Big 12 overrated?

[coolm]

our league was most certainly tough this season ... but I agree with what coach fran said during the Big-12 tourney about the style we all play under to win not necessarily being the most conducive to NCAA tourney success. KU, ISU, and Baylor all showed good D and talented O against out of conference top competition this year and they were lauded for it. If KU were healthy they would be in the sweet-16 also. The rest of the Big-12 teams had holes (although I thought UT would do better).

Look at Tennessee. They often looked completely LOST in the SEC this year ... and now they're playing like gangbusters. Maybe when we have better talent we need to seek out better OOC competition.

 

[baylrballa]

No. They are the 2nd or 3rd best team in the Big 12, that played like the 6th best team all season for no good reason.

Starting point guard was injured during most of our slump.

 

[NickZepp]

our league was most certainly tough this season ... but I agree with what coach fran said during the Big-12 tourney about the style we all play under to win not necessarily being the most conducive to NCAA tourney success. KU, ISU, and Baylor all showed good D and talented O against out of conference top competition this year and they were lauded for it. If KU were healthy they would be in the sweet-16 also. The rest of the Big-12 teams had holes (although I thought UT would do better).

Look at Tennessee. They often looked completely LOST in the SEC this year ... and now they're playing like gangbusters. Maybe when we have better talent we need to seek out better OOC competition.

Kansas didn't have the guards they have had in the past. That was their downfall.

 

[WTSooner]

Kansas didn't have the guards they have had in the past. That was their downfall.

Yep. Embiid or not, they were likely getting upset early (relatively early). They just didn't have the guards to make any noise this year.

 

[campbest]

Big XII was tough 1-8, but with Kansas not having a drop of guard-play, there wasn't an elite team in the conference who can beat anybody. Embiid would have helped yesterday, but Tharpe and company were just awful.

When you have a strong conference of above average teams but no one elite, the teams which advance will be based on the match ups for that round. OU choked one off, but NDSU was still able to score 38 points in the paint...they had the size to compete.

 

[RoninDenton]

I don't understand that "support your conference" argument.

When they go to seed teams next year, they aren't going to look back at this year's tourney, in deciding how many Big 12 teams to let in, and where to seed them. That isn't how it works. Much like the BCS never punished OU for losing multiple BCS and NC games. Each season is based on it's own merit.

The Big 12 is tough in hoops. Why would I want Baylor to keep making runs, thus allowing Drew to keep recruiting better players than OU? Same with ISU? KU? osu? No. I want them to struggle, to a certain degree, so that OU becomes the more attractive option. That makes sense to me.

I agree completely our recruiting needs to improve and if teams in our league continue to do well in the tournament it probably will hurt us.

 

[WTSooner]

Big XII was tough 1-8, but with Kansas not having a drop of guard-play, there wasn't an elite team in the conference who can beat anybody. Embiid would have helped yesterday, but Tharpe and company were just awful.

When you have a strong conference of above average teams but no one elite, the teams which advance will be based on the match ups for that round. OU choked one off, but NDSU was still able to score 38 points in the paint...they had the size to compete.

And that is the million dollar question when it comes to "ranking" conferences.

Is the conference that is a little more balanced, and has slightly better teams at the bottom tougher? Or is the conference that is top heavy the better conference.

All I know is OU took 2nd place in the Big 12 this year. Had OU been in the ACC, the Big 10, or probably even the SEC, I don't think we'd have taken 2nd place. So make of that what you will.

 

[oSuJeff97]

Why don't you people insult the ACC rather than your own conference? I really don't understand a certain segment of OU fans. It is like you relish in OU and/or the conference not doing well.

It's not just OU fans.

I've said many times that the Big 12 in general has the biggest group of conference self-loathing fans out there, and it's not even close.

Every fan base from every team in this league constantly whines about how much the Big 12 "sucks" in practically every sport, despite what the numbers actually say.

 

[DenverSooner]

I don't understand that "support your conference" argument.

When they go to seed teams next year, they aren't going to look back at this year's tourney, in deciding how many Big 12 teams to let in, and where to seed them. That isn't how it works. Much like the BCS never punished OU for losing multiple BCS and NC games. Each season is based on it's own merit.

The Big 12 is tough in hoops. Why would I want Baylor to keep making runs, thus allowing Drew to keep recruiting better players than OU? Same with ISU? KU? osu? No. I want them to struggle, to a certain degree, so that OU becomes the more attractive option. That makes sense to me.

You are crazy to believe that. The ACC had a down year by most accounts but still got 1, 2 and 3 seed. Why? Because the ACC has a perception of being outstanding. The SEC does not have the reputation of the Big Ten, ACC or Big XII in basketball. The SEC only got three teams but hasn't lost a game yet. The perception of the conference matters and when a conference is strong for an extended period of time it gets the benefit of the doubt.

Look at the SEC in football. The polls are not even penalizing SEC teams for conference losses.

 

[DenverSooner]

It's not just OU fans.

I've said many times that the Big 12 in general has the biggest group of conference self-loathing fans out there, and it's not even close.

Every fan base from every team in this league constantly whines about how much the Big 12 "sucks" in practically every sport, despite what the numbers actually say.

I agree.

 

[ByronHoustonsSweatyPalms]

Big 12 started with 7 in a field of 68. Roughly 10%. We now have 2 in a field of 16. Roughly 10%

Par for the course.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hoopsaustin]

It's not just OU fans.

I've said many times that the Big 12 in general has the biggest group of conference self-loathing fans out there, and it's not even close.

Every fan base from every team in this league constantly whines about how much the Big 12 "sucks" in practically every sport, despite what the numbers actually say.

to be fair, we did just get royally failed by the "big 12" leadership in losing some key rivals and teams that were integral to the conference..

pathetic that we let those teams walk and added TCU and WVU... really hurt my passion for college sports and this conference