In another lifetime, I had an alter ego on local radio known as Dr. Brackets. The good doctor would make “house calls” to help folks with limited knowledge of college basketball fill out their brackets and minimize the financial risks.
He may come out of retirement Monday to help our dear readers. What I realized after watching my beloved Baylor Bears and the Iowa State (Bomb) Cyclones on Thursday is that Steve Prohm may have done the worst coaching job in the country.
I have no idea how this team was swept in the regular season by the Bears and Frogs. This Cyclones went 9-9 in conference play, but have a chance to make the Sweet 16.
Iowa State was 13-of-25 from three-point range Thursday while burying the fourth-place Bears, 83-66. I believe Scott Drew was the best coach in the conference this season, but he had no answers for this onslaught. The Cyclones have so much more talent than third-place Kansas right now, it’s not close.
In the “bubble watch,” TCU, Texas and Oklahoma are all in the mix. I’m told the Sooners beating Wofford helps their case, but this is not a good Lon Kruger team that finished 7-11 in conference play. Blowing out Kansas in Norman isn’t what it normally would’ve been.
Texas is now 16-16 after Thursday’s 65-57 loss to Kansas. There’s never been a .500 team in the NCAA Tournament, and this Horns team isn’t worthy of being the first. Warm up the bus for an NIT run.
That leaves Jamie Dixon’s Frogs, who came out of a deep slumber to beat Texas and Oklahoma State before losing to the Big 12 co-champs, Kansas State. Desmond Bane is one of my favorite players in the conference because of his ability to take over games at any time.
I just don’t think this team is deep enough to do an ounce of damage in the tourney. Dixon has been undermined by injuries and transfers. This is a good program that simply had a down season. Despite Jamie’s coaching pedigree, I don’t see TCU sneaking into the field. It’s a shame because this team is better than Oklahoma, but these things happen.
Texas Tech is the one team in the conference with a legitimate chance at a deep run despite Thursday’s surprising loss to West Virginia. The Red Raiders have a lottery pick in Jarrett Culver to go along with one the best defenses in the nation. I absolutely believe Tech could make life miserable for some of these top seeds, such as Virginia and Gonzaga.
Chris Beard is a tremendous coach and I hope he doesn’t give in to the same temptation that brought down Billy Clyde Gillespie when he departed College Station for Lexington. Texas could money-whip Beard, but basketball is not a priority in Austin.
The Big 12 is a great basketball conference, but Tech is the only thing close to a complete team. Bruce Weber did a wonderful job this season, but Kansas State doesn’t function well without the injured Dean Wade, who showed up in Kansas City on crutches.
Baylor will enter the tournament as a No. 8 or 9 seed. Former Yale great Makai Mason always gives the Bears a chance, but running up against Gonzaga in the second round would likely be curtains for the season. Big 12 analyst Fran Fraschilla says Baylor could be “sneaky great” next season, but this season’s team relies a little too heavily on the three ball to make a deep run.
Feel free to follow Joe Lunardi until the tournament field is announced. Then it’s time to follow your true leader, Dr. Brackets.
