Player of The Week
Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor Bears
Simply put, Ja’Kobe is the best freshman in college basketball. The guard continues to impress and solidify his standing among college’s top prospects. He’s averaged over 20 points in his last two games and shot 8-15 from three. Now that he has two full months of college basketball under his belt, he’ll be expected to lead Baylor to winning big games and compete for a national title. If Walter can maintain his shooting splits of 43.7 FG 38.3 3P 86.1 FT and 15 ppg through Conference play, he will solidify himself as a likely top 5-10 draft pick.
Who’s Hot
RaeQuan Battle, West Virginia Mountaineers
One of the most interesting stories to come out of the Big 12 this year involves RaeQuan Battle and his eligibility for the 2023-24 season. The senior played his first collegiate seasons at Montana State, before transferring to West Virginia this year. For the most part, there was a belief that the NCAA wouldn’t allow him to play this season because of some eligibility rules involving transfers. Especially after his appeal was denied for the case last month. Against all odds, Battle saw the court this week in two games, and he did not disappoint. In his season debut, he produced 29 points in a close loss to Radford. Then, on Saturday, he put up 29 points once again, this time in a 91-81 victory over Toledo. He made an impact on both sides of the ball for the Mountaineers, shooting 60% from the field, and forcing four steals. This WVU team has a lot more energy with Battle in the lineup, and they’ve quickly had some success in his two appearances. Maybe he could be the spark they need to turn their season around. For the rest of the year, he’ll surely be an exciting player to watch.
Otega Oweh, Oklahoma Sooners
Despite the loss to North Carolina, Otega Oweh certainly rose to the occasion on Wednesday in Charlotte. The sophomore had a season-high 23 points and 5 rebounds in the tilt. Oweh’s production is crucial for this Sooners team. He’s been their leading scorer to start the year, and on a team that lacks senior talent, he’ll be asked to be a leader throughout this season. Head Coach Porter Moser couldn’t wish for a better stat line from the second-year guard. He’s averaging 15 points per game, after putting up just 4 per game a season ago. The sophomore also has shot the ball exceptionally well this season, shooting 66% from the field and 71% from three. His next opportunities on the big stage will come against Houston and Kansas during conference play. Hopefully, for Sooner fans he can continue this success.
Dan Skillings Jr., Cincinnati Bearcats
Sophomore guard Dan Skillings Jr. has had an up-and-down start to his 2023-24 campaign. He’s had four games with 13+ points so far this year, but also five games with six points or less. With that being said, there is no shortage of talent for Skillings. He’s averaging almost seven boards a game, and that’s as a guard. He had ten on Friday, along with 29 points in the Bearcats win over Stetson. Cincinnati can only go as far as he takes them. In the games he’s played well in this season they’ve won. On the other hand, when he struggles, the entire team struggles. He’s averaged four points per game in their two losses against Xavier and Dayton. The guard is undoubtedly capable of leading Cincinnati this season, he just needs to find his consistency. If he can continue to produce, this Bearcats team can sneak up on a lot of people in the Big 12.
Who’s Not
Scott Drew, Baylor Bears
The team is in great hands as Head coach Scott Drew is in his 21st season coaching at Baylor. He’s had an exceptional career, with 11 March Madness appearances and a National Championship. However, the team’s past last two performances against Michigan St. and #21 Duke have not been up to their standard. The double-digit loss to the Spartans and close loss to the Blue Devils have left people questioning if the Bears are a legitimate team, and able to beat high-caliber teams. In a conference filled with powerhouses, beating quad 1 and 2 teams is an important measuring stick to see how good they really are. This could be a challenging coaching year for Drew, as the Bears have a surplus of young players who need the ball.
BYU’s January Schedule
The BYU Cougars are scheduled to go through a gauntlet to start 2024. In the whole month of January, they will play six teams with less than three losses, including the undefeated Houston Cougars. Their schedule is as follows:
vs Cincinnati (10-2)
at #10 Baylor (10-2)
at UCF (8-3)
vs Iowa State (10-2)
at Texas Tech (9-2)
vs #3 Houston (12-0)
vs #21 Texas (9-2)
It’s going to be an eventful month for the Big 12 as teams begin to separate themselves. For the red-hot Cougars, it will be a marathon of a four-week stretch that could end in a multitude of ways. They could be in the Final Four conversation, or come back down to earth, only time will tell.
Top 5 Best Mascots in the Big 12
UCF – Knightro
He may be the coolest mascot in college sports. He’s a golden knight with swag. What’s better than that? Also, his name is Knightro which is just awesome.
BYU – Cosmo the Cougar
I don’t know what the tryouts are like to be the BYU mascot, but they must be insane. Cosmo the Cougar is always doing some stunt, or dancing with the cheerleaders, just a beast.
Iowa State – Cy the Cardinal
Cy the Cardinal caught my eye right away when I was Googling pictures of mascots. The thing that sticks out the most is his pearly white teeth. A cardinal with a full set of chompers, I love it.
West Virginia – Mountaineer
I’ve always loved the West Virginia Mountaineer. It’s so great to me how there’s just no costume, just a guy with a raccoon hat and a rifle. That’s West Virginia right there. The simplicity is fantastic
Texas Tech – Red Raider
I went back and forth on whether or not I should add the red raider to this list. I was too scared to leave him off. There’s no visible skin on his face, just hair and eyes. I’m sure children are terrified of him. But, hey, he’s definitely intimidating. I like him.