STF Conference Reports: The Big 12 1/11/2008

Honestly, I almost didn't write this report this week because the Big 12 is doing as little as it can right now. There has been no conference action yet, and each team has been mopping up those last couple of buy games and resting up for the big slog ahead. So don't look for any big-time enthusiasm until the real action starts this weekend.


Team of the Week: Kansas. Primarily by virtue of remaining undefeated. The win over BC doesn't look like much at this point because the Eagles fell off a cliff two days later, losing to Robert Morris at home. A beatdown of Loyola (MD) probably actually lowered Kansas' at-large profile. But theyre winning, and that's what good teams do.

Close: Iowa State. After a grindingly bad 2007, the Cyclones are at least winning the games they are supposed to, and now sit at 10-5 after a three-game win streak.


Team with the worst week: Nobody really had an off week, but I'm going to hand this to Kansas State, simply because they had to prison-yard-beatdown Savannah State just to get the taste of a 103-77 loss to Xavier out of their mouths. They should be better than this.


Player of the Week: Texas' D.J. Augustin dropped 20 on TCU and then 30 on St. Mary's this week. In conference, he'll have to focus more on distribution, and those totals will likely drop a bit, but for now, he's riding high at 20ppg.

Close: Darnell Jackson. Last year, the starting job belonged to Sasha Kaun, and Jackson was toughness and rebounds off the bench. This season, the roles are reversed, and Jackson does what his team needs every night. This week, that meant 25 points at BC (7 of 8 from the stripe, where Kansas always, always struggles) and 9pts/9rebs in limited duty vs. Loyola.


Games to Watch:
#3 Kansas at Nebraska - 1/12
Oklahoma at #3 Kansas - 1/14
Oklahoma State at Baylor - 1/15
#10 Texas A&M at Texas Tech - 1/16