While I’m stuck contemplating Bob Huggins’ aqua-net wings for two hours before the KU-UT collision, I figured I’d jot some notes on this Tech team and what lies before it.

At this point I think we’ve got a good idea of who we are and how we win games.  So the question is, do we have enough to scratch out four more conference wins and give ourselves a decent shot at the NCAA tournament?  My gut says no, but this team has surprised me in a good way, and there’s a few scenarios where we might have more than a passing interest in Selection Sunday.

Let me first discuss the remaining schedule.  Because our home games are against the good teams (UT, A&M, Baylor, and KSU) and our road games at least winnable (OU, Baylor, Colorado, and Nebraska), you could make the argument that this is a good situation.  If you have to play UT, A&M, and KSU, it might as well be home.  And considering our home wins against OU and OSU, it wouldn’t shock me if we find a way to beat the Aggies and the Bears in Lubbock.  But you still need at least two wins on the road, and despite their records, Colorado and Nebraska are solid basketball teams.  So we’ll see if it turns out good or bad.

Looking at the standings, we’re rockin’ the eleven-spot, and with Lunardi currently placing seven Big XII teams in the tournament, we bascially need to climb over OSU, OU, and Baylor to get into pick me! position.  Since we’ve already split with OSU, the three games that should settle this thing are tomorrow night’s game in Norman and the two remaining games versus LACEDARIUS! and the Tweeted One.  You have to have two of these games so you can say that you have a winning record versus the middle of the league.  I have no idea how we’re going to play versus the Baylor zone, but I’m really excited to put Darko at the high post and find out.

Which brings me to tomorrow night’s opportunity in Norman.  The Sooners are coming off an emotional victory against the Horns, but I’m not sure that makes much of a difference.  When we beat them a few weeks ago, we shot a little better and they grabbed a few more rebounds, but the key statistic was turnovers, 16-8.  I expect this game to be physical and ugly, just like any game involving OU is.  We’ll need Brad Reese to stay out of foul trouble because he’s just too valuable guarding TMG, Crocker, and Warren.  We’ll also need a repeat defensive performance from Darko, who did a hell of a job showing on the perimeter and then busting his ass back to the block to defend Tiny Gallon.  Finally, John Roberson had zero turnovers in the first meeting.  Let me repeat.  ZERO.  He won’t get that tomorrow night because he’ll get bumped all over the place in Norman, but the key will be his ability to fight through the bumps, stay composed, and get us into our offense.

On the OU side, surely Cade Davis can’t repeat his first half performance from Saturday, but we better not lay off him to help on the drive.  I’m curious to see if Pledger and Fitzgerald even play in the game after falling prey to Sooner tradition of clothing theft.  I don’t think we’ll be as successful stopping Gallon and Wright, but that’s up to TMG and Warren to get them the ball.

After writing this, I’m actually feeling pretty good about tomorrow night.  We need to bring one of our best games, avoid the early run, and keep this game close into the last five minutes.  We might have a shot here.

Thoughts?