What Would You Do With a Million Dollars...

Here is an answer to that age old question from someone who will soon have to make these kind of choices. However I am not sure his choices would be at the top of my list.

Big 12 Tourney

With the Jayhawks off for a few more days, this seems like a good time to start taking a look at the conference tournament and how it might play out. It is important to keep in mind though, that the only team this really has any bearing on is Texas A&M as anything short of a four day run to the title will not be good enough for the rest. Aside from that, it's just seeding.

Round One – Thursday

G1. 8. Tech v. 9. OSU: Thursday kicks off with what is presumably the best first round game and for a chance to play Texas. With the way things have been going, I'm inclined to say OSU will take this one, as Pat Knight's team seems completely unable to play outside of Lubbock. But then again, Sean Sutton is involved and even though his team far outplayed Texas the other day, they lost because they decided to jack up 28 three's, making a paltry 6. The pick: OSU

G2. 5. Baylor v. 12. Colorado: Ok, so maybe this game matters also. Baylor is firmly in the tourney right now, probably around the 9 line, but with the early upsets this week, they can ill-afford a bad loss to lowly Colorado. And since they won by 11 in Boulder, I'll go out on a limb and say they'll be fine Thursday as well, setting up another game with OU. The pick: Baylor

G3. 7. Nebraska v. 10. Methzou: Nebraska really is a mystery. Not that they were ever mistaken to be good (by this blog), but if they had not completely soiled themselves a couple of times (@CU, BU, MO) and if Aleks Maric could have caught that ball at Texas, they would at the very least be bubble worthy. As it stands, they get to play a meaningless game against Methzou for the right to play Kansas on Friday. This is a tough pick as both teams won on the other's court. The pick: Methzou

G4. 6. Texas A&M v. 11 ISU: Now this is a MUST-WIN for A&M. All the prognosticators out there have A&M in (comfortably) and though I think they're plenty good enough, 8-8 in the Big 12 doesn't scream lock to me. And I don't see any possible way they get in if they lose to ISU in this one. If they were my team, I'd be all over them to beat KSU the next day as well. The pick: A&M

Round 2 – Friday

G5. 1. Texas v. OSU/Tech winner: In Texas' last 3 they lost to Tech and struggled mightily at home against OSU and Nebraska, but I just can't see them losing this game. Then again, assuming OSU wins, they're playing with some confidence and if it comes down to end, Eaton can be dangerous (all of a sudden). The pick: Texas

G6. 4. Oklahoma v. BU/CU winner: I don't even know why, but I like Baylor here. Oklahoma (and it's trainers) have impressed me all year long, but they absolutely stole 2 games (@ Tech, BU) and I have a hunch Baylor wants this one a bit more. The pick: Baylor

G7. 2. Kansas v. NU/MU winner: Hopefully this 5 day break won't slow the momentum the Jayhawks have had recently, and even if it does, they should be fine. I suppose rivalry games are always tough, but KU has played poorly twice against them this year and come out victorious in both. The pick: Kansas

G8. 3. KSU v. A&M/ISU winner: Since I mentioned above how much of a must Thursday is for A&M, we'll go ahead and assume they take care of business. If so, it could set up a great game Friday night as they'll be looking for some revenge as they were humiliated in Manhattan and, in my opinion, need the win. KSU, on the other hand, has Michael Beasley and his four cell phones and he and Walker just seem like awful matchups for A&M, but what the hell. The pick: A&M

Semi-Finals – Saturday

G9. Winners from G5 and G6: Since I went with Texas and Baylor, that's what we'll use here. I again have a weird feeling that Baylor is going to be tough here. Texas seems to be playing a bit tired lately and after a (possibly) tough game with OSU, I think Baylor may come out and dominate the first half. But can they hold the lead? The pick: Baylor

G10. Winners from G7 and G8: Again, I went with KU and A&M, so we'll do the same here. As we saw Saturday in College Station, the Hawks are clearly the better team here and this time the crowd will be in their favor. I'm not sure they'll outscore them 44-12 in the paint again, but I also doubt they'll go 2-11 from three either. The pick: Kansas

