Big 12 Tournament 2024: Preview, Predictions and Men's Players to Watch
Top-ranked Houston closed out the regular season with an emphatic victory over Kansas and locked in the top seed for the program's first-ever trip to the Big 12 tournament.
And there are a mountain of storylines to watch.
Texas is the reigning champion but holds the No. 7 seed. Kansas has traditionally dominated the tourney, but a late-season slide dropped the Jayhawks down to the No. 6 position in the standings. Iowa State secured a top-two tourney seed for the first time in nine seasons, too.
Currently on Bracket Matrix, nine Big 12 programs are projected to land an invite to the Big Dance. As if that's not enough, the conference features a few potential early NBA draft picks.
No matter your angle, the Big 12 offers a wide variety of reasons to watch the midweek mayhem in Kansas City.
Big 12 Tourney Schedule
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Tuesday, March 12
Game 1: No. 12 UCF vs. No. 13 Oklahoma State; 12:30 p.m. ET, Big 12 Now
Game 2: No. 11 Cincinnati vs. No. 14 West Virginia; 3 p.m. ET, Big 12 Now
Wednesday, March 13
Game 3: No. 5 BYU vs. Game 1 winner; 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Game 4: No. 8 TCU vs. No. 9 Oklahoma; 3 p.m. ET, Big 12 Now
Game 5: No. 7 Texas vs. No. 10 Kansas State; 7 p.m. ET, Big 12 Now
Game 6: No. 6 Kansas vs. Game 2 winner; 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2 or ESPNU
Thursday, March 14
Game 7: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. Game 3 winner, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Game 8: No. 1 Houston vs. Game 4 winner, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Game 9: No. 2 Iowa State vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Game 10: No. 3 Baylor vs. Game 6 winner, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Friday, March 15
Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Game 12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Saturday, March 16
Championship game, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN
Players to Watch
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Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas
Even if both players don't land All-American honors, Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. are in that conversation. Dickinson has collected 18.2 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, while McCullar has averaged 19.1 points and 4.3 assists. Kansas isn't the favorite, but this roster absolutely has the star power to make a deep run in the Big 12 tourney.
Ja'Kobe Walter and Yves Missi, Baylor
In the latest mock draft from B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, Baylor has a pair of top-20 selections. Ja'Kobe Walter leads the Bears with 14.7 points per game, and Yves Missi has scored 11.1 per night with Baylor-high marks of 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. The potential one-and-done freshmen are integral to the team's performance.
Jamal Shead, Houston
Before holding KU to just 46 points on Saturday, Houston had already ceded a nation-low 57.3 per game. This suffocating defense is led by Jamal Shead, who's snatched 2.3 steals per contest. He's also averaged 13.2 points and 6.2 assists for the nation's top-ranked team.
Preview and Predictions
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Houston is the obvious front-runner. Based on how the Cougars have played lately, expecting anything other than UH winning the Big 12 tourney feels like a bold decision.
This is the sentence where you might find the "but" twist.
Sometimes, however, it's best not to overcomplicate things.
Iowa State is a real threat, considering the Cyclones also showcase a devastating defense. Baylor has a stable of long-range shooters, and BYU is a sneaky contender behind a high-scoring offense, too. Kansas, as always, must be respected because of its talent.
Houston enters on a nine-game winning streak, though, and a conference tourney crown will unquestionably seal the Cougars as a top-seeded team in March Madness.
This season, the Big 12's powerhouse resides in H-Town.
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