Big 12 Basketball: Contenders and Pretenders for the Big Dance

The Big 12 has never been the nation's top basketball conference, but this middle-America down-home group of universities always makes a showing in the NCAA Tournament. Between all of them, the Big 12 has over 200 tourney appearances, 33 Final Fours and five National Championships.

Those eastern "fancy" universities with their high-class lifestyle and perfect facilities barely know the meaning of football, as it is just entertainment to pass the time until their basketball seasons.

Here in the Big 12, however, football may be a way of life, but basketball is a nice getaway from the reality that the preceding violent, hard-hitting sport creates for the rest of the country to perceive.

In basketball season, Kansas is not only good, they are the best. Texas and Oklahoma play only a small part. Baylor and Iowa State have a shot at having the spotlight on them every once in awhile. Things are seemingly in reverse.

In all this backwardness, there is always the Big Dance to look forward to. Who will make it and who won't? Last year, the Big 12 had five representatives and as this season progresses through conference play, repeating that number is highly likely.

We take a look at the contenders and the pretenders from the Big 12 as March Madness approaches with great haste.    

Texas Tech

Record: 7-16 (0-11)

The Red Raiders aren't even on the same planet as the rest of the conference. They haven't even pulled off a win in the Big 12 yet, allowing me to make an easy judgement of where they will be come March.

With games left at Kansas and then at home versus Baylor, Texas Tech isn't looking like they'll be improving anytime soon. The Big 12 Tournament this year won't get any easier either, so don't be looking for the Raiders to pull off a miracle.

Pretender

Oklahoma State

Record: 12-12 (5-6)

As the year has progressed, OSU hasn't done any better than anyone expected. With some notable conference wins over Mizzou and Iowa State, their losses to the other lowly Big 12 squads kill any real chance of the Cowboys snagging a seed in the tourney.

As the conference tournament approaches, Oklahoma State is looking at a bottom seed and almost no chance at claiming the title. While many have hopes for them, I have no confidence in dumb luck. 

Pretender

Texas A&M

Record: 12-11 (3-8)

The Aggies are cursed this season. Losing two of their superstars, Kris Middleton and Dash Harris to injury and their coach for weeks due to Parkinson's Disease, A&M has been having a rough year on and off the hardwood.

Starting off decent enough, conference play has really hurt the Aggies. Only owning three wins over Tech, OU, and OSU, Texas A&M is not doing so hot. Two disappointing home losses to in-state rivals, Baylor and Texas have really taken their toll as well, especially considering A&M's move to the SEC next season will kill both rivalries.

The Big 12 Tournament holds some new hope for the Aggies, however. They are better than their record shows and have improved dramatically over the course of the season. It wouldn't be out of the question for A&M to pull it off, but don't expect any surprises. 

Pretender

Oklahoma

Record: 13-10 (3-8)

Under first-year head coach Lon Kruger, OU has done quite well. Since the Griffin brothers took their leave for the NBA, the Sooners haven't really returned to Big 12 basketball prominence, something which is extremely tough to do against the likes of Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.

However, they are now looking better than decent. Holding above .500 on the year while playing close with power Mizzou in the Sooners' most recent loss, OU has beaten K-State and really begun to make a name for themselves in the conference.

Certainly poised to surprise the entire nation with a Big 12 Tournament victory, Kruger and his crew own a lot of talent. They can play with the best and will, with a little motivation, take them down.  

Pretender

Texas

Record: 15-9 (5-6)

For the first time in a while, Rick Barnes and this powerful Texas program are stuck in an off-year. Just the fact that three freshman start for the Longhorns shows you how inexperienced and young this squad really is, making it truly tough to believe them to be contenders at the beginning of the year.

Led by a superstar guard in J'Covan Brown, this year has been more than impressive. Well over .500 and still looking for that signature win, UT has been in almost every single game with a top squad this season. Losing to Missouri by one, Baylor by just five, and Kanas State by only four, this is a Longhorn team to be reckoned with.

As they continue to face off against the best of the Big 12, including a Baylor game at home and a season finale at Kansas, Texas should continue to improve. With more than enough talent to win the conference tournament in a few weeks, their fate in the Big Dance is still undetermined. Certainly a bubble squad no one should underestimate, this UT team is one to keep your eye on. 

