REAL Standings: Leap Year Edition
MIDWEEK RECAP
The major Midweek story, of course, was k-state taking a dive against UT, knowing full well that doing so would visit the ultimate blow to their arch-rivals by knocking KU out of a flat-footed tie with UT in the REAL Standings and dropping the Jayhawks into second place.
Hey, I understand the animosity and all after spending 25 years as the Hawks’—how should I say, delicately, on a blog that might be read by youngsters: as the Hawks’ whipping boys.
Still, you would think Frank Martin, who has the outward appearance of a pit boss veteran, could have been more subtle about it. Letting Beasley ride the pine with the score deadlocked at 50 until UT took firm control of the contest with seven unanswered points. And simultaneously “resting” his second best player, Bill Walker, was nothing short of arrogance. Oh, and Walker—going 0-10 from the field was just plain clumsy. Your job is to create the appearance that you are trying to win the game.
At any rate, UT picked up a full game in the RSP with its W over what was, at the time, a Tier One Team. But no longer. Whether due to incompetence or chicanery, k-state, with a Home loss to go with its four Road setbacks, drops to Tier Two. In fact, with Road games remaining at KU and Iowa St, k-state will likely need to win in Ames just to match last year’s 10-6 conference record—which was not good enough to punch its ticket to the Big Dance.
The other big Weekday winner was Okie St, also picking up a full game in the RSP with its second consecutive Road victory—this one in Columbia–as well as its second consecutive last minute W.
Baylor picked up ½ game with its win at Tier Three CU.
The other three Midweek games were all Non-Events for purposes of the REAL Standings: KU over Third Tier Iowa St in Ames, and A&M and NU at Home vs. Texas Tech and OU respectively.
REAL STANDINGS: 2/29/08
Note: The current breakdown of teams into tiers, which is the only subjective aspect of the REAL Standings is:
Tier One: KU, UT
Tier Two: Baylor, k-state, Mizzou, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Okie St, Texas A&M, Texas Tech
Tier Three: CU, ISU
1. 13.5-2.5
UT (11-2) Projected L’s: None
Losable games: at TT
2. 12.5-3.5
KU (10-3) Projected L’s: None
Losable games: at A&M
3. 9.5-6.5
k-state (8-5) Projected L’s: at KU
Losable games: at ISU
4. 9-7
Baylor (7-6) Projected L’s: at TT
Losable games: None
5. 8-8
OU (6-7) Projected L’s: at OSU
Losable games: None
OSU (6-7) Projected L’s: at MU, at UT
Losable games: None
7. 7.5-8.5
A&M (7-6) Projected L’s: at OU, at BU
Losable games: KU
Tech (6-7) Projected L’s: at KU
Losable games: UT
9. 7-9
NU (7-7) Projected L’s: at OSU, at UT
Losable games: None
10. 6-10
MU (5-8) Projected L’s: at BU, at OU
Losable games: None
11. 4-12
ISU (4-9) Projected L’s: at CU, at MU, ksu
Losable games: None
12. 3-13
CU (2-11) Projected L’s: at ksu, at NU
Losable games: None
FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE
Big XII Weekend Games, with IQ (Interest Quotient) on a 1-4 star scale:
SATURDAY
1. NU at Okie St (12:30p.m.)***
Nice match up between two teams which, if not red hot, are a bit warmer than Luke.
Projected W: Okie St
2. A&M at OU (1:00p.m.)***
An elimination game for the Big Dance? Not quite, but not far from being one.
Projected W: OU
3. Mizzou at Baylor (3:00p.m.)***
Would you take the Over or Under at 185?
Projected W: Baylor
4. UT at Tech (3:00p.m.)***1/2
For all intents and purposes, KU’s chances of a share of their 51st conference rest on the shoulders of Martin Zeno and Co. The Techsters did not even show up for their first game vs. UT in Austin. However, has a team ever resembled Dr. Jekyll at home and Mr. Hyde on the Road more than this year’s Red Raiders? And they have no incentive to take a dive.
Projected W: None
5. ISU at CU (4:00p.m.)*
This is two years of your life you will never get back. Errrr—make that hours. It will just seem like years.
Projected W: CU
6. k-state at KU (8:00p.m.)****
‘Nuf said.
Projected W: KU
–Mark
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6 Responses to “REAL Standings: Leap Year Edition”
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February 28th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Shouldn’t KSU at 9.5-6.5 be ahead of Baylor at 9-7?
February 28th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Also, am I right in thinking that I saw more fighting through screens and less switching from KU on defense last night?
February 28th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
David, I think you are right about the defense last night. Some other things that I saw last night that I really liked (especially in the first half) were Mario Chalmers actually looking for his shot, especially from three, and Darrell Arthur making an effort to play smart defense and staying out of foul trouble. I really thought Darrell did a great job of moving his feet and keeping his arms straight up and making the opposing player make a tough shot over him. That being said, he still somehow ended up with 4 fouls. I also liked his aggressiveness on offense last night, and I think he showed what a force he can be when he is actually on the floor.
Overall, it was a nice win and I thought Kansas played pretty well overall, except for those two runs that ISU went on in the second half. Tough to complain about a double digit win on the road in conference.
Rock Chalk!
February 28th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Yes, k-state should be ahead of Baylor. That’s what I get for updating the REAL STandings late at night. It will be corrected.
March 1st, 2008 at 3:47 am
It’s all mental with this team. In sync and purely focused in March. Won’t be beat
March 1st, 2008 at 4:31 am
All things thought and said. Believe in this team and get that message of belief to them. It’s showtime. Jackson, Rush, Arthur, Chalmers, Kaun, Robinson, Collins, Stewart, Aldridge, Case, on and on. There is no team in college that wants to face that in the f four.