A jet plane around Big 12 courts

Big 12 Notes

When isn't Kansas' roster not loaded with prep All Americans? Yet the Jayhawks always seem to underachieve in the NCAA Tournament. This year's team is stacked, as usual but losses to Oral Roberts and today, DePaul make you wonder what's coming down the pike. Freshman forward Darrell Arthur (15 points and 6.4 rebounds), a 6-foot-9, 230-pound Texan might be the Jayhawks best performer but consistency is needed to prove it.

Oklahoma State doesn't seem to be missing former coach Eddie Sutton too much as the Cowboys are cruising along without a loss, thanks to bruising Mario Boggan, a 6-foot-7, 235-pound rock down low and junior guard JamesOn Curry, a one-time North Carolina commit. Boggan bashes opponents for 20 points and seven rebounds while Curry shoots them down from the perimeter to the tune of 18 points a game.

Texas was expected to struggle this season after losing a bulk of its' starting lineup and that has been the case, even with the presence of super freshman Kevin Durant, a 6-foot-9 scoring machine. Durant has been as advertised with 23.3 points and 9.5 rebounds. Helllllllo NBA! A.J. Abrams, a sophomore mighty mite, has been an explosive scorer (17.9).

Texas A & M is unbeaten, too and it's no surprise with Billy Gillespie as coach and senior guard Acie Law running the show but it is puzzling how the Aggies are getting it done with big men Joseph Jones and Antanas Kavaliauskas. Jones 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds (15.1 points and 5.1 rebounds) and Kavaliauskas, 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds (12 points and six rebounds) are special with the ball in their hands and soft without it. They rebound like you and I would down at the Y.

Baylor also remains unblemished largely on the strength of being effective on offense despite a young team. Sophomore guards Henry Dugat (14.6 points per game) and Curtis Jerrells (13.7 ppg) lead the way and fellow sophomore, forward Kevin Rogers (12.6 ppg and close to eight rebounds a contest) is also developing into a force.

Kansas State might be somebody again nationally one day soon but new coach Bob Huggins still has work to do, at least until mega-recruits Bill Walker and Michael Beasley hit the court. Saturday's loss to Colorado State, coupled with a blowout loss to California preceding that shows the Cats haven't quite grasped Huggins' demand for defense. The more games K-State plays under Huggins the more it will resemble his past teams.

Oklahoma is off to a slow start under new coach Jeff Capel but the Sooners are not without talent, especially in the middle, where junior center Longar Longar, at 6-foot-11, roams and is getting noticed, averaging 13.5 points and seven rebounds. In a sport without many true centers, OU has one, a good one. In fact, the Big 12 compares to any conference with it's "bigs."

Nebraska is feeling optimistic due to huge junior center, Alexs Maric, a 6-foot-11, 270-pounder who averages 20.7 points while being an effective rebounder at over eight a game. Freshman guard Ryan Anderson complements Maric by hitting for 13.5 points a contest.

BlackandGold Truth...by the way, Wichita State, who earlier won at then sixth-ranked LSU, traveled to Syracuse and beat the Orangemen Saturday. Trust me, the Shockers are hardly handsome when it comes to talent. They win with defense, team cohesion and coaching. Think what coach Mark Turgeon could do with Colorado's roster. Turgeon and Gonzaga's Mark Few, both BlackandGoldBreakdown ENDORSED.