Championship – Sunday

You've probably taken the liberty of assuming that I've gone with a Baylor/Kansas match-up, but here's the confirmation. These teams played once this year, with Kansas winning 100-90 in Allen Fieldhouse, without ever hitting a three. Strange game. But since no team has ever won 4 in a row and Kansas is playing uber-confident lately, I'll say the Hawks make it three in a row. I know you're shocked. The pick: Kansas

You don't want to base too much on three games (2 of them home), but after watching Kansas over the last 2 weeks, I just don't see them losing this weekend. And more than ever, I hope they don't. I always watch with the same intensity, but I typically could care less what happens in the Big 12 tournament, because rest is always an issue. This year is the exception as I don't want anything damaging the swagger they have right now. For the first 20 games, they played with this swagger and looked basically unbeatable. For whatever reason, the loss in the Rotten Apple knocked them down a couple of pegs for a while. But even then, since their only loss for the next few weeks was to a good Texas team in Austin, nothing was done until they lost a lifeless game in Stillwater. Since then, they have looked focused, pissed off and confident. Needless to say, I don't want that to change.

While we're here, we may as well predict where each of these teams is going to end up.

Kansas - #1 seed
Texas - #2 seed
KSU - #8 seed
Oklahoma - # 9 seed
Baylor - #7 seed
Texas A&M - # 9 seed

OSU – NIT
Tech – NIT
Nebraska - CBI
Methzou – CBI

ISU – Ames
Colorado - Boulder

Can This Continue?

I sure as shit hope so. If anyone tells you they saw this coming after the Okie State loss, they are lying beyond belief. In two weeks, Kansas has played four games, 2 road and 2 at home – and never been threatened in any of them. In fact, the closest game was in Ames and it was never in doubt.All of a sudden, Sherron Collins is exactly what he was during the last half of the conference season a year ago; and it has come at the perfectly opportune time. The seniors, Rusty in particular, have taken on a beautiful “fuck you” attitude that is permeating through everyone else on the team (see: Brandon Rush dunking on Brian Davis). And when that happens, no team in the country can beat this team.

I’ve said for a while now that I’d be shocked if a team outside of KU, UCLA or UNC won it all. And as we head into the conference tourneys, I honestly can’t imagine an objective or reasonable person could disagree. Which probably means Adam Emmenecker and Drake should make travel plans for San Antonio. But either way, we’re heading for an inevitable week of bracket breakdowns where the chic pick is UCLA/UNC, with some analysts going out on a limb and putting KU in the mix. Quite obviously, I think Kansas is the best team from top to bottom, but I’d have no legitimate reason to argue with either of the others.

What I do hope is that none of them are put in the same region. It seems pretty safe to say that aside from a first round conference tourney loss, UCLA as the 1 in the West and UNC as the 1 in the East is locked up. And after a grueling C-USA season that will ultimately provide Memphis with 19 free wins, they’re most likely the 1 in the South (or at least the Midwest). Tennessee is the wild card as they still have to go through a “tough” SEC conference tourney. If they stumble while Kansas wins theirs, I’d say they’ll switch spots, but if both win out, the Vols have likely done a bit more tangibly; plus they have Bruce Pearl, which bumps them up at least a line or two above where they deserve to be (see: 2006 as a 2 seed – beaten handily by Wichita State in 2nd round). And to be honest, I could care less. But assuming the Hawks don’t get a 1 seed, there is no possible defense for not making them the 2 in either the Midwest or the South. Agreed? I thought so.

As for the rest of the league, I’d say only A&M still has work to do. Perhaps OSU could play their way into contention with a win today and a couple in KC, but it seems highly unlikely given their poor non-con showing (thought they did hammer the same Washington team that UCLA was beaten by). As for the Aggies, finishing 8-8 in the league with home losses to Nebraska, OSU and Baylor doesn’t scream lock status, but with 2 wins in the tourney, I’d put them in. A first round loss would be inexcusable and clearly eliminate them, but if they win there, they’ll then have to go through the Bease to get their second win. If they’re able to do that, they will likely play Kansas (or Texas), against whom they couldn’t be blamed for a loss. At that point, they’d be 24-10 (10-9), with 4 of those losses coming to KU, UT and Arizona. They also still hold a blowout victory over bubble counterpart aOSU. Still definitely not a lock, but if I’m a 5 or 6 seed, I don’t want them as my 11 or 12 opponent.

