Which Big 12 contender has the easiest remaining schedule?

[Wesley]

OU can't stay this hot.... cannot keep shooting 60% from the three point land the WHOLE Stinkin' season. There is no way he is a Steph Curry and keep making turnaround, catch and shoot three's. As a team? It cannot keep hitting over 50% of their three's either. That is bound to come to a halt, the law of averages says so. Once they cool down, OU will look like a normal highly rated team. Right now, they look like an NBA team out there. They may be good shooters, but really good shooter only make low 40% of their threes.....50%, 60%, that is astronomical.

Buddy shoots thousands of threes a week like mcKat shoots practice free throws. He outworks everyone else. He was an average player until his work ethic went into overdrive.

 

[bozclone]

I want us to continue to play well, but I am not hung up on the conference this year. Success for this team will be measured in the NCAA tourney.

 

[sportsfanatic27]

I want us to continue to play well, but I am not hung up on the conference this year. Success for this team will be measured in the NCAA tourney.

I don't like this logic, either. So last years team was bad then? Since they lost in the round of 64? No. You don't measure an entire season by that one game. It was still a "successful" season. Just had a bad ending that made it end up not as "successful" as it could have been.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Buddy shoots thousands of three a week like mcKat shoots practice free throws. He outworks everyone else. He was an average player until his work ethic went into overdrive.

I'd say he's a great player who worked himself into elite status.

 

[Sioux_Per_Cy]

The thing is, OU will probably lose a game they shouldn't, and KU will KU and go on a tear and win some key road games (while never losing at home). I think OU and KU will tie at 13-5. Texas's last two home games are against OU and KU respectively. I think those two games will be key in determining this race.

Larry Eustacy referred to the regular season championship as the "Crown Jewel"

 

[NoCreativity]

The thing is, OU will probably lose a game they shouldn't, and KU will KU and go on a tear and win some key road games (while never losing at home). I think OU and KU will tie at 13-5. Texas's last two home games are against OU and KU respectively. I think those two games will be key in determining this race.

I don't see Oklahoma losing 3 more games. They've already played at Baylor, Iowa State, and Kansas. I doubt they lose any home games either.

 

[chuckd4735]

I don't see Oklahoma losing 3 more games. They've already played at Baylor, Iowa State, and Kansas. I doubt they lose any home games either.

I wouldnt be surprised if they lost at KSU. KSU plays great defense, and has had OU's numbers for a few years now. I wouldnt be shocked if KU beat them in Norman. I wouldnt be shcoked to see them lay in egg at Tech. I expect them to lose to WV, and the game in Austin wont be easy.

 

[NoCreativity]

I wouldnt be surprised if they lost at KSU. KSU plays great defense, and has had OU's numbers for a few years now. I wouldnt be shocked if KU beat them in Norman. I wouldnt be shcoked to see them lay in egg at Tech. I expect them to lose to WV, and the game in Austin wont be easy.

Fair enough, I'll take them at 14-4 and winning the regular season, losing at West Virginia and Texas.

 

[roundball]

I'd say he's a great player who worked himself into elite status.

Yes. Anyone who still denies that Buddy Hield is an elite player is verging into tinfoil hat territory.

 

[chuckd4735]

Fair enough, I'll take them at 14-4 and winning the regular season, losing at West Virginia and Texas.

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised one way or the other. Like I said, Texas ends its home slate with OU and KU. If either OU or KU wins in Austin, I think that team will take the conference.

 

[jimlahey]

I'm also in the camp that the regular season title is overrated. Yes, it would be nice to win obviously, but if the tournament is not as as important, then why does the tournament winner get the automatic bid? The tournament winner also gets the trophy, and each team member gets the all important ring.

Also, is there any other sport, college or pro, that puts so much emphasis on winning the regular season? The Golden State Warriors aren't getting the regular season title this year and neither are the Carolina Panthers. Because there isn't one.

In my opinion, KU is the Peyton Manning of the Big 12. That doesn't make their streak of 11 straight regular season titles any less impressive.

so let's say TCU doesn't win a single big 12 conference game going 0-16 but then wins the Big 12 tournament....are you saying they are the best team in the Big 12? and how is KU the Peyton Manning of the Big 12? they've won the most big 12 tourneys and done more in the NCAA tourney than any other big 12 school.

