Big 12 Tournament 2015: Round 1 Schedule, Live Stream and Bracket Predictions
With half of the teams looking like locks for the NCAA tournament and the other half potentially having to win a conference title to get in, the Big 12 tournament features an exciting dynamic that should make for a fantastic slate of games.
The tourney kicks off Wednesday with a pair of first-round games, and all four teams involved will face must-win scenarios in terms of staying alive for the Big Dance. The odds are stacked against them to go all the way in Kansas City, but crazy things tend to happen in conference tournaments.
As the Big 12 tournament gets ready to commence, here is an overview of the tourney as a whole, as well as a closer look at Wednesday's intriguing first-round matchups.
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Where: Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri
When: Wednesday, March 11 through Saturday, March 14
Watch: ESPNU, ESPN2, ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Bracket (courtesy of Big 12 Conference on Twitter)
Schedule
| Round 1 | Game 1 | Kansas State vs. TCU | 7 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Round 1 | Game 2 | Texas vs. Texas Tech | 9 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Quarterfinals | Game 3 | Baylor vs. West Virginia | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Quarterfinals | Game 4 | Kansas vs. G1 Winner | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Quarterfinals | Game 5 | Iowa State vs. G2 Winner | 7 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Quarterfinals | Game 6 | Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State | 9 p.m. | ESPNU |
| Semifinals | Game 7 | G3 Winner vs. G4 Winner | 7 p.m. | ESPN OR ESPN2 |
| Semifinals | Game 8 | G5 Winner vs. G6 Winner | 9 p.m. | ESPN OR ESPN2 |
| Finals | Game 9 | G7 Winner vs. G8 Winner | 6 p.m. | ESPN |
First-Round Predictions
Kansas State vs. TCU
Perhaps no team in the nation has done a better impression of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde than Kansas State this season. The Wildcats have looked like world-beaters at times, but they have also looked ordinary at other points.
If Kansas State is going to reach the NCAA tournament at 15-16, then it has no choice other than to go on a huge run in the Big 12 tourney. That road starts with a clash against TCU in the first round. The Horned Frogs went just 4-14 in conference play, but with an overall record of 17-14, it can be argued that they are the better all-around team.
TCU has already given K-State some issues this season, as the Wildcats lost to the Frogs despite having wins over Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa State and Baylor, according to Jon Madani of ESPN Radio:
Kansas State and TCU split the regular-season series, but it was the Horned Frogs who prevailed most recently, as they beat the Wildcats 69-55 last month.
While Kansas State has been dealing with some injuries as of late, the good news is that head coach Bruce Weber expects the team to be fully healthy for the tournament, per Kellis Robinett of The Wichita Eagle.
"At this point, we are going to be at full strength with our team, barring anything crazy happening over these next two days," Weber said. "I hope we have a full strength team on our hands Wednesday night."
Unfortunately for the winner of this game, its reward is a meeting with the top-seeded Jayhawks, according to Blair Kerkhoff of The Kansas City Star:
The Wildcats have proven that they can hang with the top teams in the Big 12, but they have had issues against some of the cellar-dwellers. The possibility of a letdown in the first round is definitely present, but Weber's team has also risen to the occasion at certain points this year.
Because of that and a trio of double-figure scorers in Marcus Foster, Nino Williams and Thomas Gipson, K-State will find a way to keep its hopes alive.
Texas vs. Texas Tech
Texas is a talented team with plenty of quality wins on its resume, but playing in a conference as deep as the Big 12 has certainly held it back. The Longhorns went just 8-10 in conference play, and they will have to get through the first round of the conference tournament against Texas Tech.
Texas has taken down the likes of Connecticut, West Virginia and Baylor this season. It also posed a tough challenge against undefeated Kentucky in a 12-point defeat. With talented guard Isaiah Taylor leading the way, Julius Hodge of ACC Digital Network likes the Longhorns' chances of doing some March Madness damage:
Unfortunately for Texas, it has some work to do in order to even make the tourney. A win over Texas Tech is a must, but even that may not be enough. It would be a step in the right direction, although the Red Raiders aren't likely to go quietly.
Texas Tech is just 13-18 on the year, but ESPN's Holly Rowe believes the team has made significant strides in 2014-15:
The Red Raiders did knock off Iowa State earlier in the year, and they have narrow losses to Baylor and Oklahoma over the past month. If they play their best basketball, then an upset win over rival Texas certainly isn't out of the question.
Texas has beaten Texas Tech twice already, though, and the Longhorns are clearly the more talented and polished team. With one more victory putting Texas firmly on the bubble for the NCAA tournament at the very least, it will rise to the occasion and advance to the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals.
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