Player of the Week
Manu Lecomte, Baylor
Baylor’s senior guard Manu Lecomte has started off the season hot, leading Baylor to a 2-0 record to begin the year. Lacomte is a speedy 5’11 point guard in his second year at Baylor out of Brussels.
In his first two games he scored 22 and 23 points against Scottie Pippin’s alma mater Central Arkansas and Texas A&M-CC respectively and is the only Big 12 player to have scored 20 points in each game. He has been scorching from outside hitting 5-of-10 and 6-of-10 from three in his two games.
Lecomte is also doing a great job drawing contact and getting to the free throw line where he is 14-14 thus far. He will look to continue his hot streak next week against Alcorn State and Wisconsin.
Move over Mr. Ginobili, the State of Texas has another standout Manu.
Who’s Hot
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas opened up the season against Tennessee State and handled them easily by a final score of 92-56. Many players contributed to the win but Lagerald Vick led the team in scoring with 23 and Devonte Graham contributed 10 points, 12 assists, and 7 rebounds.
In their second game they squared off against Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic. Just as you would expect in a game against two heavyweights, the game came down to the final minute and Kansas squeaked out a 65-61 victory over the Wildcats. With Billy Preston sidelined for the second straight game, depth was an issue for Kansas as they only went 7 deep with all starters playing over 30 minutes.
Although as a team they shot just 35% from the field, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk anchored the Jayhawks with 17 points. Udoka Azubuike went 5-5 shooting with 13 points and was just too big for the young Kentucky roster to handle.
Although not the prettiest game, a win against a top ranked team is nothing to scoff at. Kansas proved that even when depth is an issue and shots aren’t falling they can still dig deep and win a game against a top tier opponent.
Baylor Bears
Baylor has started off the year with two wins against Central Arkansas and Texas A&M-CC. The Bear’s lit up Central Arkansas putting up 107 points. Anchored by the Player of the Week, Manu Lecomte and his 22 points, Baylor shot 66.1% from the field and an impressive 70.6% from deep. Jo Lual-Acuil contributed 17 points and 9 rebounds while Nuni Omot posted 15 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds.
Baylor beat Texas A&M-CC while only allowing 46 points. After showcasing the offense in game one, Baylor flexed their muscles on defense in game two, albeit against weak opponents. Manu Lecomte tallied another 23 points and Nuni Omot pulled off what might be one of the best dunks of the entire season.
Baylor showed their ability to be a lights out shooting team in their season opener and that they can lock up on defense in game two. If Baylor can play to their full potential this season, they look like they could be a serious threat to Kansas and the rest of the Big 12.
Who’s Not
Zach Smith, Texas Tech
As a Unanimous Preseason All-Big 12 selection, there are extremely high expectations for Zach Smith. In their first game of the season Smith put up some pretty disappointing numbers. He shot 0-3 from the field while posting a stat line of 1 point and 4 rebounds. He followed up that performance with a lackluster 3 points and 6 rebounds. Through two games, Smith hasn’t shown much aggressiveness on offense only taking 5 shots despite playing the most minutes in each game. Smith should improve in the near future as the season heats up.
West Virginia
West Virginia started the season ranked #11 in the country. Unlike many teams in the Big 12, WVU scheduled a tough opponent in the first game of the season. West Virginia dropped their season opener to Texas A&M 88-65. Jevon Carter was able to put up 13 points and 7 assists and spark plug sixth-man James Bolden tallied 19 points off the bench although they both shot under 50% from the field. As a team the Mountaineers only got to the line for 9 free throw attempts while allowing 20. West Virginia only allowed 88 points one time last season, and as a team that prides itself in defense, they will need to tighten up defensively in order to succeed.
Top Five Big 12 Freshman
If the past few drafts are any indication, freshmen are by far the most coveted prospects. Freshmen have been flying off the board in the first round at an unprecedented rate. With that trend likely continuing this year, here are the top Big 12 freshmen to watch this season.
5. Matt Coleman, PG, Texas
Coleman is the true point guard Texas has lacked for a few years. Coleman will play and play a lot. Shaka Smart is an intelligent coach who thrives with a good point guard. If Coleman turns out to be the guy Smart has been looking for, this Texas team could go a long way. Sure, there will be bumps in the road along the way, but nonetheless, Coleman could be the ball handler that pushes Texas to the next level.
4. Lindell Wigginton, PG, Iowa State
With Monte Morris gone, Iowa State has a gaping hole in their offense at the point guard position. Nobody expects Wigginton to play at the level Morris did right away, the Oak Hill product will have many minutes to prove he is a reliable playmaker. He can score in a variety of ways and can create open shots for his teammates with his attacking ability. Look for Wigginton to improve as the season progresses.
3. Billy Preston, PF, Kansas
Preston is an extremely talented player who can play a few roles for Bill Self. He has good size, length, and speed matched with an arsenal of offensive weapons. Preston can spread the floor as a shooter, take smaller opponents off the dribble, run in transition, as well as score in the low post. He has the talent and potential to play a big role for the Jayhawks and could prove to be one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft.
2. Trae Young, PG, Oklahoma
Trae Young is a personal favorite of mine heading into the Big 12 season. The Oklahoma native is a pure scorer who plays with as much confidence as anyone on the offensive end. Young’s tight handle allows him to get defenders off balance and expose the defense as he seems necessary. He might not be the best freshman prospect in the Big 12, but by being Oklahoma’s number one option, he should be as productive as any of them.
Bamba is far and away not only the best freshman prospect, but the best of any prospect in the Big 12. There isn’t much to say about his length that hasn’t been said before but boy is it impressive. Standing 7-feet tall with a 7’9” wingspan, Bamba should be one of the best shot blockers and rebounders in the Big 12 and possibly in the country. His offense could use some polishing up, but that’s true for every 7-foot teenager. Shaka Smart should help Bamba develop into a fantastic player and will likely go top five in the NBA draft.
Must See Play of the Week
Baylor forward Nuni Omot blessed us all with the first big posterization of the college basketball year. Omot (literally) threw down a monstrous dunk over Texas A&M-CC forward Elijah Schmidt. Omot took off from the Big 12 logo in the paint and finished a Blake Griffin over Timofey Mozgov-esque dunk. https://twitter.com/BaylorMBB/status/930276859316547584