In Baylor's wake, Lucas finds Stillwater

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John Lucas III didn't need a lot of time to figure out where his college basketball career would continue.

Sure the former Baylor point guard considered transferring to Memphis, San Diego State or Georgia. But when Lucas found out that he and the other Baylor players could transfer wherever they wanted -- including other Big 12 schools -- without penalty, he knew Oklahoma State would be his destination.

Back before Baylor teammate Patrick Dennehy was murdered and another teammate, Carlton Dotson, was charged with the crime, Lucas always looked forward to the Bears' trips to Stillwater, Okla. He liked the atmosphere, the noise and the scene that features more orange than a deer hunters convention.

Lucas, the son of former NBA player and coach John Lucas Jr., had played club basketball with the Cowboys Ivan McFarlin, and he knew OSU coach Eddie Sutton would make him a better player.

Now, about four months after deciding to leave Baylor, Lucas is happy, and he's played a significant role in the Cowboys' 5-1 start to this season.

"I see myself being a better basketball player," Lucas said. "I'm around Coach Sutton, and he's one of the best coaches around. I'm improving my game as a point guard, and he's molding me into a true 'PG.'"

Lucas, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection a year ago, has been an immediate starter for the Cowboys as they enter Saturday's game at Arkansas. Still, Lucas' role is different than it was playing for Dave Bliss at Baylor. Instead of being relied on for scoring, Lucas' priority now is running the Cowboys offense and getting the ball to the right people at the right times. Certainly he's going to score, but dropping dimes is more important.

AP PhotoOSU was looking for a point guard. John Lucas III was looking for a new place to play.

The change is evident in his statistics as his points are down, but his assists are up. After averaging 13.3 points and 4.4 assists last season, the 5-11 Lucas is scoring 10.8 points per game and is second in the Big 12 with 5.5 assists per game.

Why? In addition to being more concerned about getting a balanced OSU offense rolling, Lucas also has learned the difference between an open shot and a good shot. So far this season, Lucas is taking more than two fewer field goal attempts than a year ago and one fewer 3-pointer a game.

Lucas' arrival in Stillwater could not have worked out better for the Cowboys. With Victor Williams exhausting his eligibility, Sutton was in position to be the Tom Izzo of the Big 12 -- a coach trying to make due without a true point guard.

Stevie Graham, a 6-foot-7 junior-college transfer, would have been the likely candidate to run the point. Would he have made the transition? Perhaps. But there's little question that Lucas is a better fit for the job.

"We didn't have a scholarship, but Jimmy Williams used to be one of our assistant coaches, and he's friends with John Lucas," Sutton said. "Jimmy called and said, 'Would y'all have any interest?' and we said, 'Certainly we would.' We brought John in for a visit. Obviously he had played here and he realized what a great setting it is to play basketball at Gallagher-Iba.

"He made a decision this was where he wanted to come to school. We thought it was Christmas come early because he's been a welcome addition. He's certainly been embraced by his teammates. He's been impressive not only as a basketball player but as a young man."

The move has been a pretty good fit. The Cowboys needed a point guard and Lucas -- who is paying for school this season but will be on scholarship next year -- wanted a place where he felt comfortable. Because long before the tragedy at Baylor and the firing of Bliss, Lucas wasn't happy.

"Coach and I, I don't want to say we butted heads," Lucas said. "But I got moved around and moved around, and I didn't see myself getting better."

Would Lucas -- who hasn't been back to Baylor's Waco, Texas, campus since Dennehy's death -- have left regardless? He doesn't know for sure, but it's certainly something he considered.

A summer that featured one of his teammates being murdered, another charged with the crime, and his coach fired in the wake of an offensive attempted cover up, wasn't easy for Lucas. He simply tried to keep himself busy.

"It was just crazy, all the allegations coming out," said Lucas, who will return to Baylor with OSU on Feb. 28. "I've tried to put all that in the past. I hope everything goes good for Baylor and Coach Drew."

But while the Bears are down to six scholarship players and appear destined to finish last in the Big 12, Lucas is on a team that expects to reach the NCAA Tournament. He's playing for a great coach, and he's winning games.

"It's a winning team, you can feel the winning tradition," Lucas said. "It's all about getting better.

"It's been everything I've hoped for. Everything's very good. I feel very blessed."

Already thin, Baylor is down to six scholarship players and five walk-ons after juco transfer Ellis Kidd Jr. was dismissed from the team this week. He had started all seven Baylor games this season, averaging 13.4 points and four rebounds.

Quote to Note

"How in the heck can Colorado not be receiving votes in the AP? That just blows my mind. We've played a good schedule. For us not to be receiving any votes just blows my mind."
-- Colorado coach Ricardo Patton is a little surprised his Buffaloes aren't receiving any more love after a 5-1 start.

Jeff Shelman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune (www.startribune.com) is a regular contributor to ESPN.com

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