Player of the Week
Lagerald Vick, Kansas
After having a subpar outing versus Michigan State on opening day, the senior guard was able to come back with back-to-back impressive performances to cap off this week’s slate of games.
During the 84-68 victory over Vermont, Vick poured 32 points on 12-14 shooting, including a perfect 8-8 from three point land.
Vick carried the hot streak into the following game against Louisiana. He had his second-consecutive 30+ point game, totaling 33 points on 18 shots, including seven threes. Vick also chipped in with nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals en route to the 89-76 victory over the Ragin’ Cajuns. With Vick in a shooter’s groove at the moment, this Jayhawks team becomes even more difficult to guard with all the weapons on the offensive end of court.
Who’s Hot
Marial Shayok, Iowa State
The red-shirt senior from Ottawa, Ontario sought for an increased role on offense after opting to transfer from Virginia this season. The uptempo offensive attack in place for Iowa State has allowed Shayok to thrive thus far. During the 76-59 victory over Missouri, Shayok scored 20 points on 12 shots from the field. He also sunk all but one of his nine
free throws. Shayok was able to build upon his performance during the Cyclones next game versus Texas Southern, where he finished the game with 26 points while shooting 50% from the field. While Shayok’s ability to lock down on the defensive end has been a known commodity to his game for quite some time, the ability to score in bunches as well
makes him one of the best two-way players in the Big 12.
Who’s Not
Kerwin Roach II, Texas
There’s no doubt about whether the senior guard can play, but Kerwin Roach II has had a difficult time stringing any sort of consistency shooting over the last few games. During Texas’s 65-55 win over UL Monroe, Roach shot 6-15 from the field, scoring only 13 points on 40% shooting. Roach II followed up the performance by scoring 15 points on 13 shots, including seven misses from beyond the arc during the Longhorns’ blowout victory over The Citadel. The positive for Texas is that they have been able to win despite his shooting woes. The positive side is that Roach brings tenacity on the defensive end, as well as leadership and a well-rounded offensive skillset. While Roach certainly isn’t a one-trick pony, his ability to put the ball in the basket efficiently is what Texas needs in order to be a contender in the Big 12 this season.
Top 5 Individual Scorers in the Big 12
1.) Christian James, Oklahoma
The absence of Trae Young has forced James into the spotlight for the Oklahoma Sooners, and he hasn;t disappoint so far this season. The lead guard is averaging 26.5 points per game on 63% shooting. While not having his best game during Oklahoma’s first game in the Battle 4 Atlantis, James was able to propel his team to a 75-64 victory over Wofford who gave UNC a run for its game during opening day. If the Sooners are able to make a run at the NCAA Tournament, James will need to continue to maximize on his scoring prowess.
2.) Lagerald Vick, Kansas
As mentioned earlier, Vick has been able to become the leading catalyst on offense for the Jayhawks over their last two games. While it’s important for the senior to lead vocally, he’s also allowed his play to do the talking, too. Vick’s strong play may be necessary in order to help facilitate some of the freshman and newcomers during the beginning part of the season. While few predicted Vick to be the leading scorer, this season, on this stacked Kansas roster, it may not be out of the realm of possibility based on what’s occurred so far.
3.) Marial Shayok, Iowa State
The improvement of Shayok on offense has been remarkable. It’s hard to tell if he was held back at Virginia due to the slow pace, half-court offense run there, or that he’s just gotten better with the increased playing time and opportunities. Either way, Iowa State has perhaps been the biggest surprise time in the Big 12 early on in the season. Before conference play begins, the Cyclones will square off with teams such as Arizona and Iowa. It’ll be interesting to see if Shayok can sustain his level of play against two power five schools.
4.) Desmond Bane, TCU
While Jaylen Fisher remains out of the lineup nursing an injury, backcourt mate Desmond Bane has stepped up and delivered when his team needed it most. Bane has increased his scoring numbers during each of TCU’s three games. Bane has been efficient to say the least, averaging 19.7 points per game while shooting 40% from three and 56.1% overall. When Fisher is able to return to action, expect the tandem of him and Bane to be one of the most talented backcourts in the Big 12.
5.) Udoke Azubuike
Opting to return for his junior year appears to be have benefitted both Kansas and Azubuike. The bigman remains virtually unstoppable in the paint, shooting 67.6% from the field. It’s a given that Azubuike will rebound and block shots at a high rate, but his scoring has been necessary for this Jayhawks’ roster that features a ton of new faces. His consistency on offense has been a sigh of relief for a Kansas team that’s still trying to figure out how to incorporate all its new pieces into one cohesive unit.