Tuesday Takes: Arizona’s Winning It All, Iowa State’s Misfortune, and a Heartfelt Goodbye

Welcome to Tuesday Takes, where I give you four takes from the Big 12. It was a jam-packed week full of exciting news, but there were several things that caught my attention over the last few days. 

Arizona Will Win It All

Out of the four remaining teams playing in Indianapolis, Arizona is the best overall team. They put a beatdown on Arkansas last week before taking down Purdue by double digits. No other team in the final four has run through opponents like the Wildcats have so far.

The trio of Brayden Burries, Koa Peat, and Jaden Bradley has been excellent all season long, and they have the supporting cast around them with guys like Ivan Kharchenkov, Motiejus Krivas, and Tobe Awake, as well as Anthony Dell’Orso.

They are very deep, and while they may not have that household name superstar on their roster, it’s hard to find a better overall team in the country than the Arizona Wildcats. What I love about them is that they can adapt to any style, and they are an absolute menace in the paint and on the glass. That is why I believe they will beat Michigan on Saturday and cut down the nets in Indy.

Houston, We Have a Problem

Out of all the Big 12 teams that were in the sweet sixteen, no one disappointed me more than Houston. After putting a beatdown on Idaho and Texas A&M in the first two rounds, it looked like the Cougars were poised to make another deep run in the tournament.

But then the Illinois game happened, and all bets were off. The Cougars scored just 55 points and shot their lowest percentage all season long as they shot 34% from the floor and an abysmal 28% from three. For a team that relies on jump shots, that was a recipe for disaster.

My concern with Houston was always going to be the offense. Defensively, they are as good as anyone in the country, but when Kingston Flemmings or Emmanuel Sharp had an off night, they needed someone like Milos Uzan to step up, and he didn’t.

It’s great to have a player like Flemmings, but if this program is going to continue to make deep runs as they have in the past, then they must find more players who can contribute more offensively. That was the one thing missing from this team this season, and it cost them a trip to Indianapolis.

Iowa State Would Have Beat Tennessee with a Healthy Joshua Jefferson

I know Iowa State was outrebounded badly, and I know that they were awful from the free-throw line. But it’s hard to sit there and tell me that Joshua Jefferson wouldn’t have made a difference in that game.

Not having him on the floor puts a ton of pressure on Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic, and unfortunately, Milan had his worst shooting game of the entire season against Tennessee.

Nate Heise stepped up, but it wasn’t enough as the Vols dominated down low and were able to get a ton of second chances offensively. Prior to his ankle injury, Joshua Jefferson was averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, which means not only was he the second leading scorer on the team, but he also led them in rebounds. This game would have looked different with Iowa State’s All-American on the floor.

We Will Miss You, Joe

For those who don’t know, our own Joe Tillery is stepping away from HCS to take a full-time position with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to help with fundraising. That alone should tell you the kind of man Joe is.

He is always helping people. Whether it’s cleaning up my articles, giving advice, or just being there for times in need, I know I can count on Joe to lend a hand. Over the years, I have seen Joe grow not just as a writer but as a man as well. It almost feels like watching your little brother grow up in a way.

Joe, I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you, and that everyone here at Heartland College Sports and our readers will greatly miss you. And I look forward to having a beer with you when I make it up your way. Cheers!