4
BASKETBALL PREVIEW / WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
The path to conquering the conference
Sophomore guard Jeff Withey pulls up for a shot. Withey scored four points and grabbed six rebounds in nine minutes on the floor during the Jayhawks' 75-64 victory over Nebraska last season.
Breaking down the best and worst Big 12 challengers
BAYLOR BEARS (28-8,11-5)
Vs. Kansas: Jan, 17, 8:30 p.m.
Waco Texas
Key losses: Tweety Carter, Ekpe Udoh, Josh Lomers
Key additions: Perry Jones, Imison Morgan, Stargell Love
Morgan, Sargent.
Breakdown: The Baylor Bears were sitting on top of the world after reaching the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight for the first time in school history. Despite losing floor general Tewett Carter and big men Ekpe Udoh and Josh Lomers to the NBA, hopes were high for another memorable year. Then LaceDarius Dunn was suspended indefinitely because of assault charges for allegedly breaking his girlfriend's jaw.
The All-American slasher was suspended from competition by his school, but he is currently practicing with the team. Odds are that Dunn will miss a sizable portion of the regular season, handicapping a once definite top 10 squad.
Max Rothman
The outcome of this season truly hinges on Dunn's fiasco, but either way, it seems as if Drew has rebuilt a once downtrodden program (Dennehy tragedy, Bliss scandal, losing history) into a Big 12 power.
even with Dunn's mess, the Bears won't fall to the pit of the conference. Not with the leadership of coach Scott Drew and key cogs such as guard A.J. Walton, forward Quincy Acy, center Jmison Morgan and forward Perry Jones, Morgan, a capable shot blocker and interior presence, transferred from UCLA and was scouted by Drew in his high school days. Jones is a rare specimen with an endless wingspan. His skills are raw, but as a 6-foot-11 small forward who can shoot, dribble and rebound, he doesn't seem to have a ceiling. NBA scouts fall to the floor at the sheer thought of his potential, as his game projects to a stronger Anthony Randolph or even, dare I say, Kevin Durant.
COLORADO BUFFALOES (15-16, 6-10)
Vs. Kansas: Jan. 25, 7 p.m., Boulder,
Colo.; Feb. 19, 1 p.m., Lawrence
key losses; Dwight Thorne II
key additions; Andre Roberson
Breakdown: Colorado is the only
school in the conference with two
players on the John Wooden Award
presseason watch list. Seriously.
Colorado. The traditionally lowly
Buffaloes have the chance to surprise a few teams this year with sophomore guard Alec Burks and senior guard Cory Higgins, who are both legitimate candidates for first team all-conference nods. Burks is projected as a lottery pick and Higgins is averaging more than 18 points per game over the last two seasons.
Past Burks and Higgins, though.
Kansas State forward Jamar Samuels screams after a Kansas timeout call. Kansas won 81-79 in overtime last season at Bramlage Coliseum.
Tim Dwyer
there's much to be desired. The Buffaloes lack a top-flight rebounder. Burks, a 6-foot-6 guard, led the team with five per game. They may be helped in that department by Andre Roberson, a 6-foot-7 freshman swingman rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com.
Last year Colorado lost both meetings against Kansas. The Jayhawks struggled in Boulder, winning 72-66 in overtime despite Burks being out with an injury. In Lawrence it was a different story. Kansas hammered the Buffaloes 94-74 in the rematch.
IOWA STATE CYCLONES (15-17,2-12)
Vs. Kansas: Jan. 12, 8 p.m., Ames,
iowa; Feb. 12, 3 p.m., Lawrence
Key losses: Craig Brackins, Marquis
Gilstrap
Key additions: Melvin Ejim,
Demparcus Phillips
Breakdown: The Iowa State men's basketball program is in shambles.
First year coach Fred Hoiberg is left to pick up the pieces. The former beloved Cyclone and NBA guard, Hoiberg, has experience in the Timberwolves' front office. The program has also suffered from a bevy of transfers, leaving the roster unproven. On top of that, the Cyclone's top two scorers, Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap, have both left for the NBA. Iowa State only returns three of its top 10 scorers from last year's mediocre squad. The Big 12 coaches have predicted Iowa State to finish last in the Big 12. The upside for Hoiberg is that there is nowhere to go but up for the Cyclones. Iowa State can look to build off of senior guard Diante Garrett. Garrett is an outside threat, and can also pass the ball. Garrett averaged 5.1 assists per game last year, good for third in the conference. Garrett's main target will be the sharpshooting guard. Scott Christopherson. Christopherson shot 42.9 percent from the three last year, and finished the season strongly averaging 12.1 points in his last seven games. If the 6-foot-11 big man Jamie Vanderbeken can stay healthy this year, he could be a huge asset to the team. If the returning players can come together and make things happen there might be a little Hilton Magic left in Ames this season — they might be able to catch a couple of teams off guard.
