Get three amazing teams with the potential to earn No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, and you get a very wild Big 12 tournament. The Kansas Jayhawks, West Virginia Mountaineers and Oklahoma Sooners all field national contenders in the most loaded conference tournament of the season.
As if those three teams weren’t enough, you also get three more excellent teams. Baylor, Texas and Iowa State are all serious contenders. Those three could certainly shake things up in this tournament, even against the league’s big dogs.
Get plenty more action in the conference tournaments. Check out our complete previews for the SEC and Big Ten Championships.
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2016 Big 12 Conference Tournament Preview
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Kansas Jayhawks
For the eighth-straight year, the Kansas Jayhawks (+130) enter this tournament as the No. 1 seeds. Not only are the Jayhawks entering as the top seed, they’re also ranked No. 1 in the nation. They closed the season with an 11-game winning streak to finish 27-4 along with the nation’s highest RPI.
Kansas enjoys plenty of success due to its well-balanced roster. Perry Ellis (16.5 points per game), Frank Mason III (13.4), Wayne Selden Jr. (13.4) and Devonte’Graham (11.2) are all averaging in double-digits in points this season. All four are hitting better than 41 percent from beyond the arc. Mason and Graham, in particular, are also excellent on the other side of the court, averaging 1.4 and 1.3 steals per game.
West Virginia Mountaineers
Kansas is the rightful favorite, but West Virginia could give the Jayhawks a run for their money. The Mountaineers have already beaten the Big 12 giants through the heroics of super sub Jaysean Paige. A senior, Paige scored 26 points and added four rebounds and five steals to hound Kansas all night long. But he didn’t do it alone; he had some help from Devin Williams and Jevon Carter, who chipped in 17 and 10 points respectively.
Expect Paige to once again be excellent in this tournament. He’s been on fire, scoring 20 points per game as the Mountaineers won four straight heading into the tournament.
Their ability to force plenty of miscues (league-high +4.42 turnover margin) should be a big help in the postseason. They thrive on steals, averaging 9.84 per game (first in the Big 12). Carter Tarik Phillip, Daxter Miles Jr. Paige and Holton are all averaging one or more steals per game this season.
The Mountaineers are +350 to win the conference tournament.
Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma (+350) may have given ground to West Virginia for the second seed in the tournament, but the Sooners have one hell of a bracket, which could lead them to a deep run. They are 4-1 in their last five games against TCU, Iowa State, Texas Tech and West Virginia. All four teams are on the Sooners’ side of the bracket.
The Sooners have an advantage with one of the best players in the nation powering the team. Buddy Hield has been absolutely unstoppable, scoring 25.1 points per game this season. Hield is also averaging 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game to fill the stat sheet.
The Sooners are a very balanced team. They have an all-around guard, Isaiah Cousins, who is averaging 13 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Jordan Woodard isn’t too far behind with a stat line of 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Their blend of ball movement and a scintillating defense focused on forcing turnovers should lead to a deep tournament run.
Sleeper
Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State may be a steal at +800 to win the Big 12 Tournament. The Cyclones are one of the nationally ranked teams in the tournament. They own big wins over Oklahoma and Kansas, two of the conference’s best teams.
The Cyclones have plenty to prove entering this tournament as back-to-back champions. They’ll rely on the incredible Georges Niang to lead them to victory. Niang is averaging a team-high 19.4 points per game this season. They also have depth on their side with six other players averaging double-digits in points this season.
Long Shot
Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Oklahoma State Cowboys suck. Their +15,000 line to win the Big 12 Tournament attests to that. But they’re worth a stab at those odds considering they have one of the best defenses in the nation. The Cowboys rank 59th in the nation, allowing 66.9 points per game. They’re second in the conference in that regard.
One bad shooting night from one of the top teams could give the Cowboys plenty of chances to advance in this tournament. They also own a big win over the nation’s and the conference’s top team, Kansas. Expect the Cowboys to play some tough D to cause some headaches in the tournament.
Writer’s Prediction
Kansas (+130) storms to the Big 12 title.
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