Fortunes can change quickly in the Big 12. One night you’re feeling good after a resilient, season-saving win over Central Florida. Then four nights later, you’re feeling like the world is ending and the season is in dire straits after a meltdown at 7-13 West Virginia.
Now, the Bearcats next three games are all against Top 15 teams. That starts Saturday night at Texas Tech. Would anyone be shocked, given life in the Big 12, if the Bearcats won on Saturday? Perhaps not. But winning on the road isn’t easy in the Big 12. If it makes anyone feel better, West Virginia is 3-0 at home in Big 12 play.
1. #2 Pop Isaacs, 6’2″, 180 lbs., So., G, Las Vegas, Nevada
17.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 38.1 FG%, 33.3 3-PT FG%, 83.3 FT%, 72 ast.-46 TO, 22 stl, 32.3 mpg
Isaacs is a prolific scorer, entering Saturday night with 11 straight games scoring in double figures including six with 20-plus points. He’s only a second-year player, but he’s already made quite a name for himself in Lubbock. As a freshman, Isaacs led the Red Raiders with 62 three-point baskets and finished third among freshmen in the Big 12 in scoring. In addition, he’s durable. He’s played 77 of 80 minutes over Texas Tech’s last two games against Oklahoma and TCU, and he had a 25-point nine-assist outing at TCU on Tuesday while playing all 40 minutes.
2. #6 Joe Toussiant, 6’0″, 195 lbs., Super-Senior, G, Bronx, New York, West Virginia Transfer
13 ppg, 3 rpg, 43.1 FG%, 31% 3-PT FG, 85.4 FT%, 85 ast.-46 TO, 21 stl, 33.1 mpg
Toussiant brings four year of Power Five experience into Texas Tech. He’s scored in double figures in 15 of 20 games this season and has six or more assists in five games this season. He’s enjoying the best season of his career after averaging just under 10 points a game at West Virginia and playing at Iowa for three seasons. Keep an eye, though, on his assists to turnovers. While he does have 15 assists over his last two games, he also has 12 turnovers.
