Big 12 Men's Basketball Snapshot: What You Need To Know Rolling Into Conference Play
It may be a week later than scheduled, but TCU Men's Basketball is ready to kick off its Big 12 Conference slate. As always, the Big 12 is a wagon for basketball, led in recent years by Baylor, Kansas, Texas Tech, and others.
If you need to shift gears from football season to basketball season, we got you covered. Where does each team stand? How did they get here? What players and stat getters should you be watching?
We'll explore below.
Keep up-to-date with all things TCU, TCU basketball, and Big 12 basketball this season with KillerFrogs.
Note: Records and statistics are accurate as of Monday, Jan. 3.
Big 12 Men's Basketball: The Standings
Baylor Bears 13-0 (1-0)
The defending national champions are off to a hot start, currently the unanimous AP No. 1 team. The Bears are 14th nationally in scoring (83.2 points per game) behind a group effort from their talented backcourt. Guards LJ Cryer (13.5 ppg) and James Akinjo (13.0 ppg) lead the way and seven total players average at least 8.5 points per game.
Texas Longhorns 11-2 (1-0)
In their first season under coach Chris Beard, Texas finds themselves in the top 25. They lead the Big 12 in free throw shooting (77.8%) and the nation in scoring defense (51.9 points allowed per game). Texas' two losses this season came at the hands of Gonzaga and Seton Hall– both ranked opponents and both on the road.
Oklahoma Sooners 11-2 (1-0)
The meat of the Sooners' schedule lies ahead in conference play, but 11 wins is tough to come by. Senior forward Tanner Groves leads the charge for Oklahoma behind 14.3 points and 40.3% shooting behind the arc. Forward Jalen Hill is second in the conference in shooting percentage (68.7%) and adds 9.2 points per game.
Kansas Jayhawks 11-1 (0-0)
Kansas is ranked sixth nationally, leads the Big 12 in scoring (85.2, 9th nationally) and three point shooting (37.1%). The Jayhawks opened up the season with a big win over top-10 Michigan State. Senior guard Ochai Agbaji is in the top 15 in scoring nationally (20.6 ppg) while counterpart Christian Braun fills the stat sheet in scoring (17.0) and blocks per game (1.3).
TCU Horned Frogs 10-1 (0-0)
COVID protocols have ground the TCU program to a halt currently, but the Frogs are off to their best start since 2019. Mike Miles leads the team in scoring (16.9, fifth in the Big 12) and assists (4.6, fourth in the Big 12). The group is tied together by Emanuel Miller, who is fourth in the conference in rebounding and has recorded a handful of double doubles so far this year.
Iowa State Cyclones 12-1 (0-1)
Iowa State was one of the last remaining unbeaten teams in the nation. The undefeated record was spoiled in a 77-72 loss in their conference opener against No. 1 Baylor. Guard Izaiah Brockington leads the team in scoring (17.0, third in the Big 12) and rebounds (8.4, second in the Big 12). They have four players who are currently shooting over 40% from beyond the arc.
Texas Tech Red Raiders 10-2 (0-0)
In their first year under Mark Adams, the Red Raiders are ranked and are inside the top 15 in scoring defense (58.2 points allowed per game). They've already faced three ranked opponents (1-2 at Providence, at Tennessee, at Gonzaga) and have a trio of ranked opponents to kick off their Big 12 slate (at Iowa State, vs. Kansas, at Baylor). If nothing else, Texas Tech will be well seasoned come March.
West Virginia Mountaineers 11-2 (0-1)
Senior guard Taz Sherman leads the Big 12 in scoring (20.9 ppg, 12th nationally) and his team in assists (2.8). Forward Jalen Bridges is the team's leading rebounder (5.2) and adds 8.1 points per game. A fair non-conference schedule helped the Mountaineers to grab 11 wins, third-most in the Big 12. They were bested by Texas, 74-59, in their Big 12 opener and have matchups with Kansas State and Oklahoma State on tap.
Oklahoma State Cowboys 7-4 (0-0)
It hasn't been the start to the year the Oklahoma State Cowboys had hoped. They dropped four of their first 11 games despite a favorable schedule. Guard Avery Anderson III is fourth in the Big 12 in steals (2.1) and leads the team in scoring (12.5 ppg). Complementary guard Bryce Williams adds 12.0 points per game and 2.1 steals per game (third in Big 12). However, struggles from beyond the three-point line has capped the scoring capability of the Pokes.
Kansas State Wildcats 8-4 (0-1)
It's been a team effort from K-State so far, with a different player leading nearly each statistical category. Sophomore guard Nijel Pack leads the team in scoring (15.1 ppg) while also adding 3.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, making him one of the most well-rounded players in the Big 12. A tough schedule thus far put an early blemish on their non-conference record, though.
Big 12 Men's Basketball: The Leaders
All numbers are on a per-game basis and are reflective as of Jan. 3.
Scoring Leaders
- Taz Sherman, West Virginia: 20.9
- Ochai Agbaji, Kansas: 20.6
- Izaiah Brockington, Iowa State: 17.0
- Christian Braun, Kansas: 17.0
- Mike Miles, TCU: 16.9
Assists Leaders
- James Akinjo, Baylor: 6.1
- Tyrese Hunter, Iowa State: 5.0
- Markquis Nowell, Kansas State: 4.9
- Mike Miles, TCU: 4.6
- Jordan Goldwire, Oklahoma: 4.3
Rebound Leaders
- Mark Smith, Kansas State: 8.6
- Izaiah Brockington, Iowa State: 8.4
- Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, Baylor: 8.0
- Emanuel Miller, TCU: 6.8
- Jeremy Sochan, Baylor: 6.5
Steals Leaders
- James Akinjo, Baylor: 2.2
- Kendrian Johnson, West Virginia: 2.2
- Bryce Williams, Oklahoma State: 2.1
- Avery Anderson III, Oklahoma State: 2.1
- Markquis Nowell, Kansas State: 2.1
Block Leaders
- Moussa Cisse, Oklahoma State: 2.0
- Kalib Boone, Oklahoma State: 2.0
- Christian Braun, Kansas: 1.3
- David McCormack, Kansas: 1.3
- Dimon Carrigan, West Virginia: 1.2
Shooting Leaders
- Kendall Brown, Baylor: 0.691
- Jalen Hill, Oklahoma: 0.687
- Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, Baylor: 0.644
- Kalib Boone, Oklahoma State: 0.607
- Tanner Groves, Oklahoma: 0.588
TCU Men's Basketball: Big 12 Schedule
Jan. 8: vs. Baylor Bears
Jan. 12: at Kansas State Wildcats
Jan. 15: vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Jan. 19: at Oklahoma State Cowboys
Jan. 22: at Iowa State Cyclones
Jan. 25: vs. Texas Longhorns
Jan. 31: at Oklahoma Sooners
Feb. 5: vs. Kansas State Wildcats
Feb. 8: vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Feb. 12: at Texas Tech Red Raiders
Feb. 15: vs. Iowa State Cyclones
Feb. 19: at Baylor Bears
Feb. 23: at Texas Longhorns
Feb. 26: vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Mar. 1: vs. Kansas Jayhawks
Mar. 5: at West Virginia Mountaineers
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