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Thursday, November 9
Big 12 Breakdown

ESPN.com

HOW THEY'LL STACK UP

KANSAS: Chenowith rebirth would just be a bonus to loaded frontcourt.

OKLAHOMA: Frontcourt must produce; Aaron McGhee is the key.

MISSOURI: Fewer 3-pointers should mean even more victories.

IOWA STATE: What's harder? Replacing Fizer, or repeating 32 victories.

TEXAS: Chris Owens won't mimic Mihm, but he's the best big man left.

OKLAHOMA ST.: Cowboys' senior six-shooter of last season is empty.

COLORADO: Jamahl Mosley (14 ppg., 7.1 rpg.) needs help up front.

BAYLOR: Life isn't Bliss yet, but Big 12 win total will rise again this season.

TEXAS TECH: Can't afford another season of frontcourt injuries.

NEBRASKA: Getting Cookie Belcher for a fifth year is a steal ... literally.

TEXAS A&M: Nick Anderson could follow King as conference's best frosh.

KANSAS ST.: Defense only goes so far ... Wildcats need to find O.

Tuesday, Nov. 7
The Big 12 has turned into a young conference. The loss of marquee players such as Marcus Fizer at Iowa State, Desmond Mason at Oklahoma State, Chris Mihm of Texas and Eduardo Najera of Oklahoma also has led to emphasizing quickness over size. The lack of dominant inside players in the conference is going to result in teams pushing the ball up the floor quickly.

This is a well-balanced league. Kansas is the most talented team in the league and should win the conference title. They're big, deep and the mission for the rest of the Big 12 will be to keep up with the Jayhawks. After that, though, there will be a mad scramble for the next four places.

Home victories will be the rule as balance will make it very difficult to go on the road and beat any opponent in a conference matchup.

Iowa State won't have the inside presence that Fizer gave the Cyclones last season, but watch out for point guard Jamaal Tinsley. Tinsley is a man amongst boys at the position. He can do what he wants to with a basketball. While the Cyclones probably won't win the 32 games they did last season, Tinsley, the best point guard in the nation, will keep them competitive.

ESPN.com All-Conference Team

Guard: Jamaal Tinsley
Junior, 6-3, Iowa State

Guard: Cookie Belcher
Senior, 6-4, Nebraska

Forward: Maurice Evans
Junior, 6-5, Texas

Forward: Kareem Rush
Sophomore, 6-6, Missouri

Center: Drew Gooden
Sophomore, 6-9, Kansas

Player of Year ...
Jamaal Tinsley, Iowa State
The best point guard in college basketball will help keep the Cyclones in contention for the NCAA Tournament.

Introducing ...
Maurice Evans, F, Texas
Aaron McGhee, F, Oklahoma
Making the biggest impact on the Big 12 will be of pair of juco transfers. Evans transferred to the Longhorns from Wichita State, where he led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring at 22 points per game. Also keep an eye on McGhee with the Sooners, who comes from Vincennes JC.

Best backcourt ...
Iowa State: Jamaal Tinsley and Kantrail Horton. Again, Tinsley is one of the best point guards in all of college basketball, not to mention the cream of the Big 12 crop. Horton provides the Cyclones with a good outside shot (39 percent from 3-point range) and defends the ball very well.

Best frontcourt ...
Kansas: Sophomores Drew Gooden and Nick Collison are big and athletic. Collison (6-9, 240) has exceptional footwork on the post both offensively and defensively. Gooden (6-9, 220) averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds as a freshman last season, while 7-1 Eric Chenowith also is back trying to atone for a disappointing junior season, which he should do after a very good offense of summer workouts. Throw in Kenny Gregory as a swingman, and Kansas will be tough to compete with up front.

Team on way up ...
Nebraska: Barry Collier is a new coach who had success at Butler. Cookie Belcher, back after sitting out most of last season with an injury, could set the NCAA record for career steals. Kimani Ffriend led the Big 12 in blocked shots last season.

Team on way down ...
Oklahoma State: The Cowboys were an Elite Eight team but lost seven of their top eight players. They will rebuild and play well under Eddie Sutton, but they probably will struggle to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament this season.

Tournament tough ...
NCAA: Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa State, Texas.
NIT: Nebraksa, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Baylor.

ALSO SEE
Bilas Breakdown: Kansas

Bilas Breakdown: Oklahoma

Chenowith spends summer at camp to regain big-man status

ESPN.com Preseason Top 25

AUDIO/VIDEO
video

Dick Vitale and his ESPN panel of experts discuss the Big 12.
RealVideo: 28.8