The @Big12Conference is just like that 😎 pic.twitter.com/Pm0N2LTbbM

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 15, 2023

Category ranks (Feb 16):
Top offenses: BU, UT, KU
Top defenses: ISU, OSU, TCU
Top rebounding: ISU, WVU, KU
Top perimeter defenses: TCU, ISU, UT
Top interior defenses: OSU, KU, UT
Top interior offenses: TCU, ISU, KU
Top 3PT offenses: BU, ISU, KU
Top FT offenses: KSU, BU, UT

— ksu_FAN 🌻 🌻 🌻 (@ksu_FAN) February 16, 2023

Fascinating.

The numbers clearly show our defense is lagging and so is our 2-point shooting.

Free throws and 3-pointers are what have kept us going.

We lead the Big 12 with % of points coming from 3 pt. shots at 36%. During the last 3 games that % is 45% The rest of the conference hovers in the 25-29% range.

What these numbers tell you is that as talented as we are, this team is only built for a Final 4 run if JTT is healthy and locked in, and even then it's thin margins. He's looked about 75-80% as he knocks off the rust, which is somewhat of a miracle in itself. And I appreciate the range he's added.

But the 3 is going to blink off in the tourney at some point. Bridges is not a banger, and Flo is a virtual non-factor on the offensive boards for how big he is. JTT gives us something unique, and fills gaps in two critical weak points in penetration defense and offensive rebounding.

I appreciate that we're the Golden State Warriors of college basketball, that we always seem to be in range, that we can turn a deficit into a big lead in a real short period of time with our shooting. But I don't trust our range in a one-off tourney atmosphere, especially with how much we rely on it. We need JTT to be our Draymond in order to push through.

parch said:

---

We need JTT to be our Draymond in order to push through.

---

Preferably with fewer nut punches.

Think you're pretty much spot on with this post though. This team definitely has the potential, but even an average shooting game will make it much tenser than it needs to be.