Player of The Week
Emanuel Miller, TCU Horned Frogs
The Horned Frogs are going to surprise some people the rest of the season with their star senior Emanuel Miller. He continues to look like one of the best players in the BIG 12 and is the leading force behind TCU’s recent success. Emanuel Miller is the heartbeat of this team, with his energy on both sides of the ball. He wants the ball in big stages of the game and is a player you can count on to get a stop late in the game. His veteran leadership makes the Horned Frogs dangerous. The forward plays exceptionally well in the paint and uses his agility to finish at the rim and draw fouls. He also seems to be getting more comfortable from the 3-point line. The senior is just what TCU needs.
Who’s Hot
Max Abmas, Texas Longhorns
The senior from Texas had a season-high 32 points in their loss to West Virginia. He added seven threes to his stat line as well, bringing his 3-point percentage to over 42% this year. Abmas will need to learn to have success with forward Dylan Disu, who is still getting back to full strength since returning last month. Abmas is a playmaker, who needs the ball. However, that style of play hasn’t led to as many wins as they need to compete in the Big 12. The Longhorns have no shortage of talent, they’ll just need to learn to play together to start stacking up wins. It all starts with Abmas’ ability to lead them in his first season in Austin.
Spencer Johnson, BYU Cougars
It’s been a rollercoaster start to Big 12 conference play for the BYU Cougars. They followed up their losses to Cincinnati and Baylor with back-to-back victories against UCF and Iowa State. Guard Spencer Johnson has seen his minutes go up since conference play began, and he’s turned that opportunity into production for the Cougars. He put up a season-high 28 points in their blowout win against the Cyclones on Tuesday. He played all but five minutes in the tilt as well. Johnson has emerged as someone who you want to have the ball at the end of the game if you’re BYU. Another star alongside Jaxson Robinson could be the difference between getting into the tournament and not for this team. He’ll have an opportunity to follow up his performance on Saturday against Texas Tech.
Who’s Not
Houston Cougars
The Cougar’s struggles to start Big 12 play show that there is no such thing as an easy win in this conference. After surging their way to a 14-0 start, Houston has lost back-to-back road games against Iowa State and TCU. This marks the first time they’ve had a pair of losses in a row since February of 2022. The Cougars need to stop hurting themselves by getting into foul trouble early in games. They committed 24 fouls on Saturday, including two technicals. They aren’t a team that’s prone to turnovers, so improving their discipline on the defensive side of the ball could help clean up their game and lead to more offense. Losses are going to come in such a competitive conference, so it’s not time to hit the panic button by any means. Houston will return home on Wednesday night to try to get back on track against the red-hot Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Oklahoma Sooners
It will be interesting to see if Oklahoma can correct their poor play on the road this season. They will need to do so if they want a shot at the conference. After defeating Iowa State at home last week, they’ve lost two games straight at TCU and Kansas. The Sooner’s flaw comes down to turnover differential. In their two losses, they’ve had a combined -16 turnover differential, making it much more difficult to win games, especially against high-caliber opponents. Their next match-up against West Virginia gives them an easy opportunity to figure things out.
Top Five Big 12 Draft Prospects
1. Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor Bears
One of, if not the best freshmen in college basketball will surely be a lottery pick in the summer.
2. Jaxson Robinson, BYU Cougars
Jaxon Robinson has been the biggest draft climber in the Big 12 this season. He’s projected to go in the back half of the first round.
3. Kevin McCullar, Kansas Jayhawks
McCullar has an opportunity to improve his draft stock with a deep March Madness run. It will be interesting to see how far he takes the Jayhawks.
4. Dillon Mitchell, Texas Longhorns
The Longhorn forward is getting better and better as the season goes on. He’s currently projected to go in the second round.
5. Hunter Dickinson, Kansas Jayhawks
The Michigan transfer has been one of the best players in college basketball this season. His age will be the only thing keeping him from the first round, but he has loads of talent.