Big XII Predictions, 2/24

Texas @ Oklahoma - The only game that features two teams in the top half of the conference, I don't really have a good feel on this one. Oklahoma has been twice the team at Lloyd Noble, but they don't appear to have the athleticism to matchup well with Texas. However, if they get on a roll with the 3-pointer, Texas is a young enough team to get in a rut. Texas won by 11 in Austin, and they have more to play for, so I'll say UT by 1-2.

Oklahoma State @ Texas Tech - I'm a bit of an OSU fan (they've always been my #2 team), so part of me keeps thinking that they'll right the ship and get things going. But I'm pretty sure that's the biased part of me talking. Their only win in the last 6 games was a 2OT win over Tech in Stillwater, but if home court is worth anything, you figure Tech will win. At some point, OSU will get its third wind (maybe), but probably not in Lubbock. Tech by 8.

Kansas State @ Colorado - Eww. In front of 2,500 fans at the Coors Center, KSU by 13.

Texas A&M @ Baylor - I keep thinking Baylor's going to jump up and bite someone, but Billy Gillispie's team seems too mentally strong to lose a game like this at this point in the season. ATM only won by 10 in College Station, so it will likely be tight, but with the Big XII title in the balance, ATM finds a way. ATM by 2.

Missouri @ Nebraska - This is a 'head vs heart' pick, only my head is saying MU and my heart is saying NU. Figure that one out. MU is a better, stronger team than they were when these two teams met in Columbia. In that game MU deflected a couple passes right to an open guy for 3 in the first half and just couldn't buy a shot in the middle section of the game. My head says MU will continue to stay warm, while NU's cooled off just enough to lose this game (especially after their FIFTY-THREE point loss to KU last weekend). However my heart is warning me that MU is due a step backwards, and Lincoln has been the location of lots of steps backwards for lots of teams over the years. NU by 4.

Iowa State @ Kansas - Death. Destruction. Carnage. KU by 24.

So if this all takes place, here's what the standings would look like after today. Tech would jump over OU and MU into 5th with the win, while Nebraska would jump OSU and ISU into 8th. That's about it.

1. Texas A&M 12-2
2. Kansas 12-2
3. Texas 11-3
4. Kansas State 9-5
5. Texas Tech 7-7
6. Missouri 6-8
7. Oklahoma 6-8
8. Nebraska 5-8
9. Oklahoma State 5-8
10. Iowa State 5-9
11. Baylor 3-11
12. Colorado 2-12

Honestly, MU's best chance of success in the Big XII tournament comes if they can lock down the 5th slot. That would likely lead to a CU walkover in the first round and another rematch with K-State in the second. A 6th-place finish (which is where they'd likely fall if they lose today) would likely lead to a matchup with Baylor (who fought well in Columbia), followed by another game with Texas, against whom they match up terribly. So yeah...would be nice if they won today...