Week 1: Big 12 basketball power rankings
Hoops season tipped off Friday night, bringing eternal optimism across the country. And in Big 12 country, there’s expected parity throughout a deep but unknown league. John Helsley and Anthony Slater will be tracking the conference, through power rankings, each week. Here’s the first installment:
1. Kansas (1-0) - All the Jayhawks do is win the Big 12. Every year for eight years. So the No. 1 slot is appropriate, even though they’re regrouping a bit — notice I didn’t say rebuild — following the loss of Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson. Let’s see if Jeff Withey is as good without Robinson joining him in the paint. Watch out for freshman forward Perry Ellis, he’s the Hawks next star. (John Helsley)
2. Baylor (2-0) - Pierre Jackson, the preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, gives Baylor a pure point guard unmatched throughout the league. He’s dynamic and relentless, maximizing the talent around him with his passing skills. And there’s plenty of talent around him, even with the departures of Perry Jones III and Quincy Acy, including newcomer Isaiah Austin, a five-star recruit who scored 22 points in his debut. BU is the biggest threat to dethrone Kansas. (Anthony Slater)
3. Kansas State (1-0) - They lost Frank Martin, and I’ll really miss his glare and his great postgame press conferences. How much will the Wildcats miss him? And is Bruce Weber the right guy as his replacement? Plenty of talent returns, including four starters, led by Rodney McGruder. They could be a sleeper league title contender. Or they could be this year’s version of last year’s A&M. (JH)
4. West Virginia (0-0) - Unlike the conference’s other newcomer (TCU), West Virginia won’t be spooked by big-time college basketball. In fact, considering the Big East gauntlet they weaved through the past few seasons, the Mountaineers may welcome this year’s conference slate as a softer one. And with Bob Huggins’ physical brand of basketball, WVU may overtake K-State as the Big 12 bruiser no one enjoys playing. It’ll be interesting to see how they fair in Year 1. (AS)
5. Oklahoma State (1-0) - Injuries have hit hard in the preseason, with the underrated Brian Williams lost for the season and Michael Cobbins — the team’s most proven post man — out for a month. Still, it’s a talented team, with Markel Brown poised for a major breakout, Le’Bryan Nash reportedly energized for his sophomore season and Marcus Smart now on board to run the Lob Stilly show. (JH)
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