Copied and updated from
my previous post.
- HE
REMAINING SCHEDULES for BIG XII LEADER and OTHER CONTENDING TEAMS
thru TUESDAY 2019-02-19
All Top 5 teams are color coded and underlined.
With KSU winning in Morgantown on Monday to stay ahead of the pack and ISU losing at home on Tuesday, the race has gotten that much more interesting, with Baylor now inching its way into the serious (even if extremely limited possibility) contention discussion. At this point KSU and ISU have caught up with the rest of the conference in terms of games played, and I've added the Baylor schedule to the lists below.
The only game this Saturday FEB 23 that does not feature a top 5 contender playing is Texas @ Oklahoma.
KANSAS STATE (10-3) 3 Home / 2 Road
FEB 23 (SAT) VS OKLAHOMA STATE
FEB 25 (MON) AT
KANSAS
MAR 2 (SAT) VS
BAYLOR
MAR 4 (MON) AT TCU
MAR 9 (SAT) VS OKLAHOMA
With every W things are looking better and better for the Wildcats, especially with just 2 road games left and just 2 games left against other title contenders. Their real concerns at this point are the road games at Kansas and TCU, whether or not struggling Baylor PG Makai Mason plays against them in Bramlage on MAR 2 (struggling or not, JR notes that BU has won with Mason in and lost with him out -- thanks, JR!) and the health of Dean Wade's feet. But they still have the lead and are in the driver's seat. Just win and the regular season title is all theirs.
KANSAS (9-4) 2 Home / 3 Road
FEB 23 (SAT) AT
TEXAS TECH
FEB 25 (MON) VS
KANSAS STATE
MAR 2 (SAT) AT OKLAHOMA STATE
MAR 5 (TUE) AT OKLAHOMA
MAR 9 (SAT) VS
BAYLOR
KANSAS has held serve so far this year in AFH, and continuing to do so which would give KSU at least 1 more loss and a potential tie with either KU or TT (who seems sure to beat OSU in Lubbock on FEB 27). But first KU must exert its shaky road legs again, this time against that same Texas Tech team, a game KSU fans -- well, let's face it, *all* Big XII fans -- will be watching with great interest. The long break until Saturday's game means things are looking good for the return of KU defensive wizard Marcus Garrett to the lineup against TT
(KUSports - Matt Tait: KU guard Marcus Garrett is back practicing, getting closer to a return)
. But even if our guys win in Lubbock, next up is KSU, and then there is the always treacherous OSU road game and OU in Norman before ending the season hosting Baylor on Senior Night. If KU wins out, it is guaranteed at least a tie with KSU and whichever other contenders rise to the challenge. Like KSU, today KU controls its destiny, and from this point on winning out guarantees at least a share of the title for a 15th straight time.
TEXAS TECH (9-4) 3 Home / 2 Road
FEB 23 (SAT) VS
KANSAS
FEB 27 (WED) VS OKLAHOMA STATE
MAR 2 (SAT) AT TCU
MAR 4 (MON) VS TEXAS
MAR 9 (SAT) AT
IOWA STATE
I still think TT will probably lose 2 more games this year, but with just two road games left they and KSU -- and now Baylor -- have an advantage at this point on KU and ISU, who each have three road games to go. Both at TCU and ISU are winnable but questionable games, especially since winning out at this point is realistically ISU's only hope for a piece of the conference title (even though it may not be by then). But first Tech will have to beat visiting Kansas to stay in second and hopefully end up tied with KSU going into the MAR 2 weekend. If they win out they have a chance to at least tie KSU for the crown if someone else can defeat the Cats just one more time.
IOWA STATE (8-5) 2 Home / 3 Road
FEB 23 (SAT) AT TCU
FEB 25 (MON) VS OKLAHOMA
MAR 2 (SAT) AT TEXAS
MAR 6 (WED) AT WEST VIRGINIA
MAR 9 (SAT) VS
TEXAS TECH
Tuesday's home loss to Baylor took a good bit of wind out of the ISU sails. Next up they travel to Fort Worth to play TCU. Usually facing a tough time on the road, this year they are 5-3 in true road games (4-2 in conference play), but their home performance (13-3, but 4-3 in conference) is crippling their chances in the conference race. If ISU loses just two more games the rest of the way, that would give them 7 losses this season and all but mathematically eliminate them from the conference title race. But if, and it's a big IF, they could win out -- and the only contender they have left to play is TT -- they could still have a shot at a piece of the ring if KSU loses twice and KU loses at least once more. Win their next four and their season finale hosting Texas Tech could make the difference between them sharing a piece of the title or not.
BAYLOR (8-5) 3 Home / 2 Road
FEB 23 VS WEST VIRGINIA
FEB 27 VS TEXAS
MAR 3 AT
KANSAS STATE
MAR 6 VS OKLAHOMA STATE
MAR 9 (SAT) AT
KANSAS
Baylor finds themselves hanging on to a hope for a share of the title with their huge road win over ISU. To repeat an oft used refrain, win out and they have a shot at a share of the title. They only have two games left against contenders, but their two road games are against KSU and KU. As Corpus noted, the odds are stacked against them.
ROCK CHALK!
