KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Colorado had better hope senior guards Richard Roby and Marcus Hall got a good night’s sleep. Playing on the perimeter against Baylor allows no time to relax. Or even to catch your breath.
“This is the Big 12, and a lot of teams have good guards; it’s just that Baylor lets theirs play a lot more,” Hall said Wednesday when asked about today’s matchup for the 12th-seeded Buffaloes (11-19, 3-13 Big 12) in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament at the spiffy, new Sprint Center. “We just have to move our feet and position ourselves in the right way.”
And, he might add, be prepared to play chase for an entire game when it’s impossible to know where the ball is going next. Hall played 38 of the 40 minutes and Roby logged 35 minutes in Baylor’s 68-57 victory at Boulder on Feb. 27.
“You really have to get back in transition against those guys,” Roby said.
The No. 5 seed here, Baylor (21-9, 9-7) seems to bring guards off the bench in waves. Here’s an indication of Baylor’s depth in the backcourt: In 2005, Aaron Bruce led the nation’s freshmen in scoring with 18.2 points per game. This year as a senior, Bruce is averaging nine points and could be considered the Bears’ fifth option in the backcourt.
After finding Bruce in Australia, Baylor coach Scott Drew signed Texans Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat the following year. If that wasn’t enough, Drew coaxed a McDonald’s All-American, Tweety Carter, to leave Louisiana for Waco before last season. Yet another blue-chip guard, LaceDarius Dunn of Monroe, La., joined the squad this season.
Jarrells, who averages a team-best 14.8 points, was named first-team all-Big 12 this week. But all five have scored 20 points in a game this season. The newcomer, Dunn, exploded for 38 points Saturday in a victory at Texas Tech. Since conference play began, the five guards have combined for an amazing 73.1 percent of Baylor’s points.
How in the world can Drew keep all those guards happy?
“Fortunately, they’re all unselfish and high-character kids,” the Bears coach said.
Colorado must also keep an eye on 6-foot-9 junior forward Kevin Rogers, who recorded a double-double in Boulder with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Even so, Colorado players would rather face a guard-oriented team like Baylor.
“We think we match up well them,” Hall said. “We think we can beat this team.”
It must start with guarding those guards.
Big 12 primer
Staff writer Tom Kensler breaks down the Big 12 men’s tournament, which begins in Kansas City, Mo., today:
Five things to watch
1. With many of the same players, Kansas is going for its third straight Big 12 Tournament title (and sixth overall). But will the new Sprint Center be as accommodating to the Jayhawks as Kemper Arena was?
2. Can Kansas State win some games here and help 6-foot-10 freshman forward Michael Beasley (26.5 points, 12.5 rebounds) earn at least one of the national player of the year awards?
3. Can fifth-ranked Kansas or sixth-ranked Texas impress the NCAA Tournament selection committee to warrant a No. 1 seed?
4. Will any of the nine Big 12 coaches hired in the last two years make a statement with a tournament run?
5. Will the Big 12 men’s tournament follow the lead of the Big 12 women’s tournament and make national headlines today with a victory by a No. 11 (Iowa State men) or No. 12 seed (Colorado)?
Three players to watch
1. Michael Beasley, Kansas State — With 13 games of 30 or more points, the Big 12’s player of the year has already established a conference single-season record and Kansas State career mark.
2. D.J. Augustin, Texas — The 6-foot sophomore guard was the Big 12’s preseason player of the year and may feel he has something to prove in comparisons with Beasley.
3. Brandon Rush, Kansas — This may be the last Big 12 Tournament for the 6-6 junior guard and he probably wants to make amends for subpar performances. In six Big 12 Tournament games, Rush has averaged 11.7 points and shot just 36.4 percent from the field.
Dark horse to watch
Baylor. If the fifth-seeded Bears get by Colorado today, they will face Oklahoma in the second round. Baylor lost twice to Oklahoma but took the Sooners to overtime in a one-point game at Norman. Baylor would then benefit by having Texas on its side of the bracket rather than Kansas, which is a tougher matchup for the Bears because of KU’s size inside.
Colorado’s chances
The Buffaloes weren’t competitive in the 68-57 home loss to Baylor on Feb. 27, falling behind by 12 points at halftime. The scary part for CU coaches must be that the Bears won handily despite getting just five points from all-Big 12 guard Curtis Jerrells.
Our pick
Kansas. It’s never wise to pick against the Jayhawks in Kansas City, which must feel like their second home. This has to be the year for a KU team that depends so heavily on upperclassmen.
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
