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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Big 12 coaches speak about tough competition
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WINTER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The strength of the Big 12 Conference was the prevailing point of discussion yesterday, as the conference's basketball players and coaches gathered in Kansas City for Big 12 Media Day.
Members of about half the conference's teams were present for the event, which was an opportunity for media members to talk with players and coaches before the start of each season. Everyone there seemed to have the same thing on their minds: The Big 12 is a talented league.
The Big 12 has three teams ranked in the Top 25. Kansas ranks as high as No. 1 and no lower than fourth in the nation in any preseason poll, making it the favorite to win the Big 12 North and the Big 12 Championship. Texas and Oklahoma State are also recognized in the Top 25. Oklahoma State, the current Big 12 champion, is the leading contender to win the Big 12 South.
"I think Oklahoma State and Kansas are going to be really good," Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said.
"The only league that is better than the Big 12 is the NBA," Barry Collier, Nebraska coach, said.
For three consecutive years, the Big 12 has had at least one representative in the Final Four. In 2002, both Kansas and Oklahoma made appearances, and in 2003, Kansas and Texas were both Final Four teams.
Last year, Oklahoma State made it to the Final Four before losing to Georgia Tech.
One of the reasons Big 12 teams have been so successful in the NCAA tournament is because they play in such a diffi-
"The players want to play in this
league because they know it is one of the best leagues in the country."
Rick Barnes Texas basketball coach
He said the conference was so good that most middle-tiered Big 12 teams are better than top-ranked teams from other conferences.
cult conference, Missouri coach Quin Snyder said.
Coach Wayne Morgan, in his second year at Iowa State, and first-year Texas A&M coach Bill Gillispie are both trying to rebuild their basketball programs in a conference that has little margin for error. Morgan said that the talent level in the Big 12 made it even more difficult to finish high in the conference.
"If you win the league here, you are probably going to get a one or two seed in the tournament," Snyder said. "That is what makes it challenging. We have taken our lumps in the league, but it has helped us in the postseason."
Gillispie said his philosophy was that the way to get to the top of the Big 12 was to take baby steps.
Historically, there has not been a great deal of parity in the Big 12 Conference. Only four different teams have won the conference title in the last eight years. Kansas has won it four times, Iowa State twice, Texas once and Oklahoma State won it for the first time last year.
"Our league is the best league in the country from top to bottom." Morgan said.
"It is going to be very difficult
to get to where we want to be in the Big 12." Gillispie said. "It's going to take some time and effort, and it's going to take a lot of effort in a lot of different areas."
Many of the coaches agreed that the success of the Big 12 helped them recruit players and ultimately maintain the league's reputation.
"I think our league actually draws players," Morgan said. "... When you go and tell kids that we have the toughest league in the country ... kids look forward to that."
Coaches want players who want to compete with the best players in the country, Texas coach Rick Barnes said.
The Big 12 has at least one preseason first-team AllAmerican: Kansas senior forward Wayne Simien.
"The players want to play in this league because they know it is one of the best leagues in the country." he said.
A variety of others were predicted to make the honorable mention team, including Kansas senior Keith Langford, Oklahoma State senior forward Joey Graham, senior guard John Lucas and Iowa State Curtis Stinson sophomore guard.
Kansas coach Bill Self said he was conversing with a friend on Tuesday night about the preseason hype surrounding his team. His friend told him that Kansas' situation was no different than 15 or 20 other teams out there that look good on paper.
It just happens that at least three of those teams play in the Big 12.
Edited by Jon Ralston
hobbs.hostofcool.com