The Big 12 Tournament has usually been a question of whether the Kansas Jayhawks would win it or not. That doesn’t mean other schools aren’t trying, though. For as perennial of a contender the Jayhawks have been in recent years, the conference still have a plenty of teams capable of winning it all. Let’s break down the faves, sleepers, and long shots below.
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2017 Big 12 Conference Tournament Preview
Favorites
Kansas Jayhawks (+110)
Kansas has won the Big 12 regular season title for each year since 2004. In addition, the Jayhawks have emerged champions in seven of the last 11 editions of the Big 12 tourney, including last season. In other words, Bill Self has the Big 12 all figured out because that’s the kind of conclusion anyone could make after realizing how long the Jayhawks have lorded it over the conference. The Jayhawks head to the conference tournament riding an eight-game win streak and an offense that drops 82.7 PPG, 17th best in the nation.
West Virginia Mountaineers (+200)
The Big 12 title is not a giveaway for Kansas. West Virginia has the makeup to take down any team in the tournament, including the favorite, Kansas. The Mountaineers looked more convincing in their 85-69 upset win over Kansas on Jan. 24 than the Jayhawks, when Kansas won in overtime of the rematch on Feb. 13, 84-80. As with WVU teams of previous seasons, this Mountaineers team specializes in playing a disruptive type of defense, one that forces opponents to commit 21.2 turnovers per game—the most in the nation.
The Mountaineers could also hang with the best offensive teams out there. They score 83.8 PPG on 46.3 shooting percentage. While Kansas is the top favorite to take home the tournament title, West Virginia has the best Big 12 odds of winning the tourney per teamrankings.com.
Sleepers
Iowa State Cyclones (+650)
Any team that features a win over Kansas in its resume certainly deserves a look. Take for example the Cyclones, who ended the Jayhawks’ 54-game win streak at Allen Fieldhouse during a 92-89 overtime win on Feb. 4. That said, there’s more to the Cyclones to be branded as mere Kansas-beaters only. Iowa State has defeated five top-40 RPI teams in the regular season and is ranked 24th in KenPom.
Long Shot
Oklahoma Sooners (+5,000)
Year 1 of post-Buddy Hield era for Oklahoma resembles what a post-apocalyptic Texas would look like. The team went just 5-13 in conference play and 11-19 overall. That sucks for a team that made it all the way to the Final Four last season.
The tandem of Jordan Woodard and Kameron McGusty, however, couldn’t be underestimated, especially in a knockout-formatted tournament. Remember when the two combined for 37 points when the Sooners sent shockwaves across the conference last January, when they took down West Virginia in overtime, 89-87. They followed that up with a close 92-87 OT loss to Iowa State, another tourney contender. If anything, the Sooners are 4-0 ATS in their last four games as the underdog.
Complete Big 12 Tournament Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kansas | +110 |
| West Virginia | +200 |
| Baylor | +450 |
| Iowa State | +650 |
| Oklahoma State | +1,200 |
| Kansas State | +2,500 |
| Texas | +3,000 |
| TCU | +3,300 |
| Texas Tech | +3,300 |
| Oklahoma | +5,000 |
Writer’s Prediction
West Virginia (+200) wins the tournament.
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