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Player of the Week

Kerwin Roach II, Texas

Texas has been up and down this season, but still finds itself fighting for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.  Senior guard Kerwin Roach has the capability to lead this team to success, and it appears he’s heading in the right direction. While Texas was just beat out on the road by No. 20 Iowa State, Roach dropped 19 points and four rebounds in the losing effort. Roach’s individual play may’ve gone unnoticed in the defeat, but he made sure to replicate the success, this time delivering the victory. Texas got a much needed win over a red-hot Baylor on Wednesday, downing the Bears 84-72 in the contest.  Roach once again stepped up to the plate, scoring 21 points on only nine attempts from the field. Roach has had the natural progression during his tenure at Texas, so perhaps his best basketball is still ahead of him.

Who’s Hot

Desmond Bane

TCU might as well burn the tape after being blown out 90-64 against Baylor.  Junior guard Desmond Bane had a poor performance, finishing the game with five points on an abysmal 28.6% from the field.  That being said, Bane turned it around and cooked versus Oklahoma State the following game.  In the 70-68 victory against the Sooners, Bane tied a season-high scoring total with 26 points. He was essentially sinking shots from everywhere on the floor, shooting 9-of-17 from the field which included six three-pointers. Bane will need another big performance as TCU will be traveling to play No. 17 Iowa State in its next game.

Who’s Not

Cameron McGriff

Oklahoma State is one of the bottom-feeders in the Big 12, sitting with only two victories in nine conference games thus far.  Junior forward Cameron McGriff has been one of the sole bright spots for the Sooners, averaging 13 points and seven boards per game.  That being said, even McGriff has been struggling as of late during the five-game conference losing streak.  Oklahoma State got beat up on Saturday against Kansas State, where McGriff only managed to tally eight points and four rebounds in the 75-57 defeat.  The Sooners were able to make it interesting with TCU, but the Horned Frogs still managed come out victories in the 70-68 win.  McGriff logged 36 minutes, but fouled out with eight points and five rebounds. 

Top 5 Transfers in the Big 12

1) Dedric Lawson, Kansas

Minus Kansas’s recent woes, junior forward Dedric Lawson has been playing at an All-American level during his first stint with the Jayhawks.  After showing flashes of brilliance at Memphis, Lawson transferred to Kansas with a championship on his mind.  The Jayhawks appear far from those goals, but Lawson has been nothing short of excellence, as he’s averaging 19.4 points and 10.8 rebounds per game on the season.  Lawson is the ultimate team player, as he’s been logging minutes at center due to the absences of Udoka Azubuike and Silvio De Sousa.  He isn’t particularly large in stature, and
is more of a tweener forward, but nevertheless Lawson has done what’s needed for the Jayhawks.  It’s difficult to ever count out Kansas this season with the skillset Lawson brings to the table.

2) Marial Shayok, Iowa State

Iowa State is a team capable of causing noise in the postseason, and senior guard Marial Shayok is the head of the storm.  After being primarily known as a defensive stopper during his time at Virginia, Shayok opted to transfer to the Cyclones in order to showcase his
offensive skillset.  Shayok has embodied being the go-to player on both ends of the floor, as he’s positioned himself to be potentially first team all-conference.  Iowa State wouldn’t be fighting to win the Big 12 without the efforts of Shayok.

3) Makai Mason, Baylor

After scoring 31 points and breaking the hears of Baylor in the NCAA Tournament, senior guard Makai Mason now finds himself leading the charge for the Bears.  Who would’ve thought the point guard for Yale would end up transferring to the same school they beat in the tournament?  Luckily for Baylor, Mason has been cooking against the rest of the Big 12 this season, averaging 16.1 points and 3.0 assists per game.  The recent loss to Texas ended a six-game winning streak for Baylor.  In those six games, Mason was able to find his groove and establish himself as the No. 1 option on the team after Tristan Clark was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

4) Matt Mooney, Texas Tech

Senior guard Matt Mooney is quite the journeyman.  After starting off his career at Air Force, he opted to transfer to South Dakota after his freshman year due to alleged bullying.  Mooney was able to find his way with the South Dakota, earning all-conference honors during his two years with the team.  Mooney decided to finish off his collegiate career with Texas Tech, and now is a starting guard for a power-five school. Averaging 10.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, Mooney has done a nice job complementing the likes of Jarrett Culver.  Head coach Chris Beard knows he can rely on Mooney to make plays down the stretch late in games.

5) Tariq Owens, Texas Tech

The Red Raiders have a good eye for finding diamonds in the rough through the transfer portal. After not garnering minutes at Tennessee, Tariq Owens took his talents to Jamaica, Queens to play for St. John’s. Owens was a great stabilizer and energizer for the Red Storm, but decided to leave and finish his career with Texas Tech.  Owens may not be the
versatile offensive weapon, but he still manages to put the ball in the basket.  It’s Owens defensive prowess, particularly his shot-blocking ability, that makes him a standout player for the Red Raiders.  He’s the centerpiece for one of the elite defenses in the country.  Owen’s efforts shouldn’t be overlooked to the overall success Texas Tech has experienced this season.