Backtime 2012 Big Finish: Day 12

Appropriately Day 12, the last day of '12 is in the Big 12, at a cold and isolated midwestern outpost. A brilliantly awful morning here in Stillwater - about 34 and freezing rain. I got one last load of laundry done yesterday and the end is in sight. Dinner reservations have been made at Brooklyn's.

In just over 24 hours I'll finally be back home, so you know where I'll be when the ball drops: in bed, sleeping on Tulsa Time.

Tonight it's Gonzaga at Oklahoma State for some hoops at Gallagher-Iba. Oklahoma State has an exciting freshman guard combo, Marcus Smart and Phil Forte.

Smart (right) is the 6-4 point guard, consummate team leader. Forte is the 5-10 shooter. They played high school together in Flower Mound, Texas, where they won back-to-back state titles. They go back way farther than that and have a 6th sense for each other on the court.

Smart and Forte join Le'Bryan Nash and Markel Brown on a resurgent Oklahoma State team that looks to give Kansas and Baylor a run in the Big 12 season. But before turning the page into conference play, the Cowboys have the Zags tonight, who have already whipped four Big 12 opponents this season.

Should old acquaintance be forgot, Backtime returns tomorrow from home base.