Big 12 Conference Preview
— .... . . - North
Axtell, Chenowith help to replenish Jayhawks
By Matthew Hansen
Staff writer
Kansas Jayhawks
1998 record: 23-10 (11-5 Big 12)
Coach: Roy Williams
Frontcourt: Alumni of the KU frontcourt
include current NBA players Paul Pierce, Raef
Lafrentz, Scott Pollard, Greg Ostertag and
Danny Manning. At least one current player is
projected to join them in the NBA.
Eric Chenowith, a preseason All-American,
led KU in scoring and rebounding as a sopho
more last season. Senior Nick Bradford will start
alongside Chenowith and provide solid scoring
and rebounding.
Backcourt: Point guard JefFBoschee won the
Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season and
should continue to improve with age.
and the addition of a highly touted recruiting
class, Williams said the Jayhawks will be better
this season. -
Missouri
1998 Record: 20-9 (11-5, Big 12)
Coach: Quin Snyder • - .
Frontcourt: The loss of Albert White, who
led the team in scoring, rebounding and assists
last season, to the NBA leaves a huge void at the
position. Jeff Hafer is the only frontcourt player
who averaged more than three points per game
last season. However, help is on the way in the
form of recruits: forward Kareem Rush and cen
ter Tajudeen Soyoye.
Backcourt: New Coach Quin Snyder said
that Keyon Dooling, the team’s sophomore point
guard, is already the team leader.
Shooting guard Brian Grawer is the team’s
returning lead scorer. He averaged 9.6 points per
game last year.
Outlook: Snyder see&his young team taking
its lumps early in the year, partially due to a non
conference schedule that includes games with
Indiana, Iowa, Illinois and Kentucky. He also
sees the team improving tremendously by the
time Big 12 play rolls around. MU is 1-1 already
this year.
Nebraska
1998 Record: 20-13 (10-6)
Coach: Danny Nee
Backcourt: The Huskers’ type retunier is
senior Cookie Belcher, leading the league in
reason in addition to averaging 12
*■
Sophomore Cary Cochran is the Huskers’
only other returner at guard. Cochran shot 40
percent from the 3-point line last season and is
expected to play significant minutes off the
bench.
Danny Walker will take over point guard
duties! _! '
Frontcourt: Larry Florence is the only
returning starter in the frontcourt The senior
forward averaged 10 points per game last sea
son. 3 ' -
Coach Danny Nee will rely heavily on junior
college transfers Steflfon Bradford and Kimani
Ffriend to fill 1998 Big 12 Player of the Year
Venson Hamilton’s shoes. Bradford earned
junior college All-American honors last season.
Outlook: Nee is excited about his newcom
ers, five of whom will see playing time this sea
son:
“Our new players have a lot of talent and a
passion for the game. With the additions, we
have the potential to be a great team.”
Iowa State
1998 Record: 15-15 (6-10)
Coach: Larry Eustachy
Frontcourt: Junior forward Marcus Fizer has
the opportunity to become one of the most deco
rated players in school history by the time he
leaves ISU. Fizer is already nearing the 1,000
point plateau with 986 points in his first two sea
sons.
Experience surrounds Fizer down low.
Juniors Martin Rancik and Stevie Johnson both
started more than 25 games last season.
Backcourt: Coach Larry Eustachy said
Jamal Tinsley, a junior college transfer, will fit in
well with the Cyclones.
“I expect Jamal to start for us.... He is really
unselfish with the basketball. I think he’d rather
Michael Nurse, who is a returning starferat the
point.
Outlook:
The statistics say there is reason for opti
mism in Ames despite last year’s 15-15 record.
Iowa State returns four starters and 78 percent of
its scoring from last year.
Colorado
1998 Record: 18-15 (7-9)
Coach: Ricardo Patton
Frontcourt: Will Smith and Jamal Mosley
both return to start at forward, solidifying the
position for the Buffs. The pair combined for 18
points and 11 rebounds per game last season.
Backcourt: Coach Ricardo Patton said
>
Jacquay Walls, CU’s top returning scorer, is
ready to have a breakout senior season.
“So far this year Walls has more dedication,
has been making better decisions and has a
hunger that was missing last year,” Patton said.
“He is as good as any point guard in the confer
ence.”
Walls came on for Colorado at the end of last
season, averaging nearly 16 points per game
over the team’s final 13 contests.
Outlook: “We are going to be the smallest
team in the Big 12, so we need to play bigger
than we are and rebound better than we did last
year,” Patton said. “We also have a lack of depth.
I think our starting five can play with anyone,
but we can’t lose any of them or we’re in trou
ble.”
Kansas State
1998 Record: 20-13
Coach: Tom Asbury
Frontcourt: Senior forwards Tony Kitt and
Josh Reid will anchor the frontcourt and entire
team this season. Reid has made his mark for the
with scoring and rebounding. It averaged
almost eight rebounds per game last season.
Backcourt: Senior Cortez Groves is the only
K-State guard who started a game last season.
The senior can play both guard positions and has
shown an ability to score points in bunches, with
three 21-point games.
Outlook: Despite losing seven letter-winners
from last year’s team, Coach Tom Asbury said he
is confident in his team’s chances this year.
