I haven’t seen the AP Mens Poll just yet. I would assume OU is close to cracking the Top 12 while O State will crack the Top 25 for the first time this season. This would put seven Big 12 teams in the Top 25 after the Big 12-SEC Challenge which was played this week-end.
Right now the biggest obstacle I see for both OU and O-State is steering clear of Covid as much as possible as we begin February Big 12 play.
O State plays at TCU on Tuesday night in Fort Worth. OU won there earler this season and O State needs this road win do contunie their upward trend.
For OU—it’s a very tough road assignment in Lubbock versus Chris Beard’s Red Raiders who will be somewhere close to the Top 10 tomorrow I would assume.
OU just completed the best three game stretch in regular season program history with wins over Kansas, Texas, and Alabama.
Yet…it will require another grind it out effort by OU on the defensive side of the ball to extend their current win streak to six games.
Typical Chris Beard team with a blossoming star in wingman Terrance Shannon and some great point guard play by Mac McClung coupled with a defense which plays every possession to the death. That’s the thing in the Big 12….all of the top seven teams play defense to the death and it’s tough to score the ball in this conference unless you’re playing against Kansas State or Iowa State. The jury is still out on TCU.
I have no idea where Austin Reeves and Olandis Williams stand as far as Covid protocol for tomorrow night. But I’m assuming both will be sitting the game out.
As far as the Thunder go—they’re on my second tier game status tomorrow night. I’ll watch when the OU game goes to commericals.
The Thunder host the Houston Rockets in what should be a nice game.
I have no idea what the Thunder are doing. If Sam Presti screws around and doesn’t get a top five pick this season I would desribe that as even much worse than allowing Kevin Durant to walk with nothing coming back in return. But still you want to hope for the glass full with the Thunder pertaining to the draft this summer.
Anyway…Houston is only a game out of the 8th spot and I would assume they’re going to be trying to climb into the top eight in the West at the least.
As far as the NCAA Tournament this season it’s completely wide open. Gonzaga and Baylor in a single elimination tournament are both completely beatable on any tournament night given the right opponent.
Here’s Chris Beard atop on his presser just after his team lost a tough overtime game for the last NCAA Basketball Championship which was played two seasons ago.
As a passionate fan of the game how can you not love what Chris Beard brings to the game for his players.
On most nights I’m pulling for Chris Beard, just not tonight in Lubbock.