Player of the Week
Barry Brown Jr., Kansas State
With two straight road victories over ranked opponents, Kansas State is coming off a tremendous week of success. After going through some turmoil in their non-conference slate, the Wildcats are getting back on track to compete towards the top of the Big 12. Senior guard Barry Brown Jr. has been the top option on offense all season for his team, and has risen to the occasion when called upon. In the 58-57 nail-biting win against No. 20 Iowa State, Brown scored 23 points to go along with four assists and three rebounds. He also helped lead the charge on defense for the Wildcats, as the Cyclones had a rather difficult time creating solid looks on the offensive end of the floor. Brown carried his momentum into the next contest versus No. 20 Oklahoma, where he dropped 25 points on 3-of-4 shooting from downtown and 11-of-19 overall from the field overall. He also chipped in with five assists and three rebounds en route to the 74-61 upset win over the Sooners. If Kansas State is able to keep the win streak alive, the team will need Brown to be a consistent offensive weapon every game.
Who’s Hot
Alex Robinson, TCU
The senior guard out of Fort Worth, TX may lack freakish explosiveness and size, but Alex Robinson still manages to get it done for TCU every game. For one, he’s a great floor general with a high basketball IQ, which is evident as he leads the Big 12 in assists with 8.2 per game. Despite not coming out victorious, TCU put up a tough fight in the 76-74 defeat versus No. 23 Oklahoma. Robinson helped keep the game in reach, scoring 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals. The Horned Frogs were able to defend home-court in the 98-67 blowout win over West Virginia. Despite only taking seven shot attempts, Robinson still managed to have a rather efficient game, finishing with 14 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, two steals, and one block. Although TCU isn’t a team heavily talked about in the Big 12, the team currently sits at 13-3 and is poised to make a breakthrough during the course of conference play.
Who’s Not
Talen Horton-Tucker, Iowa State
After showing flashes of brilliance during non-conference play, freshman guard Horton-Tucker appears to be lost in the offensive scheme for Iowa State. He’s failed to score in double-figures since the new calendar year, and he’s not getting as many opportunities to score as he once did earlier in the season. The Cyclones were downed by Kansas State at home, and Horton-Tucker only received 19 minutes of action, scoring just eight points on 37.5% from the field. Iowa State was able to pull off the 68-64 upset win on the road versus No. 8 Texas Tech, but Horton-Tucker was essentially a non-factor once again, scoring seven points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field. There’s no denying that Horton-Tucker is a talented player who has as high of a ceiling as any player on the Cyclones roster. It just appears at the moment that something isn’t clicking for him on the offensive end of the floor at the moment. If he’s able to find his way in the coming weeks, it just adds another dimension to this highly explosive Iowa State offense.
Top 5 Shot Blockers in the Big 12
1) Tariq Owens, Texas Tech
The senior forward out of Odenton, MD leads the charge for one of the top-tier defensive units in the country. The reason why the Red Raiders are able to implement stingy on-ball pressure on defense is due to the shot-blocking prowess of Owens. He isn’t the biggest of bodies, but he uses his lengthy frame and foot speed to protect the basket. Owens currently holds the lead with 2.6 rejections per game in the Big 12.
2) Tristan Clark, Baylor
Sophomore forward Tristan Clark is one of the premiere two-way players in the Big 12. He’s an active player on the offensive end, but expresses the same kind of energy on defense as well. His 2.4 blocks per game will truly be missed for the Baylor Bears, as he went down with a season-ending knee injury.
3) Jaxson Hayes, Texas
Freshman big man Jaxson Hayes is an uber-talented player out of Loveland, OH. He’s shown flashes of dominance in the paint during his freshman campaign. When looking at the defensive end of the floor, he has great instincts to pair with springs in his legs to get up and swat shots.
4) Yor Anei, Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State may not be a great basketball team, but freshman forward Yor Anei has been great on the defensive end of the floor for the Cowboys this season. The Overland Park, KS product may not be the most polished offensive threat, but possesses the length and basketball IQ to make an immediate impact on defense. He currently averages 1.9 rejections per game.
5) Kevin Samuel, TCU
Unlike most of the other players on this list, freshman Kevin Samuel is a rock-solid athlete, standing at 6’11" with 250 lbs to his name. Maybe not the most agile, but definitely a true enforcer at the rim. With TCU beginning to get into a groove, perhaps the growth of Samuel will be the difference maker for the Horned Frogs down the road.