Kudos to the other three teams for solidifying their status over the weekend. OU especially impressed me winning in GIA without Blake Griffin. And KSU again proved that they are capable of winning outside of the Rotten Apple, which they clearly needed before the postseason. And a special shout out to Baylor, who clearly has put their notorious past behind them and exceeded the popular expectations, though they were right on with this blog’s. (Note: To the announcer who said Kevin Rogers is the most improved player in the league, you made everyone watching that telecast a bit less intelligent by simply making that comment. Even if Darnell Jackson and Conner Atchley weren’t the most improved in the nation, let alone the league, Kevin Rogers would still be horribly inaccurate as he was damn good last year too – I’d even guess that some figured he would be even more productive this year.)

Before we go, I must present to you, Brian Zoubek...

That’s all for today as I’m typing this on a plane and a lovely stewardess has ordered me to turn off my electronics as there is no conceivable way a pilot could land with electronic equipment running in the cabin of his plane. Enjoy the Sprint Center if you are able; and as always, Rock Chalk!

**Post-edit** Congrats to all KU players honored by the Big 12 conference. Some interesting selections, but good overall representation.

Basketball and championships, that's what Kansas does!

51 Conference Championships, 4 straight Big 12 Regular Season Championships, that is all...for now

Now That's My Rusty!

So despite it being March and Kansas playing as well as they have all season, we here at IBT have apparently forgot about our own blog. Sorry about that. But then again, sometimes less is more, and especially when you have a post up that proved fairly prophetic, perhaps not replacing it with something that's entirely wrong isn't a bad idea. But then again, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least share a few thoughts about what has transpired lately and what is to come.

As for Saturday, I could not have picked a better time to return to the Phog. Considering the lack of marquee games there this year, I couldn't be happier about the ones I have been able to attend (NAU, Arizona and KSU). Obviously, Arizona was the best game of the year, NAU was NAU, and Saturday was incredible. Even when I used to be able to go to nearly every game, I would always get chills during the opening video, but on Saturday they never went away (with the possible exception of the foul induced bore that was the last 6 minutes of the first half). Clearly I would have loved to be at every game this year, but the one I'll truly regret missing was Monday. After that game, I have never felt stronger about their chances to hang a new banner in the Fieldhouse. Sure, they could go down to College Station, lay an egg and I'll again be apprehensive about things, but in my opinion, the senior leadership on this team has never been more evident. Granted they won't have the same fan support the rest of the way, absolutely no one could have beaten them on Saturday or Monday. And that's what you want (and they had been missing) – the attitude that "there's no fucking way we're losing this game!"

I don't have a whole lot to say about Saturday, because A&M isn't giving me much to work with. How they can beat Tech by 44 points and then only put up 37 in Norman is truly unbelievable. Clearly, they are a much better team in College Station, but then again, how do you explain the Nebraska loss? So if anyone tells you they know how this game will go, punch them in the brain and tell them they're lying. Personally though, I don't see how they don't come out as fired up as they've been all year for a couple of reasons. 1) It's Kansas. And even if some teams don't want to admit it, they (and their fans) get more up for Kansas games than any other. 2) They NEED the win. Whether they lose @ Baylor tomorrow (my guess) or not, they'll desperately need this win for tournament consideration (or at least seeding). But let's not forget that Kansas is playing to win the Big XII and these seniors have never fallen short of that feat (albeit they didn't play a role in the 1st one).

As for the rest of the conference, who said at the beginning that this league was extremely middle-heavy and jumbled? OK, probably a lot of people. But you definitely saw it here as well. With less than a week to go, there are truly only two tournament locks, but six others have a feasible chance of getting in. Here's how I see it panning out…

1. KSU (19-10, 9-6) Remaining: @ ISU – tried playing their way out, but with a marketable player like Beasley, even if they lose to ISU and their first tourney game, they’re still sneaking in.