“We thought last year would be a senior
dominated team, and our seniors did have a good
year. We won 20 games. Our younger players,
though, were some of our best players. ... We
may get off to a slow start, but by the time we hit
the conference schedule we should have a pretty
good ball club.”
—- South -
Texas, OSU could vie for South conference title
By Joshua Camenzind
Staff writer
Texas Longhorns
1998 Record: 19-13 (13-3)
Coach: Rick Barnes
Frontcourt: Center Chris Mihm and forward
Gabe Muoneke solidify one of the best front
courts in the Big 12. Coach Rick Barnes calls
them “two of the best players in the country.”
Chris Owens and William Wyatt are both new
comers who should contribute immediately.
Backcourt: Ivan Wagner returns for the
Longhorns at point guard. Wagner is one of the
most athletic players in the conference and com
petes in the high jump for the UT track team.
William Clay was named to the Big 12 All
Bench team last season. Freshman Chris Ogden
and Roosevelt Brown were the top two high
school prospects in Texas.
Outlook: The Longhorns will be looking to
defend their Big 12 Championship after finish
ing 13-3 in the league and hoping to go further in
the NCAA tournament after losing to Purdue in
the first round.
Much of their success will depend on the
■newcomers easing the pressure in the post on
Mihm and Muoneke. Barnes likes the way his
team is meshing early on.
Oklahoma Sooners
1998 Record: 22-11 (11-5)
Coach: Kelvin Sampson
a
Fmntcourt: OU features Eduardo Najera at
power forward and a committee of centers.
Najera was a second-team All-Big 12 selection
after averaging 15.5 points per game. Coach
Kelvin Sampson believes that Renzi Stone,
Victor Avila, and Oleg Reztsov will be able to
produce a double-double among them.
Backcourt: Tim Hesketl ranked second in the
league in 3-point shooting, hitting 47.3 percent
of his attempts. The rest of the backcourt is
untested with two junior college transfers and
two freshman.
Outlook: Najera has shown that he is a more
than capable leader after his performance against
Michigan State in the NCAA tournament last
year. Sampson always seems to field a good
team no matter what the situation, but he realizes
that this year’s outcome will rely on the new
comers.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
1998 Record: 23-11 (10-6)
Coach: Eddie Sutton
Fmntcourt: Desmond Mason gained confi
dence with his 54 points in two NCAA games
and was named to, the Big 12 preseason first
team. Glendon Alexander averaged 9.4 points
per game last season and made the Big 12 tour
nament team.
Backcourt: Point guard play will not be a
problem with Doug Gottlieb handling the ball.
Gottlieb led the nation in assists last season with
8.8 points per game. Joe Adkins is a long-range
gunner who ranks third in school history in 3
pointers made.
Outlook: Mason should emerge as a star with
Gottlieb distributing the ball. Other players will
have to fill their roles to help ease the scoring
load.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
1998 Record: 13-17(5-11)
Coach: James Dickey
Frontcourt: Sophomore Andy Ellis will start
at center. Ellis was named to the Big 12 All
Freshman team last season. Senior Cliff Owens
is Tech’s second leading returning scorer, averag
ing 10.4 points per game. Owens is injured but
should be ready for the conference season.
Brodney Kennard was the team’s leading shot
blocker last year with 37.
Backcourt: Second-team All-Big 12 selec
tion Rayford Young will carry the scoring load
after averaging 16.4 points per game. Transfer
Moses Malone Jr. will be eligible to compete in
the second semester. He will bring talent and
height to the guard position. James Ware is the
favorite to take over the point guard position.
Outlook: Health was the No. 1 key to the sea
son, said Coach James Dickey. Tech also has four
junior college transfers from last season who
must produce. Dickey said that inconsistency is
the name of the game.
Texas A&M Aggies
1998 Record: 12-15 (5-11)
Coach: Melvin Watson
** ' ■ . -- • - •
■
Frontcourt: Jerald Brown has started 66 of
80 games in his Aggie career. He is the only
returning starter after averaging nearly 6 points
per game. Paul Jacobs and Aaron Jack are two
seniors who will provide strength in the forward
and center position. Center position includes
freshman Andy Slocum and redshirt freshman
Larry Jackson.
Backcourt: Guard positions are shaky after
losing two starters and three contributors.
Louisiana Mr. Basketball Bernard King should
contribute immediately after averaging 28.9
points, 11.3 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Outlook: The inexperienced backcourt will
put more pressure on the ffontcourt to produce.
Brown is the pronounced leader of the team after
arriving at A&M with little confidence. A new
arena should help the Aggies get fan backing.
Baylor Bears
1998 Record: 6-24 (0-16)
Coach: Dave Bliss
Frontcourt: Jamie Kendrick will be the
mainstay of the group after averaging 9.8 points
per game. The senior started all 30 games last
season for the Bears. Junior college transfer
Terry Black was selected as the Big 12
Preseason Newcomer of the Year. Redshirt fresh
man John Flippen will likely start at center with
another redshirt, Steven Othoro backing him up.
Backcourt: Tevis Stukes will return to the
team for his senior season after averaging 17.8
points in non-conference play last season. David
Jones provides height at the two position while
transfer DeMarcus Minor will contribute right
away.
Outlook: The Bears lost 10 players from last
season, but return Kendrick and Stukes, who will
be looked to lead die team. BU has only one non
conference road game.