Big 12 Tournament 2012: Mizzou Would Be Clear No. 1 Seed with Win vs. Baylor

After Kansas was bounced from the Big 12 tournament, it opened the door for another team to take advantage. That team appears to be Missouri, who undeniably deserves a No. 1 overall seed if it can come out of Saturday's finals with a win against Baylor. 

The No. 5 Tigers have shown up when it's mattered most, rebounding from back-to-back late-season losses to reel off four straight wins en route to the conference championship game against Baylor. Prior to facing Baylor, Missouri dispatched Oklahoma State and Texas.

Missouri got off to a stellar start in the 2011-12 season, going undefeated until January 7, when it dropped a 75-59 road contest to Kansas State. The Tigers' only other losses came against Oklahoma State, against Kansas State at home and on the road at Kansas—an 87-86 overtime heartbreaker on February 25. The two powerhouses, however, split the season series, with Missouri taking the first matchup on Feb. 4, 74-71.

After Kansas's 81-72 loss to Baylor in the conference semifinals, it doubtlessly hurt its own postseason stock a little bit. The Jayhawks—currently projected as a No. 1 overall seed—finish the regular season at 27-6, 16-2 in conference play. By comparison, the Tigers are 29-4 overall and 14-4 in conference play. 

Unless the selection committee plans on giving the Big 12 two No. 1 seeds in this year's dance, the Tigers have to get a top seed over Kansas if they win it all on Saturday. The two teams are very evenly matched, but Missouri won when it mattered more. Yes, Kansas rattled off nine straight wins prior to the conference tournament to finish out the regular season and dominated in conference play, but winning all of those back-to-back games with the selection committee watching your every move is more impressive.

Kansas had the opportunity to solidify itself as a consensus No. 1 seed, and it choked. Now, it's Missouri's turn to show the Jayhawks how it's done.