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Big 12 Tournament 2021: Bracket, TV Schedule, Dates and Predictions
March 8, 2021
Before the Baylor Bears embark on a potentially deep NCAA men's basketball tournament run, they will try to do something no team from Texas has ever done: win the Big 12 tournament.
Scott Drew's team enters Kansas City, Missouri, as the No. 1 seed and the team to beat in a league that has typically been dominated by the Kansas Jayhawks.
Kansas, which is the No. 2 seed, owns 11 Big 12 tournament crowns and has captured two of the last four events in Kansas City.
There will likely be a new Big 12 champion since the 2019 champion Iowa State Cyclones are the No. 10 seed in the 10-team conference.
Baylor and Kansas will be favored to take first on Saturday night, but it would not be a total shock to see a lower seed capture the title since the league is so deep this season.
Big 12 Bracket and Schedule
Harold R. Kuntz @HaroldRKuntz3Big 12 Tournament at @tmobilecenter Wednesday: K-State vs TCU - 5:30pm OU vs. Iowa St - 8:30pm Thursday: WVU vs. Oklahoma St. - 10:30am Baylor vs. K-State/TCU - 1:30pm Kansas vs. OU/Iowa St. - 5:30pm Texas vs. Texas Tech - 8:30pm Friday: Semis 5:30/8:30; Sat.: Champ. 5:00
Predictions
Baylor Takes 1st Big 12 Tournament Crown
Baylor has returned to the form it was in prior to its COVID-19-related shutdown.
The Bears waxed the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Sunday by 15 points to secure their position atop the conference.
Baylor enters Kansas City with three consecutive wins over Top 25 teams, which is no easy feat to achieve in the Big 12 with seven of the 10 programs ranked in the AP poll.
After a road loss to Kansas, Baylor gutted out a win over the West Virginia Mountaineers, fended off a challenge from the Oklahoma State Cowboys and then blew away Texas Tech.
In each of those contests, the Bears eclipsed the 80-point mark, which they did not do in a close win over Iowa State and the loss to Kansas in the two games immediately after their pause.
If you go back to January 23, the Bears have seven 80-point performances in nine games, and they limited seven of those opponents under 75 points.
If Baylor's offense continues to perform at a high level, it should fend off any challenges that await it in the tune-up for the NCAA tournament.
Baylor has three players that average over 13 points per game, and MaCio Teague comes into Kansas City off his best performance of the season. Teague scored 35 points and hit 10 three-point shots versus Texas Tech.
If Baylor runs the table, it would reach its first Big 12 Championship Game since 2014 and take home its state's first-ever league tournament crown.
Texas Tech Makes Run To Final
Texas Tech is far from the typical No. 6 seed in a conference tournament.
The Red Raiders carry a 17-9 overall record into Kansas City, but a 9-8 mark through the Big 12 gauntlet cost it a high seed in the Big 12 tournament.
Chris Beard's team is dangerous in a tournament setting because it has a streaky shooter in Mac McClung leading its offense.
The transfer from Georgetown leads the Red Raiders with 16.4 points per game, and he shoots 33.6 percent from three-point range.
Texas Tech has four victories in the last six games in which McClung has eclipsed the 20-point mark. The Red Raiders won the last three times that total was recorded.
McClung had 20-point outings against Kansas, West Virginia, Oklahoma State and Texas, so he is no stranger to playing well against the toughest teams in the conference.
If McClung gets hot and receives some support from Terrance Shannon Jr., Kyler Edwards and others, Texas Tech can generate some momentum heading into the Big Dance and potentially bolster its resume in the process.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.