As an avid college basketball fan, I feel that we have officially entered the start of the best season of the year. Midnight Madness kicked off the beginning of formal practice this last week. Every year, Midnight Madness is one of the most fun nights of the year for a lot of different schools across the country. It gives us all a preview of what is to come from our opponents throughout the year. We can speculate on how much impact the freshman will have, which veterans will look for that Naismith Trophy and which team will hoist up the national championship when it’s all said and done. Fans line up outside Allen Fieldhouse and Mizzou Arena anticipating the first practice of the college basketball season.
They all know the Big 12 is looking to be a mixed bag this year with no clear-cut favorite. The Big 12 has been a pretty good basketball conference almost every year of its existence. But, to be honest, only a few schools have dominated it. Kansas has won the regular season conference championship seven years in a row. But with the recent developments with a few of their incoming freshman being declared ineligible, they aren’t looking like an obvious choice to win the conference. Texas is looking really thin with the loss of many of their key players from last season, and some of the freshmen they were relying on to contribute right away have been declared academically ineligible. Kansas State is also hurting after some big departures and will be struggling to find a leader.
Texas A&M and Baylor are the only two teams that I can see maybe separating themselves from the rest of the pack. A&M returns a lot of good talent in Khris Middleton and David Loubeau. They do have a first-year coach in Billy Kennedy, and he’ll have to create a good relationship with his team fast if he wants to contend for a conference championship immediately.
Baylor has a load of talent even though they lost scoring leader LaceDarius Dunn. But with Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and the freshman class of Deuce Bello and Quincy Miller, there is more than enough talent to challenge most in the nation. I expect Jones III to have a huge sophomore campaign and improve from his solid freshman states of around 14 points and 7 boards per game. Scott Drew might have a special team in his hands at Waco.
As for Missouri, I don’t see why we couldn’t be in the top of the conference standings when all is said and done. The Tigers return a lot of talent and could have a very solid season under first-year coach Frank Haith. Yes, the loss of Laurence Bowers was a very tough pill to swallow, but there is still a lot of talent on the Tigers for them to do well. There is a good chance that Missouri has what it takes to finish near the top, especially in a season where basketball in the Big 12 seems to be down. Returning all-Big 12 First Team member Marcus Denmon gives the Tigers someone to look to as a leader and someone who can go out and be a scoring threat each night.
If the Tigers play up to their potential, this will surely be a good season for Missouri basketball.