STF Conference Reports: The Big 12 1/31/2008

The conference season began in earnest this week, with the renewal of the Bedlam Series, and a huge Sunflower State matchup between Kansas and Kansas State. A&M lost a couple, then bounced back at home, taking out a ranked Texas team. A pecking order is shaking out, and it's a bit heavy on Kansas and Texas schools. Here's the rundown, Smokey.

Team of the Week. As if there's any doubt: Kansas State by a mile. Breaking that home loss streak must have been a huge relief for Wildcat fans, and probably, in most minds, justified the short-term leasing of Bob Huggins. And this really is a team award, as three freshmen scored 20+ to put the purple on top of the league. Those early losses mean nothing now.

Player of the Week. Michael Beasley. Is it too soon for this guy to go on to the NBA? Can we bend the rules just a bit? No? Damn.

College basketball's #1 Freshman put in 29/13 at CU, 33/15 vs. Iowa State, and then 25/6 against a Kansas team that had to resort to doubling and tripling him. As Marco pointed out in the BOC, Beasley adjusted his game, hitting all four of his three-pointers, and made sure his teammates stayed involved. Given the all-around game, I have to say he's more impressive than Durant was in his one year at Texas. Defenders must be seeing this sneer in their nightmares.

Worst Team. Good ole Mizzou. Just when you think they've escaped the stain of the Quin Snyder years, one little brawl at a Columbia, MO nightclub (those must rock) brings the whole program down for the rest of the season. Stefhon Hannah is out with a broken jaw, and a host of teammates are benched indefinitely for participating in the fight. Looks like some lucky walk-ons are going to get a chance to be real DI players.

Games to Watch

Kansas at Colorado - February 2, 3pm, ABC. So let me get this straight. We don't get to see the KU/KState thriller, but we get to watch the Jayhawks take it out on a cellar-dweller? Nice.

Baylor at Texas - February 2, 1:45. The Bears hope to ensconce themselves in the top half of the league by continuing the Longhorns' in-state misery.

Oklahoma at Texas A&M - Feb 2, 4pm. Interesting second-tier matchup. Blake Griffin is back at OU, and the Aggies just got a big win over Texas.