Buffs leadership sloppy, Aggies tops

Colorado had before itself a winnable game, by all accounts.

A Nebraska team struggling, called out by its' coach and having 5:30 a.m. practices.

The result was a 71-50 Huskers' hammering of a sloppy, clueless Buffs' team.

The scouting report had to be stopping 6-foot-11 center Alexs Maric, Nebraska's top player, but all CU could do was watch him hit 10 of 12 shots and laugh his way to 28 points, making him look like a first-round NBA draft pick in the process. Maric's output was his highest output since the season opener -- against Nebraska-Omaha. Even this stiff wrote of the need to stop Maric. The Big Red center isn't quite yet regarded as Yao Ming or Dwight Howard.

Defenseless, as usual, the Buffs allowed the Huskers to shoot a glittering 50 percent from the floor, getting 18 more points from guard Jamel White.

Xavier Silas and Dominique Coleman combined for 25 points for Colorado. Richard Roby was on sabbatical, although the final tally does show him with 1 point. Must have been an honorary point awarded him for his past contributions to Big-12 basketball.

BGT: This was yet another unacceptable performance from this team in a lost season. How CU could not defend the post, not defend, period and be so fundamentally weak on offense is a mark of, how can this be said diplomatically -- coaching.

Do we really believe this collection of talent are Division II players? Do we think they belong playing recreational-league ball? How does Roby score but a solitary point, the Buffs run up but 13 in a half, against Nebraska of all teams, continue to be awful at the foul line and defenseless. Iowa State aside, maybe it is time for a change, for a certain head coach to step down and allow an assistant or interim coach of some type take over for the remainder of the season. For those who argue, and it has been done, that Dan Hawkins didn't take so much heat for his season, it can also be said that a) he did, b) his teams were more consistent and competitive and c) it was his first season at the helm. Yes, a program is allowed a down year. This, however, is not simply a down year, it's a disaster on all levels. Who's watch is it happening on? How did it get this bad? Was Ricardo Patton truly deserving of a contract extension before the season started?

Fifth-ranked Kansas, an enigma all season, went down hard in Lubbock, 69-64, to Texas Tech.

The Jayhawks have been winning with defense and overall talent but the Red Raiders were better defending and in a shocking stat, hit 15 of 20 free throws while KU attempted just four, making two.

Senior forward Darryl Dora scored a season-high 19 points to lead Texas Tech and Jarrius Jackson and Martin Zeno combined for 29.

Julian Wright led the Jayhawks with 12 but Brandon Rush shot just 4 of 16 on the day, something that can't happen to the team's alleged best player and leader.

BGT: Like mentioned in this space before, KU, despite its' record, is overrated. Way overrated. The talent is there but the chemistry just isn't. There also is no standout player leading the way. Rush isn't him. Wright isn't him either. Who is? This team will be good but it isn't a Final-4 group as many expected it could be at the beginning of the season. Bill Self's team is having to work, not just for wins, but to survive. There will be more days like these. The Red Raiders are stil unproven. To think this win means much is shortsighted.

Eighth-ranked Texas A & M is rising to the top of the conference, beating no. 12 Oklahoma State, 67-49. Not only are the the Aggies bullies on defense but they are easily the most consistent team in the Big 12. The latest to learn that lesson were the Cowboys, which were dominated yet again. First, KU did it, now Texas A & M. OSU is proving itself to be just a second-level group. Mario Boggan was cornered and held to 11 points. JamesOn Curry did score 20 but it wasn't near enough. For the winners, Acie Law led the way with 16, with Antanas Kavaliauskas and Joseph Jones combining for 27 more.

BGT: Billy Gillispie, right now, has the best team in the conference and is the best coach. His team is overachieving, showing his ability as a tactitian and motivator.

No. 21 Texas went its' own way and played out of conference, traveling East to meet Villanova.

Maybe that wasn't such a good idea as the Longhorns offense was finally checked in a 76-69 defeat. Kevin Durant, the hottest player in the land, looked, well, human, shooting 4 for 15 and finishing with 12 points, almost a third of what he's been averaging in Big-12 play.

Freshman point guard D.J. Augustin, a star already, did light up the Wildcats for 25 points and backcourt running mate A.J. Abrams added 19.

BGT: This is what the BGT has been talking about, UT is dangerous but is still too young to avoid games like this once in a while. That's o.k. now, but come postseason, one clunker and you go home. That's why the Horns will not go deep into March.

Oklahoma is starting to grow under the leadership of first-year coach Jeff Capel and Saturday's example was a 91-51 dismantling of Baylor down Norman way.

The Sooners shot 58 percent from the field while the Bears struggled to hit 31 percent.

Junior forward Nate Carter has been a star for OU all month and he kept riding that wave against Baylor with 22 points. Guard Michael Neal has finally been starting to come around and he finished with 16.

Curtis Jerrells had 15 points in the loss.

BGT: The Sooners don't have their usual talent and aren't a power this season but they are looking like a tough day at the office lately, with back-to-back dominant wins and three victories in their last four games. Only Texas stained that roll. All of this indicates that OU is going to be able to handle some business against the middle-of-the-pack teams and lower-tier schools this season. Whether they can pull an upset or two is the question. Baylor, after a fine start, is looking in over its' head, with four losses in five games.

Kansas State is rising and Iowa State is diving. The Wildcats went to Ames and handed the Cyclones another loss, 69-60, behind the stellar effort of swingman David Hoskins.

Hoskins scored 22 points and chased down 11 rebounds, a developing Lance Harris had 18 points and a suddenly-reborn Cartier Martin scored 17.

Mike Taylor finished with 21 for ISU and Jiri Hubalek went for 17 points and 10 boards.

BGT: Iowa State just isn't a team right now. Kansas State is starting to come together offensively under new coach Bob Huggins and on Saturday was stellar on the defensive end (36 percent). The talent level in Manhattan is going to go way up in the next couple of years but even now there is sufficient ability for Huggins to make a run for a postseason berth. Look for this team to be highly competitive as the season progresses. In another note, Cyclones' star freshman Wesley Johnson, with 10 double-doubles on the season, and four straight, was held to nine points and seven rebounds.

Final Note...a Sunday evening column full of Big 12 and national basketball with some football recruiting stories. Next week, an interview will be posted that the BGT was able to have this past week with Tom Kensler of the Denver Post.