Big XII Sends Six to the Big Dance

The Big XII conference has a lot to be proud of this year.  And the year isn't over yet.

Just shortly after the Kansas Jayhawks defeated the Texas Longhorns in an exciting championship game to round out the Big XII Tournament, the NCAA Tournament bids were announced and six Big XII teams are dancing.

Selected to the national tournament are the:

Kansas Jayhawks: Kansas will go as a one of the four top seeds and will be in the Midwestern Region.  They play their first game against Portland State, the Big Sky Conference champions.

Texas Longhorns: Texas may have lost their chance at being a top seed by losing to Kansas.  But, nonetheless, they are in a good position as a two seed in the Southern Region.  They open the tournament against Austin Peay, the Ohio Valley conference champions.

Oklahoma Sooners: Oklahoma enters the tournament as a six seed and will face a strong St. Joseph's team in the opening round of the tournament.  St. Joe's fell to Temple in the Atlantic 10 championship game. Oklahoma is playing in the Eastern Region.

Texas A&M Aggies: Texas A&M finds themselves as a nine seed in this year's tournament.  They will face Brigham Young University in the first round in the Western Region.  The BYU Cougars received an at-large big after finishing second to UNLV in the Moutain West confernece.

Kansas State Wildcats: Kansas State and their freshman leader Michael Beasley will dance as an 11 seed in this year's tournament.  They join Kansas in the Midwestern Region and will face USC in the opening round of the tournament.  USC was knocked out of the Pac-10 tournament in the semi-finals this year by the eventual champions, and a top seed in this year's national tournament, UCLA.

Baylor Bears: For the first time in 20 years, the Baylor Bears will dance. Baylor, the last team called on Selection Sunday, earned an 11 seed and will join Texas A&M in the Western Region.  They face Purdue in the opening round.  Purdue was upset by eventual conference runners-up Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.

In addition to the six NCAA Tournament bids, the Big XII will send two more teams to the National Invitation Tournament.

Oklahoma State Cowboys: Oklahoma State made it to the NIT as a five seed and will face Southern Illinois in the opening round of the tournament.

Nebraska Cornhuskers: Nebraska made the NIT as a three seed and will face Charlotte in the opening round.

All in all, the Big XII has a lot to be proud of this year.  They are sending eight teams to the post season, and some argue that others (such as Texas Tech, for example) should have qualified as well.  And now, let the madness begin.