Big 12 Basketball Update & Power Rankings

February 5th Big 12 Basketball update

The return of Kansas State to the Big 12 conference race could be attributed to one man – Denis Clemente.

The Wildcats’ leading scorer has virtually put the team on his back. KSU (14-7, 4-4) has won four consecutive games including on the road at Colorado and at Texas because Clemente was great. He scored career-high 44 points Jan. 31 at Texas in the Wildcats’ 85-81 overtime victory. Clemente was perfect as he dropped all 6 of his 3-pointers and all 12 of his free throws.

Admittedly, it was an out-of-body experience for Clemente because his previous high was 20 points in a win over Gardner-Webb back in December. Clemente leads the team in scoring 14.3 points per game. The junior has been in double figures in six consecutive games and eight of his last nine.

This winning streak, which will face a great test Saturday at Texas A&M, is important because the Wildcats went from being nowhere in the NCAA tournament picture to working their back into it. If ever there was a time for them to get hot, this would be the month.

Like father, like son

The conference gave Texas Tech coach Pat Knight only a public reprimand following his colorful ejection in a Jan. 31 home loss to Nebraska.

Knight became angry at officials because of a foul called on Alan Voskuil. He got the first technical from one official who made the call. He then got tossed because he ran onto the court to jaw at another official.

Assistant coaches appeared to have had restrained him and get him off the court. But Knight wasn’t through. He ran back on to the court to offer some final thoughts. Because this was his first offense, the conference was willing to look the other way.

Of course, there’s a lot for the younger Knight to live up. He followed his father Bob who abruptly left the Texas Tech program last year.

Anyone who knows who Bob Knight is has followed his career where his temper has sometimes led to his undoing.

However, the transition has been rough for the younger Knight because the Red Raiders (11-11, 1-6) have lost seven of their last eight games. They share the cellar with Colorado and Iowa State.

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Texas Crashes and Burns

The lack of a true point guard is showing up for the Longhorns who are reeling and for all practical purposes are out of the conference title race.

Consecutive four-point home losses to Kansas State and Missouri may have the Longhorns (15-6, 4-3) questioning themselves. With no B.J. Augustine, coach Rick Barnes has rotated A.J. Abrams, Varez Ward and Justin Mason through the point guard slot. However, there just has not been much fluidity.

It’s also been a case where the Longhorns have been careless with the basketball. They’ve committed 35 turnovers in the last two games and barely shot above 40 percent in each. That isn’t going to win a lot of games.

Notable

Get ready for the first showdown between Kansas and Missouri Monday in Columbia, Mo. on ESPN’s Big Monday. As much as they looked shaky in December, coach Bill Self has the Jayhawks at 7-0 (18-4 overall). However, the Tigers have looked equally impressive at 18-4 and 6-2.

Power Rankings

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

By Kevin Lonnquist
Big 12 Fans Correspondant

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