Still Undetermined - Possible 10-12 Seed

Kansas State

Record: 17-6 (6-5)

With one of the best frontcourts on this side of the Mississippi as well as the scariest man in the history of the sport heading up their team, K-State is no one to mess around with. Frank Martin, otherwise known as the Crazy Cuban Coach of Kansas, could motivate a rock to move just by screaming at it and that's the reason why his program wins on a consistent basis.

Probably always doomed to be stuck in the shadow of their in-state basketball legends down in Lawrence, this Wildcat team has really been working to change all that. Only owning six losses on the season, most of which came to ranked teams, K-State is one of two squads this year who have taken down the all-powerful Missouri.

With a tough late February stretch coming up as Kansas comes to town, followed by consecutive visits to Baylor and Missouri, the Wildcats still have a lot to prove. Almost a shoe-in, however, for a low seed in the tourney, Kansas State can and will upset anyone come March.  

Contender - Possible 7-9 Seed

Iowa State

Record: 17-7 (7-4)

I have no idea where this Cyclones squad came from. Head coach Fred Hoiberg has morphed this little program into a dangerous conference power, matching up with the best of them on a very consistent basis.

Having only fallen four times in conference play so far, Iowa State is one of the few to upset the Jayhawks this season. Still, with a home-and-home with Baylor remaining as well as visiting Mizzou and K-State, things won't be getting easy anytime soon up in Ames. However, promise of a deep tourney run seems extremely possible.

The rest of the regular season in addition to the conference tournament will be telling of how this squad will do come March, but don't underestimate how solid they really are because of their history. A team with a lot to play for due to their absence from the Big Dance since 2005, watch out for this ISU squad to show up with a thirst for upsets. 

Contender - Possible 6-8 Seed

Kansas

Record: 19-5 (9-2)

Kansas is the perennial Big 12 program. Their dominance of the conference for the past decade or so is widely known, easily putting them up in the conversation for top basketball universities nationwide along with UNC, Duke, Kentucky, UCLA, and Indiana.

With five tough losses during the year along with two in the conference, the Jayhawks also own some signature wins. With big-time victories over Georgetown, Ohio State, Kansas State, and Baylor so far, Kansas should easily secure a top three seed in the Big Dance.

If they can own the Big 12 Tournament as they usually do (won five of the past six seasons), it will propel them up into the one seed consideration. Always a team that you don't want to face, Kansas is once again one of the most powerful squads in the country.  

Contender - Possible 2-4 Seed

Baylor

Record: 21-3 (8-3)

The Scott Drew era will someday be made into a movie, there is no doubt about that. Taking a program that was not only beaten and bruised, but on the verge of collapsing in upon itself and taking them to new heights is worthy of every commendation that could be given.

The 2003 three scandal down in Waco shook the very foundation of the university, forcing the NCAA to take drastic action. After years of consistent improvement, Baylor is now one of the most prominent squads in the nation and is ranked No. 6 in the polls.

With only three losses at home against Missouri and then twice to Kansas, the Bears have shown college basketball that they are a force to be reckoned with. Taking home the Big 12 Title is certainly within the realm of possibilities for this Baylor team this season.

After taking down a strong Mississippi State team by just two points and then following that up with a two point OT victory against West Virginia, Baylor showed they have true moxie against talented squads. The Bears' losses have been to the other two top teams in the conference, with the Tigers only taking home the win by a single point.

The Bears will make it deep into the Big Dance and should compete for the conference championship in both the regular season and the tournament. There's a lot of talent centered around a very solid coach, keep your eye out for Baylor as the season finishes out.  

Contender - Possible 1-3 Seed

Missouri

Record: 22-2 (9-2)

The Tigers are the team to beat in the Big 12. Gunning for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, their huge win over Kansas last weekend really put an exclamation on their season so far.

Another one of the conference surprise squads, this Tigers team has really come into its own over the course of this season. They were perfect until Kansas State knocked them off in Manhattan, and then fell again later in the year to Oklahoma State in a stunning upset.

Mizzou not only has the most talented line-up in the country, but also the most experienced with a slurry of upperclassmen. With senior guard Marcus Denmon leading the charge, the Tigers also start a senior forward in Ricardo Ratliffe, another senior guard with Kim English, and top off it off with junior guard Michael Dixon.

Watch for these Tigers to take over the conference tournament and snag a top seed in the Big Dance. A fantastic way to end their tenure in the Big 12, not going deep into the tourney would be a surprise for this top-notch program. 

Contender - Possible 1-2 Seed