BIG 12 TEAM CAPSULES
Baylor Bears (12-2)
Coach: Scott Drew (sixth season at BU; 89-93 career, 69-82 at BU)
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 21-11/9-7 (T-4th)
AP ranking: No. 23
Key Players: G Curtis Jerrells, 6-1, sr., 16.7 ppg, 6.2 apg, 1.6 spg; G LaceDarius Dunn, 6-4, soph., 15.9 ppg; G Henry Dugat, 6-0, sr., 13.8 ppg, 3.1 apg, 2.3 spg; F Kevin Rogers, 6-9 sr., 12.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg.
Player to watch: Freshman Quincy Acy is shooting over 70 percent from the floor and leads the Bears with 19 blocks.
Best win: 87-78 vs. Arizona State
Worst loss: 85-84 vs. South Carolina at home.
Play A&M: Jan. 14 at A&M; Feb. 14 at BU
Prediction: Defense must improve to challenge for league title. 3rd in Big 12, NCAA berth.
Colorado Buffaloes (8-6)
Coach: Jeff Bzdelik (second season at CU; 95-73 overall, 20-26 at CU)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 12-20/3-13 (12th)
Key Players: G Cory Higgins, 6-5, soph., 17.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.6 spg; G Nate Tomlinson, 6-2, fr. 9.3 ppg, G Dwight Thorne II, 6-2, jr. 12.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg.
Player to watch: Freshman Austin DuFault is getting more minutes every game. He adds needed size and is perfect for Bzdelik's Princeton offense.
Best win: 75-56 vs. Colorado State
Worst loss: 84-59 vs. Vermont
Play A&M: March 4 at CU
Prediction: Not enough size and if Higgins is off, nowhere to go. 12th in Big 12, no tourney.
Iowa State Cyclones (11-4)
Coach: Greg McDermott (third season at ISU; 261-165 overall, 40-38 at ISU)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 14-18/4-12 (11th)
Key Players: C Craig Brackins, 6-10, soph., 18.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg; G Diante Garrett, 6-4, soph., 10.7 ppg, 5.2 apg; Bryan Peterson 7.0 ppg, 3.3 apg; F Jamie Vanderbeken, 6-11, jr. 1.0 bpg.
Player to watch: 6-11 freshman Justin Hamilton has worked his way into the starting lineup and has averaged eight points and nearly seven rebounds a game.
Best win: 71-67 at Houston
Worst loss: 65-58 vs. South Dakota St.
Play A&M: Feb. 28 at A&M
Prediction: Are still looking for the pieces to complement Brackins. 10th in Big 12, no tourney.
Kansas Jayhawks (11-3)
Coach: Bill Self (360-150 overall, 153-35 in sixth season at KU)
AP ranking: Receiving votes
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 37-3/13-3 (T-1st)
Key players: G Sherron Collins, 5-11, jr., 17.6 ppg, 5.1 apg; C Cole Aldrich, 6-11, soph.,14.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.7 bpg; G Tyshawn Taylor 6-3, fr. 10.0 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.6 spg.
Player to watch: 6-5 Mario Little is a junior college transfer that's been hurt for most of the season. He's playing now and if he stays healthy and gets in basketball shape he will make a difference. He was voted the Big 12's preseason newcomer of the year.
Best win: 92-85 vs. Tennessee
Worst loss: 61-60 vs. Massachusetts
Play A&M: Jan. 19 at KU
Prediction: If youngsters can help Aldrich and Collins, KU could contend. 4th in Big 12, NCAA berth.
Kansas State Wildcats (11-3)
Coach: Frank Martin (second season at KSU; 32-15 career, all at KSU)
AP ranking: none
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 21-12/10-6 (3rd)
Key players: G Jacob Pullen, 6-1, soph. 14.7 ppg, 3.8 apg, 1.9 spg; F Darren Kent, 6-10, sr., 5.8 rpg; F Ron Anderson, 6-8, soph., 9.2 ppg., 5.7 rpg, F Dominique Sutton, 6-5, soph., 8.9 ppg., 5.3 rpg, 1.6 spg; F Luis Colon 5.3 rpg.
Player to watch: Jamar Samuels is a 6-7 redshirt freshman who has started to find a scoring touch.
Best win: 69-59 at Cleveland St.
Worst loss: 65-63 vs. Iowa
Play A&M: Feb. 7 at A&M
Prediction: Have recovered nicely from loss of Michael Beasley and Bill Walker. 8th in Big 12, NIT berth.
Missouri Tigers (13-2)
Coach: Mike Anderson (third season at MU; 136-71 overall, 47-30 at MU)
AP ranking: Receiving votes
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 16-16/6-10 (10th)
Key Players: F DeMarre Carroll, 6-8, sr., 16.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.9 spg; F Leo Lyons, 6-9, sr., 15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg; G. J.T. Tiller, 6-3, jr., 3.3 apg, 1.9 spg; G Zaire Taylor, 6-5, jr. 3.1 apg.
Player to watch: Matt Lawrence is a 3-point specialist who has found the range of late, making 6 of 7 in the Tigers' last nonconference game.
