Player of the Week
Arthur Kaluma, Kansas State Wildcats
Creighton transfer Arthur Kaluma is having his best college season yet with the Wildcats. He’s averaging 17 points a game since starting Big 12 conference play, and has been red-hot from the three point line, shooting over 50% from there in his last five games. Kaluma offers a strong second option to star senior Cam Carter for KSU. The upperclassmen have helped propel the Wildcats to the top of the Big 12 as they head into the thick of their schedule. In the paint, he’s known for his ability to finish strong and get offensive boards. He’s averaging eight rebounds a game. The junior is becoming a complete player on both ends of the court. Kansas State’s veteran fire power could help them maintain supremacy in the Big 12 until March.
Who’s Hot
Jamal Shead, Houston Cougars
The Cougars had a quick turnaround after their back-to-back losses, as they had three victories this week. The jolt of energy that Houston had this week can be attributed to senior Jamal Shead. The guard has made a name for himself around college basketball with his crafty passing and playmaking ability. This week he averaged over 18 points per game, exactly what this Cougar’s team needed to get their offense going. Houston could use another scoring option behind LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp, so the emergence of Shead could be huge for their national title hopes. Their match-up at home against Kansas State will be must-see TV.
Jaylin Sellers, UCF Knights
The most promising part of the 2023-24 UCF Knights is without a doubt Jaylin Sellers. He’s averaging a career high 17 points a game in his junior season, and has fueled the Knights past Texas and Kansas during Big 12 play. Sellers is known for his defensive prowess and playmaking in the paint. He’s also gotten more comfortable shooting the three ball this season. This is mostly because he’s the Knights main source of offense, so he’s had to put up a career high in shots per game. The Ball State transfer has shown that he can thrive in Power 6 basketball, and is showing improvements every time he’s out on the court.
Who’s Not
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Cowboys have had a horrific start to Big 12 play as they are winless in six games. This skid came after they seemed to be turning things around when they won five in a row before the new year. Oklahoma State is simply out matched in a conference with this much fire power. Their bright spot is freshman forward Eric Dailey Jr, who’s averaging 10 points a game this season. He should be a solid piece for them in the coming years, but in the meantime, expect a lot of the same outcome for the Cowboys this season.
Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas can’t seem to find consistency over the past two weeks. With Houston’s recent struggles, the Jayhawks had a chance to create some separation from them in the standings, but haven’t really done so with losses to UCF and West Virginia. They need to learn to play complete games on the road if they want to win the conference, and play deep into March Madness. Bill Self is one of the best coaches in college basketball, and they have loads of talent, so it would be surprising if they didn’t get back on track in the coming games.
Top 5 Offenses in the Big 12
1. Baylor Bears
Ja’Kobe Walter and RayJ Dennis are two of the most prolific scorers in college basketball. The Bears have scored 90+ points in seven games this season.
2. Houston Cougars
The Cougars are great at turning good defense into points on offense. They also have so many different ways to score through LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp, and Jamal Shead.
3. BYU Cougars
BYU has scored 85+ points in 11 games this season, they can compete with any offense in the league.
4. Kansas Jayhawks
From Hunter Dickinson, to Kevin McCullar Jr, to KJ Adams, the Jayhawks have built a high powered offense. They’re the only team in college basketball with two players averaging 18+ points per game.
5. TCU Horned Frogs
Emanuel Miller facilitates the offense for the Frogs. He plays with a bunch of energy and is a pure playmaker, they’re one of the most fun offenses to watch in the conference.
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