Big 12 is Ridiculous

[pnkranger]

The five best teams in the league are currently 53-5. The other 5 teams are 49-11.

Three teams in the top 11 of ken pom's ratings (Kansas, West Virginia, Texas Tech). Five are ranked in the top 20, and seven Big 12 teams are in the top 35 of every poll computer or otherwise.

Only one Big 12 team falls outside the top 50 in Ken Pom or Jeff Sagarin, and that's Iowa State. They're in the top 60. In Massey's composite rankings, every Big 12 team ranks 58 or better, with 9 of 10 teams ranked inside the top 50.

The Big 10, for instance, has 7 teams WORSE than the Big 12's worst team in the computer rankings. The ACC has 5 worse, including two teams ranked in the 100s.

The only comparable conference is the SEC, but it has 8 teams ranked 40 or lower. We have 3.

This is going to be an absolute slugfest for the next 18 games. 11-7 might win this thing.

 

[OUsky]

The five best teams in the league are currently 53-5.[/B

This is going to be an absolute slugfest for the next 18 games. 11-7 might win this thing.

We’re not losing 7 games.

 

[cjhsooner]

We’re not losing 7 games.

You are that confident that we can just score 85 every night? That is what it will take. This defense has struggled against garbage teams. What will teams like WVU, TCU, and KU do to it? Now, I believe we can score with any team. Just afraid we will have to win shootouts a majority of the time.

 

[oudna]

You are that confident that we can just score 85 every night? That is what it will take. This defense has struggled against garbage teams. What will teams like WVU, TCU, and KU do to it? Now, I believe we can score with any team. Just afraid we will have to win shootouts a majority of the time.

I don’t care how we win.

The tempo we play at inevitably will lead to shootouts whether the FG% is high or not.

 

[coolm]

The tempo we play at inevitably will lead to shootouts whether the FG% is high or not.

exactly! what coach Lon does is just a different version of what Billy Tubbs did. We make open court and 2 or 3 man plays to get quick hitters at spots our guys are accustomed to shooting from. Increase the tempo and get the other team to play at a pace they are not accustomed to playing. Take them out of their comfort zone. I think it's a great brand of basketball. Fun to watch and according to the players fun to play. If we play a team that can score with us then we might run up against a wall. Until then I will keep enjoying it.

 

[OUsky]

You are that confident that we can just score 85 every night? That is what it will take. This defense has struggled against garbage teams. What will teams like WVU, TCU, and KU do to it? Now, I believe we can score with any team. Just afraid we will have to win shootouts a majority of the time.

I'm confident that every game we play, we will have the best player on the court... with a very good supporting cast that is buying in more each game.

 

[Darwin]

We’re not losing 7 games.

I agree. We might lose to anyone anywhere in conference on cold shooting nights but that's one or two times tops and we can get outplayed two or three times but it's very hard to see 7 loses without a key injury.

 

[sheepdogs1]

When we get in to the bread and butter of the conference schedule then and only then will we learn the quality of teams we played non conference.

 

[stormspencer]

When we get in to the bread and butter of the conference schedule then and only then will we learn the quality of teams we played non conference.

I agree. We are certainly moving in the right direction in all of the advanced metrics/ratings. But we really won't know until halfway through the conference slate. The good news is I think we will continue to trend upward.

Having said that, I do believe Tech is better than everyone thinks (under the radar). They beat Northwestern by 30+ and their only loss is to Seton Hall in a semi-road venue. Also, I'm not buying into TCU yet.....and you can put Baylor in the category of overrated as well. The Bears lost handily to the two best teams that they played (Wichita, Xavier). They did eek out wins over Creighton and a 6-7 Wisconsin team on a neutral floor, but not impressed thus far. I think Texas will get better once Davis returns and could finish in the top half of the conference.