Player of The Week
Dylan Disu, Texas Longhorns
The Longhorns got their star forward back last month, and have been on a tear ever since. The addition of Dylan Disu gives Texas another scorer, on a team that already has playmakers like Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter. He took over the game in Cincinnati on Tuesday night, in the Longhorn’s comeback win. He put up 33 points, along with 6 boards. Disu’s defense was also a massive reason for the victory, as he had four steals and two blocks. If the forward can continue to produce, Texas may be able to compete for a Big 12 title.
Who’s Hot
Kansas Jayhawks Big 3
Kansas’ Big 3 of Hunter Dickinson, Kevin McCullar Jr., and KJ Adams came up huge this weekend in their battle against TCU. The trio combined for 64 of the Jayhawk’s 83 points on Saturday. Adams added 11 rebounds to his stat line as well. Hunter Dickinson has been a leader for Kansas since transferring from Michigan this off-season. He’s arguably been the best player in college basketball this year. Their victory over the Horned Frogs showed that they can win close games through their stars. Coming out on top in close games is a key characteristic of a national champion, and the Jayhawks have shown that this season. When Kansas is firing on all cylinders, they’re amongst the best teams in college basketball.
Pop Isaacs, Texas Tech Red Raiders
Crafty guard Pop Isaacs has emerged as the leading scorer for the Red Raiders to start his sophomore campaign. He’s taken their offense to the next level, averaging 21.5 points in his last four appearances. The most noticeable improvement in his game since last year is his ability to create turnovers. He’s had a steal in all but three games this season. Isaacs also isn’t afraid to shoot the three-ball. His sharpshooting has made it easy for Texas Tech to pull away in close games, as they’ve won their last two matchups by double-digits. It’s a tall task for an underclassman to be a leader of a team, but Pop Isaacs has shown that he can be the driving force for the Red Raiders this season.
Who’s Not
BYU Cougars
After a hot start this season, the Cougars have dropped their first two games to start Big 12 conference play. Their slump started Saturday night at home against Cincinnati. This game was nothing short of a second-half collapse by BYU, as they got outscored 47-29 over the final 20 minutes. The Bearcats dominated them in the paint, scoring 30 points to the Cougar’s 12. Cincinnati also got some points from the free-throw line, where BYU only had 10. The Cougars then had a very similar game in Waco against the Baylor Bears. They, once again, had a first-half lead, only to get outscored 48-33 in the second. The good thing for BYU is that their flaw is very noticeable and fixable, they need to be able to play 40 full minutes of basketball to compete in this powerhouse conference. They need to find ways to continue their first-half success into the rest of the game.
West Virginia Mountaineers
Right when the Mountaineers started to put together some solid performances since the return of RaeQuan Battle, they have now come back down to earth. They’ve lost their last seven of nine, most coming convincingly. WVU has started conference play 0-2, with their losses coming against Houston and Kansas State. With games against Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas coming up, the Mountaineers should have similar struggles over the next couple of games.
Top 5 Coaches in the Big 12
1. Bill Self – Kansas
Self has been the leader of the Jayhawks for 20 years now. He’s won two national titles along the way and helped produce 13 NBA lottery picks. Without a doubt one of the best coaches in the sport.
2. Kelvin Sampson – Houston
The Cougar’s success over the past couple seasons can be attributed to Kelvin Sampson. He’s a great recruiter and even better with the X’s and O’s.
3. Scott Drew – Baylor
Scott Drew actually never played basketball at the varsity level. However, he can surely coach a college basketball team. The 22 year veteran has had 11 March Madness appearances, and brought home the national title once back in 2021.
4. Porter Moser – Oklahoma
The former head coach of Loyola Chicago has put together a 47-35 record as the head coach of the Sooners in three seasons. He’ll hope to make some noise during Big 12 play to solidify himself as one of the conference’s best coaches.
5. TJ Otzelberger – Iowa State
The Cyclone’s have had a hot start to their 2023-24 season, and that can be attributed to head coach TJ Otzelberger. He has the ability to get his players up for big games and he’s also not afraid to get loud on the sidelines.