THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 3
MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011
The Red Raiders are trying to rehabilitate their basketball program after years of underachievement. Their new coach is looking for a second shot on the national scene after his own highly publicized trip to a rehabilitation center in 2009.
In a lot of ways, the marriage between Texas Tech and Billy Gillispie is a perfect fit.
Gillispie enters his first season at the helm for Texas Tech only two years removed from his firing at Kentucky and his subsequent conviction for drunk driving. And if there is one thing that Gillispie has a proven track record of, it is turning around programs in the state of Texas.
In 2004-05, Gillispie led Texas A&M to a 21-10 record, the best turnaround in the nation and the best in school history. His run with the Aggies included a stunning 69-66 victory against the Jahwhaves on Feb. 3, 2007.
Most critics don't expect the Red Raiders' turnaround to be a speedy one. Gillisie lost four starters from
KEY PLAYER LOSSES:
KEY PLATER LOSS
John Roberson
David Tairu
d'walyn Roberts
Brad Reese
KEY NEWCOMERS:
Jordan Tolbert,
Clark Lammert,
Kevin Wagner,
Pierre Hayden,
Toddrick Gotcher,
Cameron Forte,
Luke Adams,
DeShon Minnis
last season's Pat Knight-led team. Gillispie is countering that by bringing in 10 new players, nine of the freshman. Texas Tech will likely finish at the bottom of the Big 12 conference, but the honeymoon period should be much longer for Gillispie at Texas Tech than it was at Kentucky.
And if any of those nine freshmen pan out, that patience will pay off in the long run for the Red Raiders.
-Matt Galloway
Coach Scott Drew may have the most talented team in the Big 12 this season. But after an underwhelming 2010 season in which Baylor did not make the NCAA Tournament, questions linger about whether Drew can turn that talent into victory.
averaged more than 10 minutes per game last season. But that player, LaceDianius Dunn, dled the Bears in scoring last season. While Dunn scored in bunches last year, he shot just 39 percent from the field.
Helping make up for the loss will be freshman forward Quincy Miller, ranked No. 7 by Rivals. Sophomore forward Perry Jones III is also a former top-ten prospect that averaged 13.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game last season.
KEY PLAYER LOSSES:
LaceDarius Dunn
Junior guard Pierre Jackson should
turn heads as well, as the junior-college transfer led his team to the national title and was named the NICA Player of the Year.
KEY NEWCOMERS:
Quincy Miller
Deuce Bello
Pierre Jackson
Baylor brings in a team that is as deep and as talented as Drew has ever coached. If he can get his team to play to its potential, look for the Bears to finish near the top of the Big 12 standings.
Last season, the Cyclones went into Big 12 Conference play with a solid 13-3 record under first-year coach Fred Hoiberg. However, that was the highlight of their season. The Cyclones only managed victories against a struggling Baylor team and lowly Colorado and Nebraska to end the season at 16-16 and last in the Big 12.
Things are looking up this year for the Cyclones as they have four Division-1 transfers. Players who sat on the bench in street clothes last year are suddenly available to them, as well as All-American junior college point guard Tyrus McGee, who averaged 20.1 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game at Cowley County Community College last season. These players have a big hole to fill with the graduation of point guard Garrett, who recorded 17.3
KEY PLAYER LOSSES:
KEY PLAYER LEGENDS
Jake Anderson
Jamie Vanderbeken
Diante Garrett
KEY NEWCOMERS:
Korie Lucious
Will Clyburn
points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game and 6.1 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game. He also led the Big 12 in shots (518) and assists (195).
-Mike Vernon
The Cyclones have plenty of talent and depth on their roster; the only thing stopping them from potentially being a top team In the conference is their lack of time playing together. They have players from junior college, high school, and other D-1 schools who will be getting considerable minutes.
They have a relatively easy non-conference schedule, with their only big game at No. 18 Michigan on December 3.
The Longhorns 2010-11 season could be considered a let down. After upsetting then No. 2 Kansas in Lawrence last January and taking down the only other contenders in Baylor and Missouri, the red carpet seemed to be laid for Texas to dethrone Kansas from atop Park 86.
taking over only other Containers in Baylor and Missouri, the red cap sees Big 12 royalty. That was until three losses in four games — Nebraska, Colorado, and Kansas State — altered Texas' quest for its first conference title since it shared the accolade with Kansas in 2007-08.
The loss of Jordan Hamilton, Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph to the NBA, could have derailed Rick Barnes & Co. had they not been able to pull in the nation's eighth best recruiting class this year, as determined by Rivals.com.
Point Guard Myck Kabongo rides into Austin, Texas ranked as the fifth best prospect in the nation at his position. Standing only 6-foot-2, the Canada native set his prep team's (Findlay Prep) single season assists record with 187; an attribute that can be expected to flourish in the next level of his career.
With six freshman on the roster, the young team will have to prove itself before cracking the Top 25, however early season matchups at both North Carolina and UCLA should provide a decent litmus test as to the legitimacy of Barnes' newest Longhorns.
-Geoffrey Bergstrom
KEY PLAYER LOSSES:
KEY PLAYER LUGS
Tristan Thompson
Cory Joseph
Jordan Hamilton
KEY NEWCOMERS:
KEY NEWCOMERS:
Myck Kabongo
Sheldon McClellan
Julien Lewis
Jonathan Holmes
SEE PREVIEW ON PAGE 6
Blake Schuster
J'Covan Brown