Barfknecht: OSU star serves notice

It's time to wind down any debate over Big 12 player of the year.

Oklahoma State shooting guard James “Big Game'' Anderson appears to have locked that up with Saturday's 27-point, eight-rebound performance in the Cowboys' upset of then-No. 1 Kansas.

The discussion now has moved on to whether the 6-foot-6, 210-pound junior from Junction City, Ark., could be the national player of the year.

The folks who put together the 50-man preseason watch list for the John Wooden Award didn't think enough of Anderson to include him.

Now that he leads the Big 12 in scoring (22.6) and has hit double figures in 42 straight games, Anderson is starting to get name recognition.

“Am I saying he's the best player in the country?'' OSU coach Travis Ford asked. “I think he definitely could be.

“But for him to not even be mentioned in some polls is an absurdity. It's insane and shows the lack of knowledge of people when they don't see what he's doing.''

Anderson nearly missed the Kansas game because of back problems.

It's not out of line to speculate the spasms are a result of him carrying his fellow Cowboys to a 20-win season and an NCAA tournament bid when not a lot was expected.

Oklahoma State is the youngest team in the Big 12, which put the spotlight on Anderson immediately. Then the Cowboys lost their 35-minute-a-game point guard to injury in the second week of conference play, creating even more opponent attention on Anderson.

His response?

Try 27 points vs. Kansas; 31 vs. Baylor; 30 vs. Kansas State; 31 vs. Missouri; and 28 vs. Texas.

Don't forget that Anderson also ranks in the top 15 in the Big 12 in rebounds (6.1), field-goal shooting (46.9 percent), 3-point shooting (36.6 percent), free-throw shooting (80.4 percent) and steals (1.3).

Kansas had the Big 12 preseason co-players of the year in Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, but it sounded Monday like KU coach Bill Self is ready to vote for Anderson.

“He's very difficult to defend,'' Self said. “He's a great mover without the ball. He's a really good shooter off the catch. And his ball skills have improved so much that he can put it down and go past you.

“He's the best offensive player in our league, hands down. And I think he'll be a very good pro because he's the prototypical two-guard in the NBA.''

Monday's mock draft at nbadraft.net had Anderson as the 13th pick in the first round to Houston.

Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon is a believer.

“He's a special guy, and has had an unbelievable year,'' Turgeon said. “And he has made himself a complete player. He's so much better defensively the last year and a half.''

Anderson has scored more points in three seasons at OSU than anyone at the school. He passed Byron Houston on Saturday. Anderson also is fourth on the OSU all-time scoring list with 1,710 points, moving past Desmond Mason.

“James is a very special player and a very special person,'' said OSU's Ford, a former Kentucky player. “He's the most coachable young man I've ever been around.

“He's a no-sir, yes-sir guy, very accountable, very responsible. He's a great leader and an extraordinary person.''

Oklahoma State (20-8) has won five of its past six games, a stretch in which Anderson has continued to lead the team in scoring while also becoming, Ford said, a premier passer and the Cowboys' top defender.

“We ask James Anderson to do a lot,'' Ford said. “And he has responded for us. Because of that, I think he's the best player in the country.''

Too much, too soon

Texas and Oklahoma thought they had hit the recruiting jackpot with their 2009 classes.

UT signed three ESPNU Top 100 players for a class ranked No. 4 nationally. OU snagged four for the No. 6 national class. Both signed a player in the top five.

Yet when the Longhorns and Sooners met Monday night, they had lost a combined 15 of 23 games since Jan. 18. Texas, once No. 1 this season, fell out of the AP Top 25 on Monday, and Oklahoma isn't a postseason candidate.

So what happened?

Too much hype for too young of players, OU coach Jeff Capel said. For proof, he listed the leaders of the top teams in the Big 12 standings.

“They have veteran guys,'' he said.

KU relies on senior Sherron Collins and junior Cole Aldrich. Kansas State's go-to guys are senior Denis Clemente and junior Jacob Pullen. Texas A&M counts on seniors Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis. OSU rides junior James Anderson and senior Obi Muonelo.

“It just shows that you can't depend on freshmen to lead you,'' Capel said, “especially not in this league.''

Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com

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