2. Baylor (20-8, 8-6) Remaining: v A&M, @ Tech - Success stories also have a way of finding their way in. Couple that with their current 8-6 record and I’ll give them the nod. As long as they win 1 of their last 2 and 1 in the tourney, they’ll be fine.

3. Oklahoma (19-10, 7-7) Remaining: @ OSU, v. Methzou – Injuries have killed this team, but they just don’t go away and that will get them good consideration with the committee. Winning in GIA without Blake Griffin seems tough, but as long as they beat Methzou, they’ll be in.

4. Texas A&M (21-8, 7-7) Remaining: @ Baylor, v. Kansas – Well they’ve got every chance to make it in, but can they do it? Truth be told, no one has a clue. Personally, I see them losing both, but winning 1 or 2 in the tourney and sneaking in…but I have no idea why.

5. OSU (16-12, 7-7) Remaining: v. OU, @ UT – Amazingly, a Sean Sutton coached team is playing semi-smart and even winning on the road. But it’s probably too little too late, which is unfortunate, because they’re playing well right now.

6. Texas Tech (16-13, 7-8) Remaining: Baylor – Personally, I think they’re done, but if they beat another quality bubble team in Baylor, finish 8-8 and win at least 1 in the tourney, they’ll be in the discussion. I’d say nothing short of the semis gets it done though.

So all in all, I ‘d say the league gets 6 bids, which is about right. And especially with 8 in the discussion, it’s a great improvement from last year’s 4 (5 in discussion), because before Maric dropped a steal last night, Nebraska was ready to tie/beat Texas in Austin and could have warranted discussion also. Needless to say, the Sprint Center should be awesome.

Here’s a few links before we go…

I’m sure you’ve seen it, but here’s the latest Bracketology. I hate you Joe Lunardi.

From Vegas Watch, the odds on national champions. It’s about what you’d expect, but certainly worth a look and you’re sure to disagree with a few.

In case you’re not planning to be in enough brackets already, here’s the entry at Storming the Floor. Not the best prizes, unfortunately. But that’s what happens in free pools.

Pretty good stuff here...

Welcome to the Good Life

I know a lot of Diggers on-air persona is just an act, he seems to be an alright guy off screen however. Man does he have a sweet gig though and he sure seems to have fun with it...

Comin' Home Again

First off, sorry for the extreme lack of posting this week. Between this whole work thing and trying to get things in order for a visit to the Fieldhouse this week, things have been pretty hectic. But all in better now, as I have tomorrow off, Erin Andrews will be in Lawrence this weekend, and the Hawks are back to their winning ways.

Some of you may not be thrilled about an 11 point win over a 14-14 Iowa State team, but just know a few things:
- In the middle of this tear Texas has been on, ISU handled them for 38 minutes, only to fall in overtime.
- Danny Manning never won in Ames
- It was a conference road win – never anything to sneeze at
- And most importantly, from Bill Self, "I do think this was big, but I don't think we're back where we were. I don't think you go from playing poorly to playing great consistently. I think it's a process, and it was a great start."

Sure we all would have loved it if Kansas would have come out and buried Iowa State like they did Boston College or Nebraska, but in reality, that just wasn't going to happen. For one, Ames is a tough place to play (Note: Can you believe that with their team, they are second only to KU in attendance this year?! Those Texas fans really love their basketball!). But more importantly, the Jayhawks aren't quite yet hitting on all cylinders.

The other side of that though, is how perfectly it sets up for them to breakout on Saturday. Despite letting ISU hang around a bit more than we all would have liked, every time they made a run, Kansas knocked down a shot, took the momentum back and was truly never threatened – which is how good teams win on the road. When you look at the factors leading up to gametime, they should be pretty fired up.
- They seemed to have some of their swagger back
- Texas will be coming off a loss (@ Tech, 3 pm CST), so KU will have a chance to reclaim a tie for 1st
- Erin Andrews will be there
- And most of all, they'll be in the Fieldhouse!

