Big 12 Tournament 2021: Preview, Predictions and Players to Watch

The men's Big 12 Tournament bracket is nearly set, with the Baylor Bears looking to become the first school not named Kansas or Iowa State to win it since 2012.

For nearly a decade, the conference has watched either the Jayhawks or Cyclones cut down the nets. This year, it can be pretty much guaranteed the 2-21 Cyclones won't win it. They haven't won a game in the conference this season.

The Jayhawks, however, are once again one of the top teams in the Big 12. They are locked in as the No. 2 seed, while the Baylor Bears are the top seed based on their 12-1 record in conference play.

With Jerry Palm at CBS Sports expecting seven of the 10 teams in the conference to be in the NCAA men's basketball tournament field, the tourney should feature some exciting matchups and a small taste of the madness set to take place in Indianapolis.

Tournament Schedule

Justin Rex/Associated Press

Wednesday, March 10

Game 1: No. 8 TCU vs. No. 9 Kansas State, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Game 2: No. 7 Oklahoma vs. No. 10 Iowa State, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Thursday, March 11

Game 3: No. 4 Seed vs. No. 5 Seed, 11:30 a.m. (ESPN or ESPN2)

Game 4: No. 1 Baylor vs. Winner G1, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN or ESPN2)

Game 5: No. 2 Kansas vs. Winner G2, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN or ESPN2)

Game 6: No. 3 West Virginia vs. No. 6 Seed, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN or ESPN2)

Friday, March 12

Game 7: Winner G3 vs. Winner G4, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN or ESPN2)

Game 8: Winner G5 vs. Winner G6, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN or ESPN2)

Saturday, March 13

Championship – Winner G7 vs. Winner G8, 6 p.m. (ESPN)

All times ET. Complete Bracket will be available here when other seeds are confirmed. 

Preview and Predictions

Jerry Larson/Associated Press

All eyes are on Baylor as Championship Week begins and Selection Sunday draws nearer. The Bears not only have the opportunity to end the streak of tournament wins by Kansas and Iowa State, but they can also confirm their status as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA men's basketball tournament with a strong run.

Baylor has just one loss in conference play. An ugly offensive night that saw them shoot 34.8 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from the line gave way to a 71-58 loss to the Jayhawks, who aren't up to their normal standard.

That off night wasn't indicative of what the Bears have done all season. They are among the most balanced teams in the country, ranking third in offensive efficiency and a respectable 25th in defense by KenPom's metrics.

Kansas is always a threat to win the Big 12 tournament and can't be overlooked, though. This isn't the best Jayhawks team, but they have a balanced group that features five scorers who average more than 10 points per game.

They also have the top defense in the conference by KenPom's defensive efficiency.

Kansas is part of a large contingent in the conference that could best be qualified as "flawed but dangerous". That's a perfect description of West Virginia. The Mountaineers have the offensive firepower to take Baylor to overtime and score 89 points, but their defense is bad enough to give up 85 to an Oklahoma State team without Cade Cunningham.

They're stumbling into the tournament with losses in two of their past three games.

Speaking of Cunningham and the Cowboys, the star guard's health will be a critical storyline in the tournament. He sat out the West Virginia game because of an ankle injury. The Pokes showed they have some depth by beating the Mountaineers without him but they are clearly more dangerous with him.

There is still some seeding to be figured out, but the parity in the middle of the league should make for an interesting tournament.

Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma join the Cowboys as teams ranked 15-18 in both the AP and the Coaches Polls.

When those teams are involved, it's difficult to forecast who will come out on top.

Predicted Final: Baylor 75, Kansas 68

Baylor has proved itself as one of the top teams in the nation this season. In a competitive Big 12, they have only lost one game, and that was the result of a total collapse of their usually potent offense.

They should be able to advance to the final, where the most likely opponent team is the Kansas team that handed them their only loss. The Jayhawks defense is good, but is it good enough to handcuff the explosive Bears a second time?

Probably not. Baylor gets the job done and rides into March Madness as a No. 1 seed and Big 12 champion.

Players to Watch

Jerry Larson/Associated Press

G Jared Butler, Baylor

Jared Butler might not have the same name recognition as Cunningham at Oklahoma State, but he's making the case to be the Big 12 Player of the Year.

He is third in the conference in scoring, second in assists and first in steals. He's pivotal to what the Bears do on both ends of the floor and brings efficiency and leadership to the conference's top seed.

Butler has continually improved over his three seasons at Baylor and has stepped up his three-point shooting as a junior. He's hitting 44.3 percent of his treys this season while also playing an important role as a playmaker within the offense.

The Bears have great ball movement, and getting unselfish play out of their best player is a big reason why.

G Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State

Cunningham came to Oklahoma State as the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and he has lived up to expectations. The star guard is leading the conference in scoring while guiding Oklahoma State to its best season since 2012.

The 19-year-old has shown a complete game in his time in Stillwater. He's shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range even when many of those threes are off the dribble with a man in his face. He's also capable of driving the lane and getting to the free-throw line.

He's showing a growing comfort in taking over games as well. He put up 40 points in a win over Oklahoma and has been at 20 points or more in four of his past five games.

If there's a player in the conference who can put the team on his back and guide them through the tournament, it's Cunningham. On the other hand, if the ankle injury that kept him out of the West Virginia game continues to hamper him, Oklahoma State could be in trouble.

F Derek Culver, West Virginia

Few big men in the conference have had the impact that Derek Culver has had in Morgantown. The 6'10" junior leads the conference in rebounding and is a double-double machine.

The Mountaineers will need him to be dominant inside. His ability to get to the line not only gives them a consistent source of scoring but also puts the other team in foul trouble. He has had at least 10 free-throw attempts in four of his past six games.

Should the Mountaineers get another crack at Baylor, they will need him to play a much better game. In their most recent meeting, Culver only had three field-goal attempts and was held to nine points. West Virginia lost by five.

Culver can be inconsistent, but when he's in top form the Mountaineers are a threat to win the tourney.