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BASKETBALL PREVIEW
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 20, 2009
BIG 12
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009
Breaking down the challengers for conference crown
COLORADO (9-22.1-15)
Vs. Kansas: Feb. 3, 7 p.m.
Boulder, Colo.; Feb. 20, 2 p.m.
Lawrence
Key Losses: None
Key newcomers: Freshman C Shane Harris-Tunks, Junior F Marcus Relphorde and Freshman G Shannon Sharpe add athleticism and depth to the perimeter
Breakdown: Colorado has finished at the bottom of the Big 12 for three consecutive seasons, including a 1-15 debacle last year. It has lost 29 consecutive conference
road games, and 12 straight overall. For Coach Jeff Bzdelik, that's the bad news. The good news, of course, is that there's plenty of room for improvement. And the Buffaloes do look likely to do that, returning four players who played more than 30 minutes a game last year, including third-team All-Big 12 selection Cory Higgins. Despite its awful record, Colorado was somewhat competitive in conference last season, losing eight games by single digits. With a returning Higgins anchoring a deep, experienced and athletic perimeter combined
- Alex Beecher
Key Losses: G Josh Carter, F/C
Chinemelu Elomu
Vs. Kansas: Feb. 15, 8 p.m.
College Station, Texas
with Australian big man Shane Harris-Tunks, Colorado looks likely to win more of those close games and improve on its one-win mark. Still, even with the expected improvement, Colorado isn't likely to move up substantially in the Big 12 pecking order, or compete for a postseason berth.
TEXAS A&M (24-10.9-7)
Key newcomers: Freshman F Khris Middleton, Freshman F Ray Turner
Sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor takes the ball to the basket in last year's victory over Colorado. Orange went 1-15 in Big 12 play but the Buffaloes should win more games this season after returning four players who played more than 30 games a game last season.
Weston White/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Breakdown: Coach Mark Turgeon has led Texas A&M to each of the last four NCAA tournaments. This season presents a particular challenge, however, because the Aggies lost two big pieces from last season's squad. The loss of offensive cornerstone Josh Carter was expected, and with backcourt depth, was adequately accounted for. Chinemelu Elonu's declaration for the NBA draft was more surprising, and thrusted added responsibility on senior forward Bryan Davis. Not surprisingly then, the strength of the Aggies looks to be at the guard position. Behind Donald Sloan and B.J. Holmes and without many big men, Texas A&M will likely be a more uptempo team than what it has been in the past. The newlook Aggies still project as a solid middle of the pack Big 12 team, with reasonable expectations to make the tournament for a fifth consecutive season.
Key Losses: G Bryan Petersen
Alex Beecher
IOWA STATE (15-17, 4-12)
Vs. Kansas: Jan. 23, 1 p.m., Ames,
iowa; Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Lawrence
Key Newcomers: Freshman G Chris Colvin, Senior F Marquis Gilstrap
Iowa State received the best news it could have hoped for when forward Craig Brackins announced he would return for his junior year despite being projected as a first-round NBA draft pick. Jayhawk fans might remember Brackins, the top returning scorer in the Big 12 this year and an Honorable Mention All-American last year, as the player who lift up Kansas for 42 points last January. Along with Brackins, the Cyclones return four out of five starters from last year on a team coach Greg McDermott said could be the best he'd had.
Those returning starters include juniors Diante Garrett, who ranked third in assists in the Big 12 last year, and Lucca Staiger, who will provide the majority of the team's 3-point shooting. Junior college transfer Marquis Gilstrap, ranked 29 in the Class of 2009 by ESPN.com and freshman Chris Colvin, the 77th-ranked recruit in the nation according to ESPNU could also boost the Cyclones. Gilstrap was voted the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year in the coaches' preseason poll. If Iowa State's returning starters stay healthy, the team could be a huge improvement upon last year.
Joel Petterson
OKLAHOMA STATE (23-12,9-7)
Vs. Kansas: Feb. 27, 3 p.m., Stillwater, Okla.
Key losses: G Byron Eaton, G Terrel Harris
Key newcomers: Freshman C Jarred Shaw, Freshman G Ray Penn, Freshman C Torin Walker, Freshman F Roger Franklin
Breakdown: Preseason All-Big 12 junior guard James Anderson is the third-leading returning scorer in the Big 12 behind Kansas' Sherron Collins and Iowa State's Craig Brackins. Coach Travis Ford
will look to Anderson to carry the scoring load for his young Cowboys team in 2009-2010. Senior guard Obi Muonelo is Oklahoma State's leading returning rebounder despite being only 6-foot-5. Sophomore guard Keiton Page was a huge surprise last season and started the last 12 games. He is very willing to launch three-pointers but refuses to go inside. He averaged just one
rebound per game last season.
The Cowboys' season will likely hinge on the newcomers' ability to adjust to the college game. With Muonelo as the only senior, there will probably be some bumps in the road. However, according to ESPN.com, Ford was able to bring in the 10th-rated recruiting class.
SEE MEN'S PREVIEW ON PAGE 9C
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