Saturday Big 12 bites; Nuggets

Just because Colorado checked out early doesn't mean the show stops.

The other Big 12 school's met and decided the Big 12 Tournament must go on, even without the presence of the Buffs.

And so it did...

Second-ranked Kansas put the screws to Oklahoma, 64-47, winning with defense.
---The Jayhawks might be the best team in the country right now. They are playing with consistency and confidence and have the talent necessary to make a serious run. That said, KU's m.o. often is to prance instead of play once the stakes get high. The Jayhawks need Brandon Rush to step up and be the star he is if Bill Self's team is going to be someone come early next month. OU was competitive in Jeff Capel's first season but a lot of work still needs to be done.

Next up for KU is a game with its' cross-state rival (see below).

Kansas State, NCAA Tournament bound, blitzed Texas Tech, 66-45, as Lance Harris and Cartier Martin combined for 37 points while helping the Wildcats hold the Red Raiders to 32 percent shooting.
---Bob Huggins came to Manhattan with slick dripping off him but all he's done to this day is transform K-State into a team that looks like it has always been a winner and he's done it without any players punching horses or him going on drunken joy rides. Just wait until he brings more talent to Manhattan. Texas Tech just was terrible, what can you say. It still says here that it is going to the NCAA Tournament. Beating Texas A & M twice, Kansas once and winning 21 games earns the Red Raiders an invitation.

The Wildcats now draw KU, a team they have lost to 34 times in the last 35 games. If Huggins can get his team to believe in themselves, work hard for good shots and not get discouraged, they might be able to stay in the game.

Doubtful, but possible.

Seventh-ranked Texas A & M should be ashamed of itself, losing to punch-drunk Oklahoma State, 57-56. Disgraceful. Stick a fork in the Aggies. They were fading defensively down the stretch and now they lose to the Cowboys, the lost boys?
---What this game showed is when Acie Law is human, well, he just can't allow himself to be human as Texas A & M is but merely good, not very good. The Aggies played defense again in this game but only Joe Jones and Josh Carter got passing grades with their offense. Missing foul shots certainly didn't help (eight of 20).

The Cowboys have over 20 victories but likely were an NIT team until this game. If they merely play well in their next contest, they might get a pass on name recognition and conference affiliation and make the preferred party.

Texas rallied from 20 down to spit on Baylor, 74-69, as Kevin Durant went from chump back to Superman, scoring 24 of his 29 points in the second half on an eight-of-24 night from the floor.
---UT escaped, nothing more. With the win the Longhorns advance to play Oklahoma State.

A look ahead

Kansas vs. Kansas State
---The Wildcats are much improved and upsets are going down but not here. The Jayhawks are on cruise control and will advance.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State
---Texas got a scare but won and it also saw the Cowboys punk Texas A & M. The Longhorns will be ready to play early and win this game.

No fizz at Pepsi Center

Detroit came to town and unplugged the Denver offense, holding the dysfunctional Nuggets to 38 percent shooting in an easy 95-82 victory.

The geriatric knees of Chris Webber looked great as the Pistons' big man went for 20 points and nine rebounds, embarrassing Marcus Camby, despite his 13 rebounds and three blocks. Rasheed Wallace, one of the most overvalued players in the game, finished with 17 points and did something he rarely does, get dirty on the boards with 10. That Chauncey Billups' guy, where did he go to college again, hit for 16 points.

Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony were not good enough despite being paid a whole lotta love to do just that, ending up with a combined 36 points. Nene was invisible (seven points, seven rebounds) and the Nuggets looked hopeless moving the ball, throwing it away and any place but to a teammate.

NuggetsTruth: As bad as CU was this season, at least it wasn't being paid millions to look so poor. Thing is coach George Karl's job is likely safe. If it isn't his fault then it's time to go with the Denver Broncos' approach and reshuffle the deck, dumping dudes left and right and bringing in new blood.

Mad at me for being less than positive?

O.K., here's me trying -- Linas Kleiza goes for 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench. He's a developing bench player. Eddie "Senor Grit" Najera adds 11 more points off the bench, missing only one shot. Love him. He's a winner.

Do I pass?

If Graham, why not Billups

Former Denver high schooler and former Buff Daniel Graham came home to play professional football when he just signed a free-agent deal with the Denver Broncos.

So could Detroit Pistons' guard Chauncey Billups, a George Washington High School and Colorado legend, be next?

No.

But Mark Kiszla's column in the Friday newspaper was thought provoking. Why it likely would not go down are these reasons -- Denver ain't got no money and who's it going to trade for Smooth?

Marcus Camby or Nene, as Kiszla proposed?

Those two are so injury prone, you need to keep them both to protect yourself from being center-less in any given moment. Plus, Nene might need to cover for habitually broken down Kenyon Martin for the rest of Martin's contract.

Could Allen Iverson be dealt for Billups?

I'm no money-man, understanding how it all must match up but I will say this -- Billups is a better basketball fit in Denver than Iverson, no matter the wondrous talents of the waterbug that will be a Hall-of-Famer.

This Billups-to-Denver thought is just daydreaming, fantasizing and personally, when I do that, I prefer women.