Three key takeaways from Kansas-Oklahoma
It's only January 4, but we've already seen the game of the season so far in college basketball — which took three overtimes to complete. Three takeaways from Oklahoma-Kansas, a matchup of the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation:
No. 1: Buddy Hield is now your frontrunner for National Player of the Year
This kind of a performance on a national stage cements it. Hield scored 46 (!!!) points on on 13-for-23 shooting and in 56 minutes of play. That's the most an opposing player has ever scored at Allen Fieldhouse.
"He's an awesome player," Kansas star Perry Ellis said on ESPN following the game.
Hield maybe hasn't gotten as much pub as LSU's Ben Simmons or Michigan State's Denzel Valentine. But he's played as well as anybody this season ... and better than any individual player in the game of the season, so far. Yes, Oklahoma lost. But Hield won over many fans.
No. 2: Want to win a Big 12 title? You've still got to go through Lawrence, Kan.
No one would want to go up against Hield, or coach Lon Kruger — even in a game of chess, no less a huge Big 12 game during conference play. But no one should want to go anywhere near Kansas this time of year, either.
The Jayhawks are shooting for their 12th consecutive regular-season Big 12 title, and no matter how great the stars on their rivals — such as Hield or Iowa State's Georges Niang — no one should pick against Kansas.
Perry Ellis — who, yes, hasn't graduated yet —was responsible for 27 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the win Monday. Devonte Graham and Wayne Seldon each went over 20 points, too, with Frank Mason sealing the game with a steal of Hield and a couple of free throws.
No. 3: The Big 12 is, obviously, the best.
For the past few seasons, most national analysts have figured that the Big 12 was the nation's top and toughest conference. But then there have been some NCAA tournament struggles.
This season, it can be said confidently way before March that this conference is far and away the best in the country. The Pac-12 is nowhere near as strong as it's been in years past. The ACC, beyond UNC, isn't either. The Big Ten consists of a healthy Michigan State and Maryland, followed by a drop-off. Though the Big East has some legit Final Four contenders, this should and will be the year of the Big 12.
Between Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State and West Virginia, that's four of the nation's top 15 teams. And probably more than a handful of the top 10 candidates for national player of the year.
No one knows how well these teams will do come NCAA tournament time, but this league should be considered the best — by far — this season, regardless.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM KANSAS-OKLAHOMA