Crowded field is ready for the stretch run
HOUSTON — There are distractions at every corner, whether it’s a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, talk of being a national title contender, or a Big 12 title so close that the University of Houston can almost touch it.
Frankly, it can be so exhausting that coach Kelvin Sampson says all he can do is “fight like heck to keep them in the moment.”
“What it’s always been is focus on what’s in front of you and not what’s ahead of you,” Sampson said on the ESPN broadcast after UH took over sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with a 73-65 win over sixthranked Iowa State on Monday night.
Then Sampson got a chuckle when Sportscenter host Scott Van Pelt reminded him the next game is Saturday against No. 11 Baylor in Waco.
“No celebration, but we’ll feel good about this one,” Sampson said.
Get ready for more possible distractions.
With top-ranked Uconn having lost to Creighton on Tuesday night, a win Saturday could propel the Cougars into the No. 1 spot in both national polls.
And with nine Quad 1 victories — tied with Uconn and Purdue for the most in the country — Houston is certainly worthy
of being in the discussion for the tournament’s top overall seed.
A look at the top challengers for a conference title as the Big 12 enters the final five games of the regular season:
Houston
Record: 23-3, 10-3 Big 12.
Remaining games (5): at Baylor (Saturday), vs. Cincinnati (Tuesday), at Oklahoma (March 2), at UCF (March 6), vs. Kansas (March 9).
Remaining opponents' winning percentage: .672.
Overview: “Different league, same results,” selection
committee chairman Charles Mcclelland said as UH was the No. 1 seed in the South Regional during the NCAA’S early bracket reveal. Four of the Cougars’ final five games are Quad 1 games, and the other (at home against Cincinnati) is a Quad 2, which offers the Cougars plenty of chances to enhance their résumé.
Iowa State
Record: 20-6, 9-4 Big 12 (1 game back).
Remaining games (5): vs. West Virginia (Saturday), vs. Oklahoma (Wednesday), at UCF (March 2), vs. BYU (March 6), at Kansas State (March 9).
Remaining opponents' winning percentage: Overview:
.574.
Even with Monday night’s loss to Houston, the Cyclones remain in good shape for at least a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State is top-10 in the NET rankings and Kenpom.com, two metrics used by the NCAA selection committee.
Baylor
Record: 19-7, 8-5 Big 12 (2 games back).
Remaining games (5): vs. Houston (Saturday), at TCU (Monday), vs. Kansas (March 2), vs. Texas (March 4), at Texas Tech
(March 9). Remaining opponents' winning percentage: Overview:
.746.
Baylor has arguably the toughest remaining path, with games against No. 2 Houston, No. 9 Kansas, Texas and TCU — all at Foster Pavilion — and a road game at Lubbock against No. 23 Texas Tech to end the regular season. The Bears probably need to win out to have any chance.
Kansas
Record: 20-6, 8-5 Big 12 (2 games back).
Remaining games (5): vs. Texas (Saturday), vs. BYU (Tuesday), at Baylor (March 2), vs. Kansas State (March 5), at Houston (March 9).
Remaining opponents' winning percentage: .715.
Overview: Never count out the Jayhawks, who have won 17 of 20 regular-season Big 12 titles under coach Bill Self. Three of the remaining games are at Allen Fieldhouse, where Kansas is almost unbeatable.
Texas Tech
Record: 19-7, 8-5 Big 12 (2 games back).
Remaining games (5): at UCF (Saturday), vs. Texas (Tuesday), at West Virginia (March 2), at Oklahoma State (March 5), vs. Baylor (March 9).
Remaining opponents' winning percentage: .539.
Overview: After grinding out a tough win over TCU on Tuesday, the Red Raiders might have the easiest remaining schedule of any of the contenders. Three of the final games are against Big 12 bottom feeders West Virginia, Oklahoma State and UCF.
BYU
Record: 19-7, 7-6 Big 12 (3 games back). Remaining games (5): at Kansas State (Saturday), at Kansas (Tuesday), vs. TCU (March 2), at Iowa State (March 6), vs. Oklahoma State (March 9).
Remaining opponents' winning percentage: Overview:
.651.
BYU needs a lot of help. Plus, the schedule is unforgiving with games against Kansas State, Kansas, TCU and Iowa State.
TCU
Record: 18-8, 7-6 Big 12 (3 games back). Remaining games (5): vs. Cincinnati (Saturday), vs. Baylor (Monday), at BYU (March 2), at West Virginia (March 6), vs. UCF (March 9)
Remaining opponents' winning percentage: Overview:
.594
Back-toback losses to Cincinnati and Iowa State by a combined five points and Tuesday’s 82-81 loss at Tech may leave TCU’S fan base asking what-if. A bye in the Big 12 tournament is still on the table.