 

[Cydkar]

I still don't understand why the regular season is the big deal. The Big 12 tourney determines the champion. Only the winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAAs. Who remembers the NCAA team that had the best record going into the dance? Is there even a regular season trophy? Win the tourney. That is what really matters.

The regular season championship is bigger to the coaches, players, and most fans.

When the regular season champion of the Big 12 is in danger of missing the tournament then thinking may shift.

 

[Cydkar]

Buddy shoots thousands of threes a week like mcKat shoots practice free throws. He outworks everyone else. He was an average player until his work ethic went into overdrive.

He's got some talent as well.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised one way or the other. Like I said, Texas ends its home slate with OU and KU. If either OU or KU wins in Austin, I think that team will take the conference.

KU is really going to have to right the ship on the road for me to buy in to that. They've been torched in 3 of 4 Big 12 road games, and their last four road games are at OU, Baylor, Kansas St and Texas.

 

[Wesley]

The regular season championship is bigger to the coaches, players, and most fans. When the regular season champion of the Big 12 is in danger of missing the tournament then thinking may shift.

The regular season is only the regular season. For me, the tournaments are more exciting. For me the baseball regular season is boring compared to playoiffs. Same for pro bball amd fball.

 

[randomfan44]

I still don't understand why the regular season is the big deal. The Big 12 tourney determines the champion. Only the winner gets an automatic bid to the NCAAs. Who remembers the NCAA team that had the best record going into the dance? Is there even a regular season trophy? Win the tourney. That is what really matters.

You don't understand why winning a ten week round robin against 9 different teams of every size, shape and style on home courts and true road venues is more impressive and a bigger deal to coaches and players than a weekend tourney at a neutral site where you only play three games? Getting the auto bid from winning the conference tourney is only a big deal when you are in a one bid league. If Iowa State lost their first game in the Big 12 tourney this year they would still be 100% guaranteed to go to the ncaa tourney. AT BEST, a Big 12 tourney title earns then one additional seed in the tourney. And yes, there is a regular season trophy although I don't blame you for not knowing that.

 

[randomfan44]

The regular season is only the regular season. For me, the tournaments are more exciting. For me the baseball regular season is boring compared to playoiffs. Same for pro bball amd fball.

The Big 12 tourney is no different than a tourney in Vegas, the Bahamas, Maui, etc... The baseball playoffs are "lose and your season is done". The Big 12 tourney is NOT "lose and your season is done".

 

[randomfan44]

In my opinion, KU is the Peyton Manning of the Big 12. That doesn't make their streak of 11 straight regular season titles any less impressive.

You are aware that no team in the Big 12 has more postseason success than Kansas, right? I guess I'd rather be Payton Manning than all the Tony Romos and Carson Palmers in the Big 12.

 

[randomfan44]

I'd say he's a great player who worked himself into elite status.

This. Hield was a mediocre recruit and a mediocre player his first year. What he's doing isn't based on talent; it is based on skill acquired through a ton of hard work. He isn't faster or more athletic than the opposition. He doesn't jump higher or possess more physical strength due to pure genetics than the opposition. He has just worked on his scoring game to the point where he is a lethal scorer from anywhere on the floor whether he is open or not. I remember him when he was in high school and played AAU with Perry Ellis; he wasn't going to be this type of player at all. Hats off to him.

 

[CyTwins]

This. Hield was a mediocre recruit and a mediocre player his first year. What he's doing isn't based on talent; it is based on skill acquired through a ton of hard work. He isn't faster or more athletic than the opposition. He doesn't jump higher or possess more physical strength due to pure genetics than the opposition. He has just worked on his scoring game to the point where he is a lethal scorer from anywhere on the floor whether he is open or not. I remember him when he was in high school and played AAU with Perry Ellis; he wasn't going to be this type of player at all. Hats off to him.

Hield was a 4 star recruit. He wasn't a McDonald's All American but he wasn't a mediocre recruit either