I said this after the Creighton game ...

[campbest]

U of Houston was actually above .500 overall last year, but was only 9-11 in the American Athletic conference (including post-season) ...... which was maybe as tough a conference as the Big 12..... certainly their top 5 was. Their members included the NCAA champion Uconn team and #5 Louisville. SMU (#5 in conference) was the NIT runner-up. Their top 4 teams averaged 29 wins and 8 losses on the season and fared better than the Big 12 did in the post-season.

Thomas averaged 16 and 8 against quality competition, but was only 14 and 7 in conference games which made him the 15th leading scorer and 5th leading rebounder in conference games only. Those are very respectable numbers.

The American isn't the Patriot League, but it doesn't touch the Big XII. There is a reason the top half had such great records...the bottom half was terrible and their records are inflated by a weak SOS (see SMU's snub).

I'm not trying to downplay Thomas, he is an above average collegiate player, just being realistic that his limitations at the Big XII level (we saw against Washington) are not as much of an issue against South Florida.

 

[Dr Sleep]

...but as a program, we just cannot get over the hump yet. The transformation under Kruger is astounding, but every time we have a chance to make a statement that OU is back -- a top 15 type program that can compete in March, we fall just short.

This year we've had three opportunities: big early season game at Creighton, title game against Wisconsin, and again against top 15 Washington. We lose all three ... Now our resume is back to 7-8 seed range with wins over a 3 loss Butler team and a UCLA team that just got ruined by Kentucky. Add in a bad loss at Creighton, and we went from great opportunity to blah middle of the road resume.

I am NOT a negative nancy, and those who have been around long enough will back me up on that ... but I just want for us so bad to announce that we're back. In four seasons, we have lost every big game, with no post season victories and no regular season big wins to crow about.

I would rather lose the games now and improve for March.

 

[usedtobe1]

The American isn't the Patriot League, but it doesn't touch the Big XII. There is a reason the top half had such great records...the bottom half was terrible and their records are inflated by a weak SOS (see SMU's snub).

I'm not trying to downplay Thomas, he is an above average collegiate player, just being realistic that his limitations at the Big XII level (we saw against Washington) are not as much of an issue against South Florida.

I agree the American Athletic conference bottom 4 teams were pretty bad last year .... but so were TCU and Tech. In the NCAA their 4 teams went 9-3 and the 7 Big 12 teams went 6-7. Their 5th best team, SMU, came in 2nd in the NIT. IMHO the Big 12 was deep last year but was overrated. The end of the year results seem to verify that opinion.

Of course, the AA conference is on the down-slide. They lost Louisville and Rutgers. Uconn is looking for a way out. Tulsa and Tulane are new members. If I were a hot shot basketball recruit, I wouldn't want to play in the conference now so I see your point.

I do think TaShawn had top-notch competition last year. 5 of their 20 conference games were against Uconn and Louisville..... no easy task. They actually won a game against Uconn when Thomas scored 23 points and had 8 boards.

 

[campbest]

I do think TaShawn had top-notch competition last year. 5 of their 20 conference games were against Uconn and Louisville..... no easy task. They actually won a game against Uconn when Thomas scored 23 points and had 8 boards.

Then lost by 40 at the return game in Stoors.

All of Houstons notable wins - UCONN, Memphis and SMU - came at home. They didn't beat a team with a pulse until UCONN at the end of December. They were a very average D-1 team

 

[usedtobe1]

The American isn't the Patriot League, but it doesn't touch the Big XII. There is a reason the top half had such great records...the bottom half was terrible and their records are inflated by a weak SOS (see SMU's snub).

Do you realize one of those bottom teams in the American conference just beat Kansas 77-52 tonight?

 

[campbest]

Do you realize one of those bottom teams in the American conference just beat Kansas 77-52 tonight?

...and the patriot league (non-scholarship) has two wins over the Pac-12...bad teams sneak up on people.

 

[usedtobe1]

Peace