Player of The Week
LJ Cryer, Houston
LJ Cryer is no stranger to playing on a talented team in the Big 12, as he was the leader of a Baylor team that was a 3 seed in the tournament just a season ago. Since joining the Cougars he’s been their leading scorer, with 18 points a game. All while being a driving force behind their undefeated record. This week, the senior put together a 23 and 21-point performance, in a pair of blowout victories. He’s a player that could get some traction for the NBA draft as he settles into this Houston offense, and continues to find success with the team.
Freshman of The Week
Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor
Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter has played as advertised to start his college career. The kid from McKinney, Texas has averaged 15 points a game while shooting 42% from the field, and 38% from three. Walter is also known to rack up some steals as he has 9 in his last five games. He’s led the Bears to an undefeated start to the regular season. He’s a name that you’ll hear a lot more of as the season goes on and as it gets closer to the NBA draft. He’ll surely be a top 10 pick this season. You’re going to want to say that you knew Ja’Kobe Walter before he was an NBA star, so buy stock now.
Who’s Hot
Keshon Gilbert, Iowa State
Junior guard Keshon Gilbert led the Cyclones to two blowout victories this past week. One of which came against their in-state rivals, the Iowa Hawkeyes. This win was huge for the ISU faithful, as they had lost 4-of-5 against Iowa going into Thursday night. Gilbert had a season-high 25 points in the tilt, along with 6 assists and 3 steals. This marks his fourth consecutive game with two or more steals. If Iowa State starts to go on a streak during the middle part of the season, a lot of the credit will fall into his lap. He’s an entertaining player to watch, especially in front of the home crowd.
Javian McCullum, Oklahoma
The undefeated Sooners are led by third-year guard Javian McCollum. He had his best performance of the season on Tuesday in a 21-point win against Providence, with 19 points, 4 assists, and 7 boards. He then followed that up with a 20-point game against the Arkansas Razorbacks later in the week. OU has their first test next week at home against #9 UNC. Hopefully, for Sooners fans, McCollum can continue his success into Big 12 conference play and put them in a position to make a run in the tournament.
Houston Cougars
The Houston Cougars are steamrolling teams right now. It’s safe to say that they’re on a mission after their Sweet 16 exit in March Madness last season. It’s worth noting that the Final Four takes place in Arizona in the spring… Only one of their wins this season has been by less than 10 points, and in their last two matchups, they’ve outscored their opponents by a combined 70 points. The Cougar’s early success is not a shock to any basketball fan, they’ll be in the National Title conversation deep into March.
Who’s Not
Texas
The Longhorns had a chance to prove that they’re still one of the best teams in the nation after their home loss to #5 UConn a week ago. This opportunity came against their former head coach Shaka Smart in a date with #8 Marquette in Milwaukee. This game was never close at all. Texas was outscored 42-28 in the first half, and by that point, there was no looking back. The 21-point loss marked their second double-digit loss to a ranked team to start the season. There are some serious questions to be asked about their defense. It’s difficult to compete with some of the better teams in the country with their strictly offensive style of play. There is no shortage of talent on this roster, but they need to figure out things on the defensive side of the ball if they want to compete in this loaded conference.
Oklahoma State
ECU transfer Javon Small has the entire weight of Oklahoma State on his shoulders. In the games where he produces points, the Cowboys can keep things somewhat competitive. However, when he doesn’t have a dominant offensive performance they struggle. His 25-point performance against Southern Illinois wasn’t even enough for the win on Tuesday night. OSU has strung together a couple of victories against mid-major schools to start the season, but once they get into Big 12 conference play they’re going to be in a lot of trouble. It will be interesting to see how Javon Small performs throughout the rest of the Cowboys’ season.
Top 5 Big 12 Games to Circle on your Calendar
Houston at Kansas – 2/3
Houston will travel to Lawrence to take on the Jayhawks, just days after playing in Texas against the Longhorns. This stretch will be important for them. The Jayhawks will have an opportunity to claim the best team in the conference label at home. Both teams will be looking to make a statement.
Oklahoma at Texas – 1/23
Whether it’s football, basketball, baseball, or really any sport, you tune in when these two rivals face off. This will most likely be a ranked match-up as well, and give each team an idea of how far they can go. It will be a physical battle.
Baylor at Kansas – 2/10
There will be no shortage of NBA talent in this one. Including Ja’Kobe Walter and Yves Missi for the Bears along with Kevin McCullar from the Jayhawks. It will also have a lot of implications for the Big 12 conference tournament and March Madness.
Houston at Baylor – 2/24
These two juggernauts are going to have the chance to compete for a National Championship this season. It will be a huge test for both teams as the regular season winds down.
BYU at Cincinnati – 1/6
This matchup doesn’t jump out on paper, but it does include two teams who have been hot out of the gate to start the season. The winner of this one will prove that they’re going to stick around down the stretch.