Bad News: Colorado (Pac 12) and Nebraska (Big Ten) bolted the conference.
Good News: They both sucked, so the Big 12 essentially lost nothing.
On to the picks...
Texas
Coach Rick Barnes said farewell to pretty much every contributor besides guard J'Covan Brown. Nonetheless, a strong recruiting class should be enough to push the young Longhorns into the NCAA Tournament.
Verdict: 8 seed
Texas A&M
The Aggies lost coach Mark Turgeon to Maryland, but return enough defensive talent to extend their streak of six consecutive NCAA bids. Dash Harris leads the backcourt while Khris Middleton and David Loubeau control the paint. New coach Billy Kennedy's squad will be solid enough to rise above the rest of the iffy Big 12 bubblers.
Verdict: 7 seed
Oklahoma State
LeBryan Nash is a soon-to-be star, and he will joing a veteran backcourt featuring the diminutive Keiton Page and reliable Jean-Paul Olukemi. How quickly Nash adjusts to the college game will determine whether the Cowboys contend for a bid.
Verdict: Treading Water
Oklahoma
The Sooners said goodbye to Jeff Capel and hello to one of the mose underrated coaches in America, Lon Kruger. The backcourt has experience, but can they rebound well enough to stay in the mix? They may have to wait one more year for Kruger to get them back to the Big Dance.
Verdict: Next Four Out
Kansas State
I love Frank Martin. He needs to be a part of March Madness. Rodney McGruder returns for the Wildcats, who bring back just enough to slip into the tournament. In Frank we trust.
Verdict: 9 or 10 seed
