The pot meets the kettle tonight
January 28, 2014 by Mike Casazza
Three weeks ago today, before playing a Big 12 game, Baylor was 12-1, ranked No. 7 in he country and in most circles thought to be every bit as legitimate a contender as Kansas, Oklahoma State or Iowa State.
Things sure do change. Kansas looks inimitable. Iowa State lost three in a row and the story about DeAndre Kane is his health and no longer his play. Oklahoma State is a much different team on the road in Big 12 play (1-3) and is going to have to do something about Marcus Smart and his ways sooner rather than later.
The Bears, though, have it worse.
They’re not even receiving votes in the top 25 now. They’re stuck in a four-game losing streak — longest since six in a row in conference play in 2009 — and have played pretty poorly. No one has played worse defense in Big 12 games. Only one team has shot it worse in conference play. Saturday’s 32.2 percent shooting against still-hot Texas was the lowest of the season.
Baylor (13-6, 1-5 Big 12) plays host to WVU to 7 p.m. tonight and had better get this one or else. The Bears have already lost two at home and have games at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma and at home against Kansas coming up here soon.
“Last year, we were 5-1 (in the Big 12) at this point and we ended up playing in the NIT,” Franklin said. “I told my team that I’d rather be in this position than be undefeated and lose the first game in the NCAA tournament. Starting from the bottom builds character and gives us a lot to fight for.”
WVU (11-9, 3-4)is similarly bad on offense and defense in Big 12 play — I mean, really similar — and has lost four out of five and both of its road games since starting 2-0 with a road sweep against TCU and Texas Tech, who clearly are the types of teams the Mountaineers can beat away from home.
Baylor, as currently engineered, is beatable because WVU’s offense can show up and show off and because Eron Harris and Terry Henderson can get shots against a zone and because Juwan Staten is certainly capable of doing what Texas freshman Isaiah did Saturday. He got in the lane again and again and made 10 of 18 shots and 7 of 8 free throws and didn’t attempt one 3-pointer.
It’s the sort of game Baylor can’t lose if it wants to avoid the BAD LOSS that pops up on the screen six weeks from now when NCAA Tournament possibilities are picked apart. It’s very much the type of game the Mountaineers have to win if they want to be in the NIT.