Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
In the preseason Big 12 men's basketball poll, Texas A&M was picked fifth, barely ahead of the sixth and seventh teams.
Just before Christmas, the Aggies began to look even more like a middle-of-the-road group after senior guard Derrick Roland suffered a horrific compound leg fracture and was sidelined for the season.
The loss of A&M's top perimeter defender, second-leading scorer and main man in the locker room appeared to put any NCAA tournament hopes in jeopardy.
But now look at the Aggies.
By winning five of the past six games, they have improved to 17-6 overall and are tied for second in the Big 12 at 6-3. And they are coming off a week to remember — a 77-74 victory at Missouri that broke the Tigers' 32-game home-court winning streak, and a 78-71 win over No. 20 Baylor.
That makes A&M, which is No. 20 in the RPI and the first team in votes received outside the AP Top 25, my surprise team of the Big 12's first half of the season
Coach Mark Turgeon said an overtime loss at then-No. 1 Texas that dropped A&M to 1-2 in the league actually became a turning point.
“I told the kids after we lost to Texas that I think we're a pretty good team, and that if we continue to get better that we can go on a roll,'' he said Monday.
“We're executing offensively. We're figuring out different ways to score. And we've changed our starting lineup about every game in this stretch. We're playing a bigger lineup more.''
Senior guard Donald Sloan has been a force since his good friend Roland's injury. Sloan has averaged 20.1 points a game in Big 12 play, even while drawing the opponent's top defender.
Keep an eye on Texas A&M as the Big 12 race unfolds. The Aggies have won 16 straight games at Reed Arena, where they will host Kansas and Texas later this month.
Other first-half-of-the-season notables:
Best player: Kansas point guard Sherron Collins.
Texas forward Damion James has wonderful statistics, including 49 career double-doubles. But Collins can beat you with a deep 3-pointer, with a dribble-drive to the basket or with a great pass. And he wants to beat you, thriving in any circumstance.
Best rookie: Colorado guard Alec Burks.
Out of all the stud recruits entering the Big 12 for 2009-10, this unsung true freshman out of suburban Kansas City has been the best. With amazing consistency and poise, Burks is eighth in the league in scoring (16.8 points) and first in all games in shooting (.526).
Best transfer: Baylor center Ekpe Udoh.
This former Michigan man is 17th in scoring (14.1), second in rebounding (10.4), third in shooting (.496) and first in blocked shots (4.1).
Best coaching job: Kansas State's Frank Martin.
The third-year coach has guided the Wildcats to a 6-3 record through the killer part of their schedule. Five of the seven remaining games are against teams in the lower third of the league.
Most improved player: Kansas forward Marcus Morris.
Last season, he and his twin brother were seen as a couple of freshman knuckleheads who might be shown the door. Now, Marcus is averaging 17.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in league play and shooting a Big 12-best 58.9 percent.
Most disappointing player: Oklahoma guard Willie Warren.
How can a guy averaging 16.1 points a game be a disappointment? It happens when you're picked as a preseason All-American. Between pouting early in the season and being injured now, Warren hasn't had much to do with the Sooners' modest success so far.
Most misleading statistic: Nebraska leading the Big 12 in scoring defense.
For a full analysis of good defense, check the shooting percentages more closely than points allowed, which is a function of offensive pace. NU is 10th in the Big 12 in field-goal defense (.423) and ninth in 3-point defense (.346).
Best in-season turnaround: Texas Tech point guard John Roberson.
In a Jan. 9 loss at Oklahoma State, Roberson went scoreless in 37 minutes. In Saturday's win over OSU, Roberson led all scorers with 28 points.
Biggest screw-up: ESPN putting Bob Knight on Big Monday broadcasts.
Memo to Knight: We don't care how you would handle every situation. Just call the stinking game as it plays out and try to offer an occasional insight that doesn't involve you, you, you.
Contact the writer:
444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
