Filed under: Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Texas, Texas Tech, Big 12, Missouri, Baylor
After a stellar 2009-10 campaign, the prevailing thought was the Big 12 should prepare to take a step back this season.If the non-conference season is any indication, a recalculation is in order. The numbers and the production on the floor says the Big 12 is again among the top two leagues in the nation and once again is primed to challenge the Big East as the most elite conference in the country.
Kansas, led by the Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff, may be as talented and well coached as any team in the country. As long as the Jayhawks remember what happened last year against Northern Iowa, they could be a Final Four team.
The Jayhawks aren't alone, however, with the Missouri Tigers poised enough to break through the Elite Eight and into the Final Four in Mike Anderson's fifth season.
Aside from the two elite teams, the Big 12 will be defined once again by its depth. Texas, Texas A&M, Kansas State and Baylor won't take a backseat to anyone this season and the proof will be in how they take turns beating up on each other while also dropping a loss or two on both Kansas and Missouri. Nebraska and Iowa State also seem to have some fight in them and if that continues to hold true during league play then things could get real interesting.
Best Team: A lot of people thought this was the year Frank Martin and his Kansas State Wildcats replaced Kansas as the best team in the Big 12. Think again. Sure the Jayhawks lost three stellar players in Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry, but when you are program at the level of Kansas you simply reload or in this case elevate McDonald's All-Americans. Marcus Morris was expected to put the Jayhawks on his shoulders and he hasn't disappointed. But Kansas has also received inspired play from the likes of Thomas Robinson, Tyshawn Taylor, Markieff Morris and freshman guard Josh Selby. But we will know more about just how good the Jayhawks are when they started playing some real competition. They have faced just one top 25 team to date.
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