With the exception of Baylor, for some strange reason, playing something called Arlington Baptist on December 27, the non-conference slate has been completed for Big XII teams and league action will commence on New Year’s Eve. The Big XII has been a disappointment so far, but there are still several good teams in the league, and they could recoup some of the conference’s lost reputation in the Big Dance.
More specifically, a few teams have failed to live up to expectations, while a couple have been pleasant surprises. With this four-part series, we will rank and take stock of every Big XII franchise as they stand right now. These are not predictions of where the teams will finish, but rather an estimation of how they would fare if the conference tournament were held today.
No. 20: Kansas State (6-5): The second-biggest disappointment in the Big XII is undoubtedly Jerome Tang’s Wildcats. This team’s roster is good enough to finish in the top five, and with a break here and there, even win the title. Instead, they’re a basket case. And that’s no accident. For although K-State is loaded with talent, they’ve also got players who are missing a couple of buttons. Indeed, Achor Achor, a promising power forward, has already been dismissed from the program. The Wildcats don’t need a coach right now; they need a chemistry professor, because right now Tang’s concoction has blown up in K-State’s face…