The Big 12 has been rated as one of the top three conferences since at least 2005. In 2015 and 2016, the Big 12 ranked as the best conference in the country. And yet, this year, as in the 12 years before it, the result in the regular season was the same. The Kansas Jayhawks won an NCAA-record tying 13th straight conference title, a feat only matched by John Wooden's UCLA teams from 1967-1979. The Jayhawks finished four games ahead of the rest of the conference, which is one of the widest separations that Kansas has had from the rest of the conference.
Kansas is projected as a top seed, mostly as the top overall seed in the tournament. Kansas and Villanova are the two teams most secure on the top line at present and it would take an extreme situation, which would include a quarterfinal loss to Oklahoma or TCU and a run by a number of other teams in other tournaments, for the Jayhawks to fall off of the top line.
All told, at present, the Big 12 is projected to have five tournament teams. As many as 8 were under consideration at one point, but Texas Tech, TCU, and Kansas State all wilted down the stretch. Baylor is currently on the 2 line, West Virginia is at the 4 line, Iowa State is looking at a 6 seed, and lastly Oklahoma State is on the 7 line. Kansas State is mostly among the first four teams out of the tournament, which means they could play their way into the NCAA Tournament with a run in Kansas City.
All ten teams will take place in the tournament and the top six teams received a bye to the quarterfinals. The tournament will take place at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
First Round-Wednesday, March 8th
#9 Oklahoma vs. #8 TCU
#10 Texas vs. #7 Texas Tech
Quarterfinals-Thursday, March 9th
#9 Oklahoma vs. #1 Kansas
#5 Oklahoma State vs. #4 Iowa State
#7 Texas Tech vs. #2 West Virginia
#6 Kansas State vs. #3 Baylor
Semifinals-Friday, March 10th
#5 Oklahoma State vs. #1 Kansas
#3 Baylor vs. #2 West Virginia
Championship-Saturday, March 11th
In truth, West Virginia controlled Kansas for most of two games this year, though they split the season series. Kansas had a meltdown late against the Mountaineers in Morgantown, leading to a lopsided West Virginia win. West Virginia seemingly pulled a similar feat in Lawrence, leading the Jayhawks by 14 with 2:45 left when Kansas staged a miraculous comeback to force overtime and eventually win.
West Virginia plays a manic defense that can wear teams down, but playing that kind of style can wear a team down in back to back games like in conference tournaments. This contributed to a 81-71 loss to Kansas in the Big 12 championship game last year. This year I expect the same result, though I would not be surprised if West Virginia were able to win this game. I think it is really a tossup, but Kansas' experience at closing out games this year providing the difference.
West Virginia 65, Kansas 67
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