Best win: 83-72 vs. Southern Cal
Worst loss: 75-59 vs. Illinois
Play A&M: March 7 at A&M
Prediction: Starting to play Anderson's style. 6th in Big 12, NCAA berth.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-3)
Coach: Doc Sadler (third season at NU; 215-87 overall, 47-30 at NU)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 20-13, 7-9 (T-7th)
Key players: G Cookie Miller, 5-7, soph., 5.9 ppg, 4.2 apg, 1.5 spg; G Sek Henry, 6-3, jr., 9.8 ppg, 1.5 spg. G Steve Harley 5-11, sr. 13.4 ppg.
Player to watch: Undersized forward Ryan Anderson has come off the bench lately after a slow start but always seems to play well in the Big 12.
Best win: 62-50 at TCU
Worst loss: 66-64 vs. Maryland-Baltimore County
Play A&M: Feb. 24 at NU
Prediction: No size and lack of a true star makes it so everyone must play well for them to win. 11th Big 12, no tourney.
Oklahoma Sooners (14-1)
Coach: Jeff Capel (second season at OU; 118-68 overall, 39-27 at OU)
AP ranking: No. 6
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 23-12/9-7 (T-4th)
Key players: F Blake Griffin, 6-10, soph., 22.2 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 1.5 spg; G Austin Johnson, 6-3, sr., 4.3 apg, 1.6 spg; G Willie Warren, 6-3, fr., 16.3 ppg; F Taylor Griffin, 6-7, sr. 6.9 rpg; 1.5 spg.
Player to watch: Guard Tony Crocker has played well of late after a sub-par start to the season. With defenses sagging to try to control Blake Griffin, Crocker's outside shooting will be key to the Sooners making a run at the Final Four.
Best win: 87-82 vs. Purdue
Worst loss: 96-88 at Arkansas
Play A&M: Jan. 17 at OU; Feb. 4 at OU
Prediction: Warren living up to hype has made OU a top 10 team. 1st in Big 12, NCAA berth
Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-3)
Coach: Travis Ford (first season at OSU; 201-149 overall)
AP ranking: none
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 17-16/7-9 (T-7th)
Key players: F James Anderson, 6-6, soph., 18.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg; G Terrel Harris, 6-5, sr., 15.2 ppg., 5.5 rpg, 1.8 spg; F Obi Muonelo, 6-5 jr. 15.2 ppg., 9.7 rpg., G Byron Eaton, 5-11 sr., 6.3 apg, 2.7 spg.
Player to watch: 5-10 Keiton Page adds more speed and another shooter. The freshman averages two 3s per game.
Best win: 91-73 vs Tulsa
Worst loss: 83-65 at Washington
Play A&M: Jan. 10 at OSU; Jan. 31 at A&M
Prediction: Three legitimate scorers make OSU dangerous. 7th in Big 12, NCAA berth
Texas Longhorns (11-3)
Coach: Rick Barnes (11th season at UT; 460-230 overall, 258-96 at UT)
AP ranking: No. 7
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 31-7/13-3 (T-1st)
Key players: G A.J. Abrams, 5-11, sr., 19.0 ppg; F Damion James, 6-7, jr., 14.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg; F Gary Johnson, 6-7, soph., 10.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg. G Justin Mason, 6-2, jr., 7.1 ppg, 5.5 apg, 1.7 spg.
Player to watch: UT big man Dexter Pittman only plays 14 minutes a game and still averages 9.1 and 4.9 rebounds a game.
Best win: 68-64 vs. UCLA
Worst loss: 67-62 at Arkansas
Play A&M: Jan. 24 at UT; Feb. 16 at A&M
Prediction: Solid team that needs forward Connor Atchley to step up. 2nd Big 12, NCAA berth.
Texas A&M Aggies (14-1)
Coach: Mark Turgeon (second season at A&M; 192-131 overall, 39-12 at A&M)
AP ranking: Receiving votes
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 25-11/8-8 (6th)
Key players: F Josh Carter, 6-7, sr., 13.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg; F Bryan Davis, 6-9 jr., 10.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg; C Chinemelu Elonu, 6-10, jr., 9.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.6 bpg; G Donald Sloan, 6-3, jr., 11.5 ppg, 3.6 apg.
Player to watch: Guard B.J. Holmes is a sharpshooter who can open up the floor for Carter, Elonu and Davis.
Best win: 86-78 at Alabama (OT)
Worst loss: 67-56 vs. Tulsa
Prediction: Hard team to figure. Aggies have played well against good teams but poorly against bad ones. 5th in Big 12, NCAA berth
Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-5)
Coach: Pat Knight (first full season at Tech; 14-12 overall, all at Tech)
AP ranking: None
Last season's record/Big 12 record: 16-15/7-9 (T-7th)
Key players: G John Roberson, 5-11, soph, 15.2 ppg, 6.4 apg; G Alan Voskull, 6-3, sr., 13.9 ppg, 1.6 spg; F Mike Singletary, 6-5, soph., 11.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg.
Player to watch: D'waylan Roberts shoots 60 percent from the field and gives Tech some much-needed size at 6-7, relatively speaking.
Best win: 86-78 vs. New Mexico
Worst loss: 85-79 at Lamar
Play A&M: Jan. 28 at A&M; Feb. 21 at Tech
Prediction: Depend too much on Roberson and are not very good defensively or rebounding. 9th Big 12, no tourney
-- RICHARD CROOME