Bracketologists still hold out hope
The bracketologists still hold out hope for the Oklahoma basketball team. The Sooners, who once were 14-2 and ranked fourth nationally, now are 16-11 overall and have lost six straight.
OU is 6-9 in the Big 12 after Monday’s 10474 loss at Kansas, with a road game at Baylor (next week) remaining, plus home games against Kansas State (Saturday) and Iowa State (next week).
Only twice has the NCAA selection committee given berths to teams at least four games below .500 in conference — Iowa State (5-9) in 1992 and Florida State (6-10) in 1998. Unless the Sooners improve down the stretch, they will finish at least four games under .500 in the Big 12.
But OU played well against a great nonconference schedule, and that resume is still carrying the Sooners. The committee’s sneak peek reveal a week ago still had OU a No. 4 seed. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi on Sunday had the Sooners a No. 6 and CBS’ Jerry Palm has the Sooners a No. 7 seed. So there remains time for OU to right the ship and be in decent shape.
Here are my latest Big 12 rankings:
1. Texas Tech (22-5, 10-4): The Red Raiders host KU on Saturday in what could be the Big 12 title game. Tech is a No. 3 seed by both Lunardi and Palm.
2. Kansas (22-6, 11-4): About 6:45 p.m. Saturday, the Jayhawks looked dead in the water against West Virginia, and Tech was playing well in Waco.
Seemed quite possible that KU was about to face a two-game deficit in trying to win its 14th straight Big 12 title. You know the rest. KU is a No. 1 seed by both Lunardi and Palm.
3. West Virginia (19-8, 8-6): Mountaineer coach Bob Huggins was livid over the 35-2 discrepancy in foul shots at Allen Fieldhouse. The list is short of those wouldn’t be. Think about it. If WVU hangs on to that late eightpoint lead in Lawrence, the Mountaineers would be one game out of the Big 12 lead. WVU is a 5-seed by both Lunardi and Palm.
4. Kansas State (19-8, 8-6): Heck of a coaching job by Bruce Weber. His team is in solid shape for fourth place, although the bracketologists aren’t as impressed — Lunardi has KSU an 11-seed, Palm has KSU a 10-seed.
5. Baylor (17-10, 7-7): The Bears have won five straight since a twopoint loss in Norman three weeks ago tonight. But Palm doesn’t even have Baylor in his field; Lunardi has the Bears an 11-seed.
6. TCU (18-9, 6-8): The bracketologists love the Frogs, for some reason. TCU is a 9-seed in Lunardi, an 8-seed in Palm. Seems high to me.
7. Texas (16-11, 6-8): The Longhorns had a tough nonconference schedule, too, they just didn’t navigate it as well as OU. That won’t matter if the Sooners don’t start winning. Looks like the Longhorns are getting better. Lunardi has UT a 12-seed, Palm has UT an 11-seed.
8. Oklahoma (16-11, 6-9): The Sooners haven’t won at Allen Fieldhouse since 1993. A whole lot of sins would’ve been forgiven if that changed Monday night.
9. Oklahoma State (15-12, 5-9): We could be headed for a Bedlam lid-lifter in the Big 12 Tournament, a first-round game at 6 p.m. on the first night of the tournament.
10. Iowa State (13-13, 4-10): The Big 12 still does not have a team with a losing record. That could change Wednesday night when the Cyclones host TCU.