Start of the Big 12 Schedule --FACT OR FICTION

[ChipperF1]

Twelve questions. Answer FACT or FICTION and state why...and leave the hedging to Timothy Geithner

1. Brittany Griner will never lose a Big 12 championship in her four years of college ball.

2. Texas A&M will go as far as their defense will carry them.

3. The Big 12's most valuable player is Kelsey Griffin.

4. Oklahoma misses Whitney Hand more than they miss Courtney Paris.

5. Bonnie Hendrickson isn't getting it done at Kansas.

6. Iowa State is in trouble without Heather Ezell.

7. Oklahoma State will make the NCAA tournament.

8. The biggest roadblock to Texas improving is Gail Goestenkoers.

9. Texas Tech is a postseason team

10. Kansas State will finish 10th or worse

11. Colorado will fire Kathy McConnell-Miller after this season

12. Missouri will finish 10th or better

and a bonus question

13. The Big 12 conference will have a representative in the 2010 Final Four

[LadyBuff]

I don't know about the others, but I hope this is FACT.


Twelve questions. Answer FACT or FICTION and state why...and leave the hedging to Timothy Geithner





11. Colorado will fire Kathy McConnell-Miller after this season

[TTU79]

1. Brittany Griner will never lose a Big 12 championship in her four years of college ball. Fiction. Always need several other good players on your team and this is supposing Baylor always does that and no other Big 12 team improves.

2. Texas A&M will go as far as their defense will carry them. Fact. And this is true of every team in the conference. Offense wins games, defense wins championships (One of Marsha's favorite warnings to her teams.)

3. The Big 12's most valuable player is Kelsey Griffin. Fiction. Must too early to say but, the Big 12 is loaded with possible MVPs this year.

4. Oklahoma misses Whitney Hand more than they miss Courtney Paris. Fiction. Hard to measure the total impact Courtney had.

5. Bonnie Hendrickson isn't getting it done at Kansas. Fiction. Looks like she's got it headed in the right direction to me.

6. Iowa State is in trouble without Heather Ezell. Fact, but it's not something they can't overcome.

7. Oklahoma State will make the NCAA tournament. Fact. And Riley still won't be able to play in the first game. Seems like they've got a real team effort going on this year.

8. The biggest roadblock to Texas improving is Gail Goestenkoers. Fiction. Biggest roadblock is youth of team plus no real leader yet.

9. Texas Tech is a postseason team . Fact. Now what else would you expect me to say. However, we do have some impressive freshmen.

10. Kansas State will finish 10th or worse. Fact. Don't know why, but it's just not their usual team.

11. Colorado will fire Kathy McConnell-Miller after this season. Fiction. Signed a contract extension last year and team is doing better.

12. Missouri will finish 10th or better. Fact. This team is also showing improvement.

and a bonus question

13. The Big 12 conference will have a representative in the 2010 Final Four
Fact. I think Baylor has the team to do it.

[Bob_Ballew]

1. Fact...I think Baylor really has a shot at four Big XII Conference titles with Griner and the entire class of freshmen. Especially if you look at the additions next year and barring no injuries.

2. Fiction...A&M has some offensive weapons.

3. Fact...I definitely think she is the most valuable to her team. She has always been a favorite of mine. She is certainly capable of being named Big XII Player of the Year.

4. Fiction...Hand is a very good player, but you can't compare her to Paris and what Courtney provided for OU.

5. Fiction...Bonnie is a very good coach. It simply takes time.

6. Fact...Heather will surely be missed. It will be interesting to see how Lacey handles this team.

7. Fact...I think they will make the tournament.

8. Fiction...See #5... it will take some time.

9. Fact...It may very well be the WNIT, but I think they will be playing in post season play.

10. Fact...Only time will tell.

11. Fiction...Only time will tell.

12. Fact...Missouri will take someone that is PUI.

13. Fact...I just don't know who.

[Cyclones Rule]

Twelve questions. Answer FACT or FICTION and state why...and leave the hedging to Timothy Geithner

1. Brittany Griner will never lose a Big 12 championship in her four years of college ball. Fiction, see Courtney Paris

2. Texas A&M will go as far as their defense will carry them. Fact

3. The Big 12's most valuable player is Kelsey Griffin. Fiction.

4. Oklahoma misses Whitney Hand more than they miss Courtney Paris.Fiction

5. Bonnie Hendrickson isn't getting it done at Kansas.Fiction she will this year

6. Iowa State is in trouble without Heather Ezell.Fiction. Real question should be ISU is in trouble without Amanda Nisleit. That question is a fact.

