Huskers asking to be had, Big-12 previews

The Black and Gold Truth said Iowa State was a game Colorado had to look at as a golden opportunity as a game that CU really had to exploit as it would be a rare opportunity to win in the conference.

Saturday in Lincoln is another one of those days. Yes, Nebraska is winning (11-5) and yes, it is a bear at home (8-0) but this is not a team that should make the Buffaloes look poorly on the scoreboard.

The Huskers lost at Iowa State, got handled at Oklahoma and has to be suffering with a lack of confidence right now. Come ready to play, get a jump on them early, hold that lead and make the home boys doubt themselves and who knows what can happen.

CU will have challenges, however, as it must defend center Alexs Maric (17.5 points per game and 7.6 rebounds), something Ricardo Patton must do to prevent easy points. Maric is inconsistent but talented and capable of hurting the Buffs in a big way. Jiri Hubalek played well in the middle for the Cyclones and forward Wesley Johnson rebounded with ease but ISU didn't get enough elsewhere to win. Once again, big man Marcus King-Stockton (pictured) is a marked man.

After Maric, Nebraksa does not have a standout player, which is part of its' problem. A bunch of people are capable and this team shoots the ball well, but no one is likely going to impose his will on the game.

Richard Roby needs to take advantage of his talent and the Huskers youth to score in bunches and effort players Dominque Coleman and Jermyl Jackson-Wilson have to produce.

When CU beat Iowa State and won at Utah earlier this season, they defended and held their own on the boards. It will have to do so again to win in Lincoln against a team ripe for the picking.

Around the Conference

No. 5 Kansas will take its' great potential and 16-2 record to Lubbock to face Bobby Knight's 13-5 Texas Tech team, which is 8-1 at home. The Jayhawks are undeniably good but they don't seem like a typical top-5 team. For all their talent, you still feel like they can be had, at least the way they are playing now.

No. 8 Texas A & M and its' defense will be tested at home as no. 12 Oklahoma State brings scorer supremes Mario Boggan and JamesOn Curry to College Station. The Aggies have yet to lose at home this season and are 15-2 overall. This game will go a long way towards defining both teams. The Cowboys win and they show that humbling loss at Kansas was but one game. Lose and their identity further becomes a fun group to watch but we can't take them seriously as a contender. If Texas A & M earns the victory then you have to be hungry to see them tackle Texas' offense and make reservations for the KU matchup. Lose and you wonder how overrated Billy Gillispie's team is?

No. 21 Texas will play out of conference with a road game at Villanova. Good for some Big 12 school who won't have to defend all that talent, primarily Kevin Durant.

Baylor, winless on the road this season, tries again as they travel to Norman to face improving Oklahoma and Kansas State is in Ames to face Iowa State, still stinging from their performance in Boulder.

In the pro game the Denver Nuggets play at Seattle tonight and when they do they will face former KU star and Big-12 Player of the Year, Nick Collison, a 6-foot-9 tower of power lately for the Sonics, finally showing he can play in the NBA. Over his last five games, Collison has averaged 20.4 points and 16.2 rebounds.

Sunday Best

Later this weekend, the BGT will bring you recaps of the conference games and then an evening column of notes about the Big 12, basketball on a national level and recruiting bits.

Have a say about the Big 12, about the coaching search or on recruiting? Have a question that needs answering? Ship it this way and the BGT will do all it can to get it answered by someone, some way and post it here. The box is thebgtruth@yahoo.com.

Final Note

Yes, it's women's basketball but if you are still frosted at Emily Waner dumping CU for Duke, here's an interesting read on ESPN.com.

The girl should be able to make her own decisions about her life and her commitment to the Buffs is not marriage, is not the military, it's college and students transfer from time-to-time. Her love of family, her last few years to be together with her sister before they go their separate ways as adults, her disenchantment with a fallen program are all her call and her right, at least if others expect to be able to have the final say on their lives.