Are we seeing a power shift in the Big 12?

[thebigabd]

A&M and BU could be scary due to the in state recruiting advantage they have. When they get on a roll, it could be hard to reverse the trend.

Exactly.... they needed a spark and they got it.

 

[oSuJeff97]

Last year was much better. Well look at the tournament we had last year. Every team won the first round in the Big 12 last year. Even though the tournament results ended up being only a little better. 1 Sweet 16 and 2 Elite 8 We also had 2 or 3 teams in the top 10 most of the season. This year there was Kansas and Kansas State and that was it for most of the season. Texas was up there till about midway through the season before falling apart.

Come on, Nick.

I don't think you can dispute that this was the best year in the history of the Big 12 conference, in terms of overall conference strength.

It's hard to argue with 7 NCAA tournament teams and the #1 RPI ranking.

Just becasue the Big 12 didn't win a couple first round toss-up games doesn't mean the conference wasn't stronger than last year... because it clearly was. It's not just about the teams that make the Tournament... it's the whole league from top to bottom.

And don't bring up '02 and '03. The conference might have been stronger at the very top those two years, but in terms of total conference strength, it's not close.

 

[stoops4pres]

Last year was much better.

No, it wasn't.

 

[PasoPoke]

It wasn't as down as maybe 06 or 07 was or a couple other years. But it wasn't as good last year or 02 or 03 was. Not as good as last year was.

The Big 12 was widely considered the top conference in the country this year with the top conference RPI.

Sorry OU had a bad year so for an OU fan I'm sure the year seemed down, but the fact is from top to bottom the Big 12 had one of it's best years ever and outside of Kansas dominating everyone the 2 through 8 teams were very competitive with each other.

Even OU, Colorado and Iowa State could give teams a tough game at home.

 

[NickZepp]

This year was a weak year for just about everyone. The ACC was weak. Big East was kinda weak, Big 10 was actually a little better than it's been. But look at it overall the NCAA was a little down this year. And I think the Big East was probably just as good if not better than the Big 12 this year. The Big 10 was stronger than people thought too. Those were the top 3 conferences.

 

[NickZepp]

Look at last year compared to this year.

The Big 12 last year had the unanamous national player of the year in it. And the top pick. The player of the year for the Big 12 this year wasn't a first team all-american.

There were 3 teams in the final top 10 of 08-09. Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas. Only 2 top 10 teams in this years Big 12. 4 teams were ranked Texas was the other Big 12 team. This year 2 Top 10 teams, 2 more in the top 25-A&M & Baylor.

Every Big 12 team that made the tournament won their first round game. 3 went to the Sweet 16, two of those to the Elite 8. This year 2 Elite 8/Sweet 16 teams. Kansas, A&M and Missouri won their first round games.

Now the Big 12 was really weak compared to the Big East last year. But the Big East had like 6 teams in the top 15 or something like that. Compare the Big 12 this year to the rest of the country and you are right it's probably the best. But compare last years Big 12 to Nation this year and it's by far the best.

 

[Sooner Quick]

The Big 12 was widely considered the top conference in the country this year with the top conference RPI.

Sorry OU had a bad year so for an OU fan I'm sure the year seemed down, but the fact is from top to bottom the Big 12 had one of it's best years ever and outside of Kansas dominating everyone the 2 through 8 teams were very competitive with each other.

Even OU, Colorado and Iowa State could give teams a tough game at home.

Exactly. I think the conference being so good made OU's season seem that much worse.

 

[oSuJeff97]

And I think the Big East was probably just as good if not better than the Big 12 this year.

Earlier in the thread you used the Big 12's NCAA Tournament performance as "proof" that the league wasn't as good as everyone thought.

But you're going to ignore the Big East's horrible Tournament performance?

 

[NickZepp]

The Big East was weaker this year than last year no question about that. But the Big East still has a Final Four team something the Big 12 doesn't have.

 

[oSuJeff97]

The Big East was weaker this year than last year no question about that. But the Big East still has a Final Four team something the Big 12 doesn't have.

That doesn't mean the Big East as a whole was better.

All it means is that West Virginia could beat Kentucky, but Baylor or Kansas State couldn't beat Butler or Duke, respectively.

 

[NickZepp]

I agree the Big East wasn't a lot better than any conference like it was last year but it's not like the Big 12 was a lot better than any conference either this year either.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Exactly. I think the conference being so good made OU's season seem that much worse.

Personally, I don't see this. Nebraska and Iowa State were dismal and one spanked us and we had to hold on to beat the other. We would have been a bad team even in a mediocre Big 12 conference. Maybe not 4-12 bad, but bad nonetheless.

Just my opinion...maybe I'm wrong.

 

[NickZepp]

We lost to San Diego this year that tells you how bad we were.

 

[Sooner Quick]

Personally, I don't see this. Nebraska and Iowa State were dismal and one spanked us and we had to hold on to beat the other. We would have been a bad team even in a mediocre Big 12 conference. Maybe not 4-12 bad, but bad nonetheless.

Just my opinion...maybe I'm wrong.

You are proving my point for me. Where did I say we wouldn't have been bad in a mediocre conference? I just pointed out that it made our problems that much worse that the conference was one of the top conferences.

 

[lethald]

imo..the difference between us and everyone else in the big12 is that everyone else isn't consistently losing players that play significant minutes leaving every year. i think when we go back to getting players who arent looking to be one and done and spend 3 or 4 years here, i think that is when we will get back to where we need to be. i think this year will become a great teaching tool for capel in many ways. in his last coaches show he even eluded to that. i think even next year we struggle b/c again we will have a young team especially is warren declares.