Ah, the Big 12, the conference where each team beat the hell out of each other throughout conference play. To underscore how competitive this conference is, around half of the teams in there are going to the Big Dance with Kansas, Iowa State, Oklahoma among the shoo-ins.
The conference can add more to that list if somehow, a team like TCU or Texas Tech can pull off a miracle of biblical proportions and end up winning the Big 12 Tournament Championship. If there’s one thing that’s sure, it’s that this tournament is going to be as wide open as any.
For more Championship Week previews, you can click here for the SEC Tournament and here for the ACC’s.
[sc:MarchMadness ]Big 12 Tournament Preview and Prediction
Favorites: Kansas, Iowa State
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]It’s time for the Jayhawks to prove once and for all that they totally own the Big 12 despite a rough-and-tumble regular season. However, they’ll have to win the conference tourney possibly without leading scorer and rebounder Perry Ellis (14.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG), who continues to deal with a sprained knee injury.
Add to that the current Cliff Alexander (7.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG) situation and head coach Bill Self now has the unenviable task of finding a solution to the team’s problematic frontcourt. That being said, the presence of the likes of Frank Mason III, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Wayne Selden Jr. in the backcourt should still be enough to make Kansas a formidable foe for any team in the tournament.
Unlike Kansas, the Cyclones don’t have any major issues with their roster entering the Big 12 Tournament.
Led by Georges Niang (15.2 PPG), the Cyclones will enter the tournament as the same offensively intimidating team. They are averaging 79.3 points per game (ninth in the nation) behind an efficient offense that generates 118.6 points per 100 possessions (sixth overall). The defending tournament champions have closed the regular season strong after losing back-to-back late February, scoring two-straight victories over Oklahoma and TCU, respectively.
Sleepers: Kansas State, Texas
This being the Big 12 conference, it’s not crazy to think that some team in the middle of the pack will stage a giant-killing run in the tournament.
Take for example Kansas State, which despite a shabby 8-10 record in conference play, rocked the nation with a back-to-back late regular season wins over Kansas and Iowa State. That’s not to mention the Wildcats’ other high-profile victims like Oklahoma (twice), Oklahoma State, and Baylor. Kansas State’s fortune in the tournament will depend largely on the play of sophomore Marcus Foster, who leads the team in scoring with 12.9 PPG.
Talent has never been a problem for Texas. Consistency has. If the Longhorns could get it together, they can wreak havoc in the tournament and end up snatching an auto-bid in the process.
Much of their chances lie on their highly ranked defense and rebounding. The Longhorns’ defense is 36th in the nation with only 60.4 points allowed per game, while their rebounding is tied for fifth with Myles Turner (10.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG) and company collaring 40 boards a game.
They’ve shown their readiness for the tournament recently by beating Baylor and Kansas State in back-to-back games. Texas makes its final preparation for the Big 12 tourney wars when it goes up against conference bottom-feeder Texas Tech on Wednesday.
Long Shots: Texas Tech, TCU
It’s been a forgettable season for Texas Tech and TCU. The Red Raiders and the Horned Frogs have played the roles of the whipping boys in the conference, as evidenced by their combined Big 12 record of 7-29. But before we write them off as mere first round cannon fodders, take note that the Red Raiders once beat Oklahoma State back in February, while the Horned Frogs also defeated Kansas State also last month.
Why did we bring this up? That’s because the Cowboys and the Wildcats are the potential first round matchups of Texas Tech and TCU, respectively.
Writer’s Prediction
Iowa State defends its Big 12 Tournament title, beating Oklahoma in the championship game. Buddy Hield wins tourney MVP award.
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