2010-2011 Big 12 Basketball Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds | Sportsbookbuzz.com

2010-2011 Big 12 Basketball Preview, Predictions Picks & Odds

No other team in the Big 12 came close to the Kansas Jayhawks last season, who finished 33-3 overall with a conference record of 15-1 Kansas won both the regular-season conference championship as well as the Big 12 tournament with relative ease. The Jayhawks will try to bounce back from a disappointing NCAAtournament showing (second-round exit), but must do so without three of their four leading scorers from last season.

Tied for second in the conference with 11-5 records in the Big 12 were the Kansas State Wildcats, Baylor Bears and Texas A&M Aggies. Kansas State made it to the Elite Eight for the first time in 22 years last season, and they return their leading scorer Jacob Pullen (19.3 PPG). Baylor also got in to the Elite Eight last year, and while they lose key players in Tweety Carter and Ekpe Udoh, leading scorer LaceDarius Dunn has returned for his senior year. Texas A&M loses all three of their top three scorers from last year, but they have talent to rebuild around.

The Missouri Tigers finished fifth in the Big 12 last season (10-6), playing an uptempo brand of basketball. With the core from last year returning, including junior guard Kim English, the Tigers should once again be an exciting and competitive team.

The Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma State Cowboys tied for sixth in the conference with 9-7 Big 12 records. Texas was the top-ranked team in the country at one point, but fell apart down the stretch. Prize recruit Tristan Thompson will try to help the Longhorns bounce back from their bad finish. Oklahoma State will have a new identity this season without Big 12 Player of the Year James Anderson, replacing his production will be extremely difficult.

Last season’s 6-10 conference record and eighth-place finish was a big improvement over 2008 for the Colorado Buffaloes, who finished 1-15 in conference play that year. With both leading scorers Cory Higgins and Alec Burks returning, another step forward in 200 is possible.

At 4-12 apiece in Big 12 play, the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Iowa State Cyclones and Oklahoma Sooners tied for ninth place in the conference. Texas Tech and Oklahoma return their teams mostly intact, while Iowa State loses their two leading scorers from last season. Last place Nebraska (2-12 conference) lost their only double-digit scorer from last season in Ryan Anderson, so they will need to look elsewhere for production.