10. Kansas State will finish 10th or worse fact

12. Missouri will finish 10th or better fact

and a bonus question

13. The Big 12 conference will have a representative in the 2010 Final Four

[ChipperF1]

1. Brittany Griner will never lose a Big 12 championship in her four years of college ball. FACT -- The Griner era is not just her, its bringing in a serious stream of talent, compared to Texas A&M and Oklahoma who will be the biggest challengers for the crown in the near future.

2. Texas A&M will go as far as their defense will carry them. FICTION -- They will go as far as their offensive execution improves. Their defense alone could get them to the Sweet 16, after that they have to score points, and the jury is still out on if they could against a team that doesn't give them transition turnovers.

3. The Big 12's most valuable player is Kelsey Griffin. FACT -- Take Kelsey Griffin away from Nebraska,and the Huskers are a second division team selling WNIT tickets. With Kelsey Griffin healthy and focused, we can give the upper division a run. Take Brittany Griner away from Baylor and Baylor still wins the league.

4. Oklahoma misses Whitney Hand more than they miss Courtney Paris. FACT -- A healthy Whitney Hand makes the new speed option Sherribone more lethal because of her shooting stroke and makes OU fans say Courtney who? Without Hand, you are the same Sooner team on offense filtering everything through Courtney...except you don't have Courtney. You have Abi Olajuwon and that ain't Courtney.

5. Bonnie Hendrickson isn't getting it done at Kansas. FICTION -- Bonnie Hendrickson doing her part, but this team has to jel as a unit and that's on the players now.

6. Iowa State is in trouble without Heather Ezell. FICTION -- I'll agree with Cyclone Rules. Neisleit is a bigger hit, but neither are as big a hit as you think with Allison Lacey, and if Anna Prins is as good as advertised, all will be well in the Hilton Missile Silo.

7. Oklahoma State will make the NCAA tournament. FACT -- Andrea Riley will have some big games and they'll just bubble into the show.

8. The biggest roadblock to Texas improving is Gail Goestenkoers. FACT -- Coach G has to realize 1. You can get away with interior softness in the ACC, but softness in this league gets you killed. 2. You have a leader. her name is Brittaney Raven. She's not Elena Beard. Quit trying to make her Elena Beard. 3. That Kathleen Nash girl, SET MORE PLAYS FOR HER!


9. Texas Tech is a postseason team FACT -- Kiera Mallard alone can get in you in the WNIT

10. Kansas State will finish 10th or worse FACT -- Maybe Shalee Lehning has some eligibility left. Check on it, coach.

11. Colorado will fire Kathy McConnell-Miller after this season FICTION -- Colorado really can't afford to buy anybody out right now and the Buffs could raise up to 10th. The Buff guard will keep them in games.

12. Missouri will finish 10th or better FACT -- They'll finish 10th ahead of KSU and CU, but they have the athleticism to be at the mid-lower division scrum. But what Missouri has in raw athleticism, they can replace the lack of basketball skill and team organisation.

and a bonus question

13. The Big 12 conference will have a representative in the 2010 Final Four
FICTION -- There's two teams for whom you could make a case for the Final Four.
Baylor is a year away. Those young faces will grow and learn fast this year and carry it to the Elite 8. Remember the last time a figured Baylor was "a year away", they took the crown a year early. Texas A&M can hold a lot of teams under their average, but can they execute well enough to score points against the top 6-8 teams? I don't see that. I believe Texas A&M has the defensive makeup to hurt Connecticut, but they can't maintain the consistent offensive execution to win a trench fight against them. There's offense and there's defense. You can't have one without the other and expect to win all the shares.

