The Big 12 season

is about 2/3 of the way over. Here's what I know:

-Kansas and Texas are in a different stratosphere.
-Iowa State is worse than I thought.
-Kansas State is worse than 99% of the country thought.

Here were my predictions on the eve of conference play starting.


Here's how we look with 5 or 6 games left for everyone:

1) Texas (10-0, predicted finish last month: 2nd): The Longhorns have looked other-worldy for most of Big 12 play, beating Missouri and Kansas by double digits and sweeping Texas A&M. A No.1 seed looks to be in the cards with 6 games left and the Big 12 tournament remaining. Prediction: Final Four

2) Kansas (9-1, 1st): Kansas has won its last 5 games by a combined 92 points. The only road block remaining looks to be the March 5th matchup in Columbia with Mizzou. Prediciton: Final Four

This is where it gets interesting. Teams 3-8 are all within 2 games of one another.

3) Texas A&M (6-4, 4th): A&M was embarrassed twice by Texas by a combined 41 points. Losses to Nebraska and Colorado don't help either. Prediction: NCAA 2nd round.

4) Baylor (6-5, 6th):Lacedarius Dunn can score with the best of them, getting 21 points a game. If he decided to pass every once in a while the Bears could be a lot more dangerous. Freshman Perry Jones is a future NBA big man that no one has heard of because of Dunn's separation anxiety with Mr. Wilson. Prediciton: NCAA 2nd round.

5) Missouri (5-5, 3rd): Missouri's problems are pretty cut and dry. They don't win on the road. Call it coaching, lack of discipline, or a lack of calls they can't get away from Columbia. I don't know, but I hope they know the NCAA tournament isn't played at Mizzou arena. Prediction: NCAA 2nd round.

6) Colorado (5-6, 10th): I missed on this one. Alec Burks is better than I thought, and the Buffs look to be a year away from doing damage in the new Pac-12. They might not get that chance, though. Burks has said he's leaving early if projected as an NBA lottery pick. He's 18th here. Prediction: NIT.

7) Nebraska (4-6, 8th): They can't score, but the Huskers have the Big 12's best defense and the 10th best defense in the country. Head coach Doc Sadler might need an NCAA tourney appearance to save his job, however. He's failed to make the big dance, and with Nebraska's move to the Big 10 next year, I think AD Tom Osborne wants to start fresh in 2011-2012. Prediction: NIT.

8) Oklahoma State (4-6, 12th): The Cowboys aren't as bad as I thought, but they aren't that good either. Their best win was a 76-60 defeat of Missouri on Feb. 3rd. Sitting at 16 wins, they'll probably need 6 more to make the tournament. But with games with Texas, Texas A&M, Kansas, and Baylor remaining, that ain't happening. Prediciton: NIT.

9) Kansas State (4-6, 5th): From No. 3 to NIT. I knew the loss of Denis Clemente was going to severly hamper the Wildcats' hopes of repeating last year's Elite 8 run. It has, and the wheel's have been falling off the last few months. Dominique Sutton transferred. Former McDonald's AA Wally Judge flat-out quit. Then last night, when Rodney McGruder apparently nailed a 3-pointer to drop Colorado, it was .01 second late. It's been that kind of season in Manhattan. Prediction: NIT.

10) Oklahoma (4-6, 9th): Jeff Capel isn't a great coach unless he has future NBA stars on his Roster. The only decent conference wins have come over Baylor and Colorado. I don't see things in Norman improving anytime soon. Prediciton: CBI

11) Texas Tech (3-7, 11th): Alright, I get it. Pat Knight's dad is an all-time great coach. Unfortunately, none of those skills got passed down to his son. Knight hasn't done anything since taking over for Bob in Lubbock. He's got to go after this season. Prediciton: Watching the tourney on CBS.

12) Iowa State: (1-9, 7th): "The mayor" Fred Hoiberg is struggling in his first season coaching in the Big 12. He's got one of the smallest rotations in the country, and he has about 15 guys who transferred to ISU and are sitting out this season because of NCAA rules. Next year will be better in Ames. Prediciton: CBI.