— Mike Vernon
KANSAS STATE
WILDCATS
(29-8, 11-5)
Vs.Kansas: Jan.29, 6.p.m., Lawrence; Feb.14, 8 p.m., Manhattan Key losses: Denis Clemente, Dominique Sutton
Key additons: Freddy Asprilla, Nino Williams
Nino Williams
Breakdown: There's plenty to be excited about with the Wildcats this year, but the loss of Denis Clemente could prove to be a crippling one. Clemente, the departed lightning-fast point guard, has yet to catch on with an NBA team, but there's no denying his outstanding ability as a college playmaker.
The Wildcat's success in the 2010-2011 campaign rests almost entirely on preseason All-American Jacob Pullen's transition to point guard in an attempt to replace Clemente. If Pullen proves he can run an offense effectively and still get his points, the Wildcats will be a serious contender not just for the Big 12, but also for the national title. If Pullen winds up not being effective at creating his own shot, Kansas State will have difficulty repeating its Elite Eight run from last year.
The frontcourt of the Wildcats will be formidable, with Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels and Wally Judge all legitimate NBA prospects.
MISSOURI TIGERS (23-11, 10-6)
-Tim Dwyer
Vs. Kansas: Feb. 7, 8 p.m. Lawrence; March 5, 11 a.m., Columbia, Mo. 11, 12 a.m.; J.T. Teller, Zaire Taylor Key additions: Phil Pressey, Ricardo Rattilfe
Breakdown: The Tigers are led by shooting guard Kim English, a preseason Naismith candidate who averaged just shy of 14 points per game last season. He'll be the go-to man for Missouri once more this year, but the man getting him the ball will be a new face in Columbia, freshman point guard Phil Presley. Tigers coach Mike Anderson has been raving about Pressey's ability since he got on campus, and the young speedster looks like he'll be a perfect fit in Anderson's 40-minutes-of hell offense.
If Pressey replicates what the departed J.T. Tiller and Zaire Taylor gave from the point — and junior college transfer Ricardo Ratliffe adds a post presence that was sorely lacking last year — the Tigers will be a dark horse to compete for the league title. If not, they'll need help to finish in the top half.
The Jayhawks should be able to make quick work of the Tigers when they meet in Lawrence in February, but expect the Tigers, as always, to give a battle in Columbia in the last game of the regular season.
Tim Dwyer
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (17-18, 2-14)
Vs. Kansas: Jan. 15, 1 p.m., Lawrence; Feb. 5, 3 p.m., Lincoln, Neb.
Key additions: Andre Almeida,
Caleb Walker
Key losses: Ryan Anderson, Sek
Henry, Myles Holley
Caledon Walker
Breakdown: The Cornhuskers, who were picked to finish 10th in the Big 12 preseason coaches poll, are looking to rebound from a season in which they only won two conference games.
Nebraska will also be looking for someone to fill the shoes of former guard Ryan Anderson. Anderson finished his career at Nebraska in the school's top 25 all-time for scoring, rebounding and assists. He also finished in the top 10 all-time for three-pointers, three-point percentage, steals, games played and games started.
One candidate to replace Anderson is junior guard Caleb Walker, a transfer from Butler County Community College. Walker was named to the NJCAA All-America first team last year.
- Max Vosburgh
OKLAHOMA SOONERS (13-18,4-12)
Vs. Kansas: Feb. 26, 3 p.m., Norman,
Oklahoma
Doc Sadler will begin his fifth year as head coach of Nebraska. Sadler was successful early in his tenure as the head coach of the Cornhuskers, winning more games in his first three years than anyone else in the history of Nebraska. After a down year, Sadler will be looking to prove that the Cornhuskers are an improved basketball team.
Joining him is center Andre Almeida, a junior college transfer who was named to the NJCAA All-America third team last year. Almeida attended Arizona Western College after moving to the United States from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Key Losses: Tiny Gallon, Willie Warren, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Tony Crocker
Key Newcomers: Nick Thompson.
Clark Cameron
Cade Davis is the one out of those five that has the most experience, averaging 31.8 minutes per game in the 2009-2010 season. He is the most-proven offensive threat for the
Breakdown: Last year's 13-18 campaign marked the worst season coach Jeff Capel has had in his eight years of coaching. Even though it was such a dismal season, Tommy Mason-Griffin was one of the few bright spots, averaging 16.3 points/game and 4.1 assists/game. The 6-foot-8, 320-pound Tiny Gallon did more last year than star in a famous backboard-breaking YouTube video. He averaged 10.3 points per game, and led the team with 7.9 rebounds per game. However, that pair is gone, and Oklahoma will be playing this year without their top four scorers from last year: Willie Warren, Mason Griffin, Tony Crocker and Gallon
Capel will have to figure out where his scoring is going to come from, but starting fresh might not be such a bad thing after winning only four Big 12 games last year. Oklahoma only has five players on this year's 16-man roster that were also on last year's squad.
SEE MEN'S ON PAGE 5