Big 12 Tournament 2016: Bracket, TV Schedule, Dates, Live Stream and Predictions

In a stunning turn of events, Kansas enters the Big 12 tournament as the favorite to capture an automatic big to the NCAA tournament. 

The Jayhawks, for the 12th straight year, won the Big 12 regular-season title with a 27-4 record and are the top-ranked team in the Associated Press Top 25. 

Yet this is also a deeper-than-normal Big 12 year, with five other teams reaching 10 wins in conference play, so Kansas can't afford to coast through next week on its way to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. 

The Big 12 provided this year's bracket:

Tournament Favorite: Kansas Jayhawks

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

Apologies for spoiling the drama during my intro, but the world knows Kansas is going to be favored in the Big 12 tournament. Head coach Bill Self has cut down the nets six times in the previous 12 years, though the Jayhawks are in the midst of a two-year drought. 

The field this year appears to be loaded. Oklahoma and West Virginia are ranked in the Top 10. Oklahoma has arguably the nation's best player in Buddy Hield, though the Jayhawks have already defeated the Sooners twice. West Virginia and Kansas split two regular-season games, each winning on their home court. 

One thing that gets talked about frequently late in the season is momentum, which Kansas seems to have more of than any other team in the nation, per ESPN Stats & Info:

That came out before Kansas destroyed Texas by 30 points to secure the Big 12 regular-season title, so there seems to be nothing standing in the Jayhawks' way heading into crunch time. Games against elite competition seem to bring out the best in Kansas, which has an NCAA-high eight wins against teams in the RPI top 25. 

In a year with so much turnover in the rankings, Kansas has established itself as the nation's best team. It is peaking at the right time and looks to be a safe bet to secure its 10th conference tournament championship. 

Underrated Contender: Iowa State Cyclones

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

It's safe to say this has been a disappointing season for Iowa State, though not a bad one. The Cyclones are not in danger of missing the NCAA tournament, but there's been very little consistency. 

Using some of the same metrics that showed how impressive Kansas has been, Iowa State's record against the RPI top 25 is an uninspired 3-7. The Cyclones did hand the Jayhawks their most recent loss—an 85-72 romp on Jan. 25. 

The problem for Iowa State is that game seemed to have a negative effect, as it was the team's season peak. The Cyclones have gone 6-5 in their last 11 games, while Kansas has been rolling over anyone who stands in its way. 

Yet even with those struggles, first-year head coach Steve Prohm does have an experienced roster that is familiar with winning Big 12 tournament titles. The Cyclones have come out on top each of the last two years, so they are capable of turning on the light switch.

Georges Niang leads a deep offense that has seven players averaging double-figures in points this season. Defense has been the big problem for this team, as Randy Peterson of the Des Moines Register noted on Feb. 24:

"

The offense continues to be superb — 11th nationally at 83.1 points a game, heading into Tuesday night’s round of competition. First in the Big 12, and I forgot to mention that Iowa State has averaged 90.0 its last three games.

This isn’t H-O-R-S-E, though. This is big-time college hoops. And if you don’t make a stop every so often, you lose.

Look at the stats — this team’s 75.9 defensive average is 261st nationally.

"

Even trying to put an optimistic spin on the defensive stats doesn't get you very far. Iowa State's defensive efficiency of 102.8 points allowed per 100 possessions ranks 179th nationally. 

When a team scores 82.2 points per game, it doesn't have to be great on defense to dominate. Yet Iowa State struggles to just be competent without the ball, which is why it finds itself in a position of looking up at top contenders. 

That offense is capable of carrying the Cyclones far in a tournament setting, as it has in the Big 12 tournament the past two years.

Championship Prediction: Kansas Jayhawks

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

Even if I wanted to find a reason to pick against Kansas, it's hard to justify doing so given how well the team is playing. 

The Jayhawks have also avenged all three of their conference losses this season, defeating West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Iowa State by a combined 44 points the second time around. 

Self's team is firing on all cylinders at the best-possible time. Perry Ellis' development over four years, culminating in his career-best 16.3 points per game this season, gives the Jayhawks a superstar they can turn to. Wayne Selden and Frank Mason have been dazzling, shooting over 40 percent from three-point range, and Devonte Graham has turned into a silent star.

No team in the Big 12 can match Kansas' combination of elite talent, performance and coaching. It's been a surprise when the Jayhawks have lost in the Big 12 tournament the previous two years, but it would be stunning if they went down this year.