drawn widespread support.
Texas Tech coach Bob Knight disagrees.
“You can have a kid come to college for a year and play basketball, and he doesn’t even have to go to class the second semester,” Knight said. “It’s the worst thing that’s happened to college basketball since I’ve been coaching.”
Knight said student-athletes should be required to stay two years if they choose to attend college. “Now, the kid is simply like a hired player,” he said.
Footnotes
Nebraska’s 39 points against Kansas were the fewest for a game by the Huskers since 1984…. CU’s top three scorers – Roby, Xavier Silas and Dominique Coleman – also lead the Buffs in turnovers, in that same order….Texas A&M’s 22-4 start is the best in school history after 26 games.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
