Ok we have seen 8 non-conference games, ok let me rephrase that, there have been 8 non-conference games. I really doubt that many of us have watched all of them, but our Cowboys are 7-1 and looking pretty good(<-- expert sports analysis). I have to admit I have only caught a couple so far and I'm trying to catch up and really start concentrating on the hoops. Now that football takes a break before the bowl its a good time to look ahead to conference play.
Most have Oklahoma State finishing around 8th place. I think this is completely fair and pretty accurate. This is definitely a rebuilding year and when you lose 22.9 ppg coming from the Big 12 player of the year your number will suffer a little bit. The Pokes are still trying to gel and find their identity. So far the two games I have watched were painful as the other teams full court pressure made the Cowboys look like it was their first time playing this game called basketball. Penn and Page were just in panic mode and throwing the ball away left and right. When they weren't turning it over they were playing very solid defense. They are making their switches well and the help side is a lot better than it has been in the past.
So as a quick pick for conference play as of right now I'm seeing the Pokes just a bit over .500 with 9 wins 7 losses. I figure we will probably win 1 or 2 we shouldn't, and lose 1 we shouldn't. We almost always seem to win a big one no matter where the team is at and although this is our off year for our new biennial tradition of beating #1 Kansas at home there will be plenty of chances to win big games. Baylor at home at the end of the season could be a big game we could steal down the road, or maybe even Mizzou a little earlier. Opening with #5 Kansas State seems a bit of a harsh way to start things off, but we did shock them at home last year so you never know. So that puts us somewhere around 18-10 or 19-9 to finish out the season. We will probably win 1 and lose 1 in the Big 12 tournament and go to the NIT. I feel like i'm really lacking the orange goggles on this one and this is a pretty pessimistic prediction, but the fact is the Big 12 is looaaaded and so far these Cowboys haven't shown us they look like they can go out there and start killing giants. I feel that if this team figures some things out over the next month they could make some noise this season and possible fight their way up to 4th or 5th place and another invite to the big dance, but from where we stand right now winning our first NIT game this decade would be a good goal.
What do you think?