After a rough stretch, what better environment to come back to than playing the Wildcats (read: Michael Beasley) in Allen Fieldhouse with the Gameday crew in attendance? Rock Chalk!

And just because of how happy it made me to hear Coach say it, and because I'm so rarely right, how about this quote from Self,"We have been impatient of late because I think individuals are saying ‘I need to go make a play’ as opposed to thinking ‘We need to go have a great possession.'" Sound familiar? So maybe his description was a bit more succinct than mine, but it's the same message and it's one that needs to be hammered home with them. Now, onto the players.

Chalmers: I have long thought him to be the most integral player on the team and never more so than last night. The way he attacked early and played with the swagger that makes him so much better was infectious and set the tone for the rest of the game. Defensively though, it wasn't his best night. I think he's been getting frustrated that he hasn't been able to get into the passing lanes lately and tried to force the issue a bit, leaving him out of position a couple of times.

Rush: I really think he's back to being the best on-ball defender on the team. Rahshon Clark doesn't exactly have an offensive arsenal, but he got exactly zero good looks last night with Rush on him. Offensively, his three point shot was as pretty as ever, but he did pass up on some pretty good looks. Best play of the night for him though was when he went to the basket at about the 7 minute mark and hit that floater as he got fouled – more of that. Love this quote,“They should have trapped the post. Still, the outcome was going to be the same no matter what.”

Robinson: I loved the effort. 10 rebounds for a 6'1" PG is never an easy feat. And the five assists are about where he should be. But I still think he's forcing the issue offensively (0-4), when that is just not is need from him.

Collins: As was re-iterated by both himself and Coach last night that was the best he's looked in quite a while. Box score says he had 4 turnovers, but he really seemed to play within himself a lot better.

Arthur: As Keegan so eloquently pointed out this morning (talk about an out of date parallel), the obvious key to his success is him staying on the floor. ISU doesn't exactly have a bevy of inside forces, but I have no reservations about assuming that any time he plays 31 minutes, he'll be in the vicinity of 18 & 10. And when he is, this team is really tough to beat.

Jackson: This wasn't the stat stuffing night I expected out of him, but I have no big complaints either. The shot when dribbling at the top of the key was bad and neither turnover was good, but when DA plays 31 minutes, 7 & 8 should be plenty from Darnell.

Kaun: Apparently his back is hurt, but I didn't really notice it last night. Aside from the shot from 6 feet that nearly broke the backboard, I thought he played really well. As always, I could use more than 2 rebounds from a 6'10" monster.

Aldrich: Not much to say here. Rebounded well (2 in 4 minutes), as always. I think that was the first time I saw him take a jump shot and unfortunately, it looked exactly like his release from the free throw line. Which is to say, one that works nicely when no one is moving, but not ideal for game speed.

Self: Not much to say here, either. I thought he did a good job with the rotation. The team generally made a play out of a timeout. And most importantly, when ISU tried to put some pressure on them, they kept them at a safe distance. Would really love to see some semblance of a play with the clock running down though.

As if it weren't clear already, I'm very pleased with last night. I hated how stagnant the offense got in the middle of the second half. I really hate how this team seems either not have (or not trust) any clock plays except the wing handoff to Mario. But I thought they played with a purpose, while also staying under control which is exactly what good teams should do on the road. Now, along with Bill Self, "…I’d be totally disappointed if it wasn’t an unbelievable effort game for us...a great effort game for us.” I expect even more energy, hustle in bigger games, starting with the one this Saturday.

I'd also like to throw this little nugget out there, courtesy of Bill Simmons discussing Beasley, "...it's hard to judge someone accurately when they're playing for the most incompetent and unlikable coach in Division I (the woefully overmatched and possibly homicidal Frank Martin)." Sounds about right.

This week's Power 16. Dick Vitale apparently has not watched basketball recently. He has Kansas at #7 (fine) and Texas at #11. Excuse, you?

And this is way off topic, but it's a pretty good Combine write-up.