[Noah121]

I love these posts.

1. Brittany Griner will never lose a Big 12 championship in her four years of college ball.
FICTION. I think that this year alone is wide-open enough that the Bears aren't prohibitive favorites. Each year is a different story, and each team seems to be improving exponentially.

2. Texas A&M will go as far as their defense will carry them.
FACT. Although I haven't seen the Aggies play, they always seem to be more about the forty minutes of hell. At least their offense is probably better than Nebraska football's offense! :rotflol:

3. The Big 12's most valuable player is Kelsey Griffin.
FACT. Although Nebraska has has a major turnaround in non-conference with the addition of a true point guard in Moore, Griffin's return to the floor has seemed to improve the confidence of the whole Nebraska team.

4. Oklahoma misses Whitney Hand more than they miss Courtney Paris.
FACT. They knew that they were going to lose Paris this year, but the loss of Hand came as an unexpected tilt. I think that an in-season injury is much more pernicious than an expected off-season graduation/exhausted eligibility. Granted, some teams use that as a rallying point.

5. Bonnie Hendrickson isn't getting it done at Kansas.
FICTION. The Jayhawks, although struggling in some of their non-conference games, are still doing much better than they have in recent years.

6. Iowa State is in trouble without Heather Ezell.
FICTION. They have many other weapons from three-point range and Fennelly can make anyone ready to play.

7. Oklahoma State will make the NCAA tournament.
FACT. As Riley's swan song, I think they'll be able to sneak out enough wins to make it back.

8. The biggest roadblock to Texas improving is Gail Goestenkoers.
FACT. Texas always seems to be able to recruit well, but there's just something suspect about her coaching. Granted, I haven't followed it that well.

9. Texas Tech is a postseason team
FACT. They will have trouble in the regular season, but with their RPI playing in the Big 12 Conference, they should be eligible for at least the WNIT.

10. Kansas State will finish 10th or worse
FICTION. Although not playing well right now, sometimes it takes until it really counts for the 'Cats to get rolling.

11. Colorado will fire Kathy McConnell-Miller after this season
FACT. I don't see the Buffs doing very well this season, and I'm actually surprised she survived the last season.

12. Missouri will finish 10th or better
FICTION. The basement will be a battle between Colorado, Mizzou, and Tech.

13. The Big 12 conference will have a representative in the 2010 Final Four
FACT. The top of the Big 12 could probably get seeded high enough in order to avoid the likes of UConn and Tennessee. They won't get as unfair of a draw as the volleyball teams did.

[Bball Girl]

1. Brittany Griner will never lose a Big 12 championship in her four years of college ball. FICTION..Only if she transfers to another program mid season...Griner/BU are great, but the Big 12 is more competitive than this.

2. Texas A&M will go as far as their defense will carry them. FACT...Their defense can ONLY care them so far without the offense to back it up

3. The Big 12's most valuable player is Kelsey Griffin. FACT: Valuable is not the same as "best"...

4. Oklahoma misses Whitney Hand more than they miss Courtney Paris. FICTION: The inside presence of Paris opened things up for the wings.

5. Bonnie Hendrickson isn't getting it done at Kansas. FICTION - but I may change my mind at the end of the season

6. Iowa State is in trouble without Heather Ezell. FICTION: ISU is never in trouble without 1 player...Coach Bill always finds a way

7. Oklahoma State will make the NCAA tournament. FACT: as long as Riley stays under control

8. The biggest roadblock to Texas improving is Gail Goestenkoers. FICTION: It's a combination...but I agree she's trying to bring the ACC game into the Big 12...she needs to adapt, but so do her players.

9. Texas Tech is a postseason team FACT: Only if Curry will accept a WNIT bid

10. Kansas State will finish 10th or worse FACT: This is not KSU's year

11. Colorado will fire Kathy McConnell-Miller after this season FICTION: CU's administration is not committed to supporting WBB

12. Missouri will finish 10th or better FACT

and a bonus question

13. The Big 12 conference will have a representative in the 2010 Final FourFICTION: Baylor will lost to UConn in the Elite 8