Big 12 Tournament 2015: Bracket, TV Schedule, Dates and Predictions

The Big 12 has been one of the deepest, most exciting conferences to follow in college basketball this season. So when the conference tournament gets underway at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, all eyes will be on the proceedings. 

Below, we'll take a look at the schedule and the bracket, preview the tournament and predict which team will win the whole thing.

Schedule and Bracket

Wednesday, March 11	Matchup	Time (CT)	TV Info
Thursday, March 12	Matchup	Time
Friday, March 13	Matchup	Time
Saturday, March 14	Matchup	Time
Game 1	Kansas State vs. TCU	6 p.m.	ESPNU
Game 2	Texas vs. Texas Tech	8 p.m.	ESPNU
Game 3	Baylor vs. West Virginia	11:30 a.m.	ESPN2
Game 4	Kansas vs. G1 Winner	1:30 p.m.	ESPN2
Game 5	Iowa State vs. G2 Winner	6 p.m.	ESPNU
Game 6	Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State	8 p.m.	ESPNU
Game 7	G3 Winner vs. G4 Winner	6 p.m.	ESPN OR ESPN2
Game 8	G5 Winner vs. G6 Winner	8 p.m.	ESPN OR ESPN2
Game 9	G7 Winner vs. G8 Winner	5 p.m.	ESPN

Preview

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Once again, Kansas heads into this tournament as the No. 1 seed, as the Jayhawks won the Big 12 regular-season championship for the 11th straight year. That makes them the favorites heading into the tournament, though it's hard to call them prohibitive favorites.  

The Big 12 is stacked, after all.

But there is uncertainty for Kansas as well. Just how healthy is Perry Ellis? Will Cliff Alexander be eligible to play? And will Kelly Oubre step up if either or both players can't go?

Of course, Kansas has survived without Ellis and Alexander already, namely in its 18-point comeback against West Virginia this past Tuesday that clinched the outright regular-season title.

After that game, head coach Bill Self talked about the character of his team, via ESPN.com:

"

We haven't had a better win here for higher stakes than what that was. As a coach, when you have good players and you play well, you should win. But it always means a little more when you can't get anything going and somehow the kids figure out a way to do it. It was pretty special for me to sit there and watch those guys pull it off.

"

Kansas will face a major challenge to sweep the Big 12 titles, however.

Iowa State split its meetings with Kansas this year and has one of the most explosive offenses in the country—led by Georges Niang and Monte Morris. 

Buddy Hield leads a dangerous Oklahoma side. 

Rico Gathers is a rock on the block for Baylor. Le'Bryan Nash and Phil Forte III are a dangerous one-two punch for Oklahoma State. Juwan Staten and Devin Williams make West Virginia formidable.

And you never know when one of the second-tier teams—because, let's be honest, in this year's Big 12, there are definitive have and have-not programs—might pull off an upset.

Kansas State did it to Kansas this year, after all.

Then there's Texas, which will be playing for its NCAA tournament life. The same goes for Oklahoma State.

With so many talented teams and so much on the line, the Big 12 tournament is going to be one of the most exciting in college basketball.

Prediction

David Purdy/Getty Images

Kansas probably isn't going to be able to do better than a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament, though winning the Big 12 tournament would certainly make it an intriguing option for the selection committee. Still, Kansas will have to survive a desperate team with far more to gain than the Jayhawks do.

There is a chance that Kansas disappoints.

I like Iowa State to take this tournament. The Cyclones have closed the season in uneven form, but their ability to score in droves is well-suited for running through three games and clinching a nice seed for themselves in the tourney. 

Then again, there are seven or eight teams that could get hot and win this thing. That's the fun of the Big 12 this season—you never know what will happen next.