2024 Big 12 Conference Basketball Tournament
The 2024 Big 12 Conference Tournament commences on Tuesday, March 12th with two First Round games. In its first season as a Big 12 member, Houston won the league by two games over Iowa State with a 15-3 record. Baylor and Texas Tech round out the top four and get byes into Thursday’s Quarterfinals.
In 2004, American journalist and historian Thomas Frank wrote a book titled What’s the Matter with Kansas? That book was not about the Kansas basketball program, but some might be asking that question this year as the Jayhawks are a No. 6 seed in the Big 12 Tournament, which is their worst seed since the league tournament’s inception (1997). Kansas also had eight conference losses, the highest mark since the 1988-1989 season when they were still in the Big 8.
This will also be the swan song for both Texas and Oklahoma as they will be moving to the SEC next season while Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah will be joining the Big 12 next year.
Most bracketologists project as many as nine teams (Houston, Iowa State, Baylor, Texas Tech, BYU, Kansas, Texas, TCU, and Oklahoma) to make the field of 68 in the NCAA Tournament.
How to Watch the Big 12 Conference Tournament
When: Tuesday, March 12 – Saturday, March 16
Where: T-Mobile Center; Kansas City, MO
Format: Seeds 11-14 play in Tuesday’s First Round. Those winners along with Seeds 5-10 play in Wednesday’s Second Round. Quarterfinals are on Thursday, followed by the Semifinals on Friday before Saturday’s Championship Game.
Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and all Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Championship Games will be on ESPN or ESPN2.
College Basketball Odds | College Basketball Betting Splits | Greg Peterson’s Daily Lines | Steve Makinen’s Power Ratings
Big 12 Conference Tournament Bracket
Big 12 Conference Tournament Seeds, Teams and Odds
1. Houston -135
2. Iowa State +275
3. Baylor +750
4. Texas Tech +2000
5. BYU +1400
6. Kansas +1200
7. Texas +5000
8. TCU +6500
9. Oklahoma +10000
10. Kansas State +30000
11. Cincinnati +50000
12. UCF +50000
13. Oklahoma State +100000
14. West Virginia +100000
Favorite To Win Big 12 Conference Tournament
Houston did not have a problem in its inaugural Big 12 season. The Cougars won the league by two games and led the Big 12 in multiple defensive categories, plus rank No. 1 in KenPom’s defensive efficiency rankings. They also currently own the nation’s second-longest winning streak at nine games, which includes victories over Kansas, Texas, and Iowa State, plus road wins at BYU, Baylor, and Oklahoma.
Big 12 Conference Tournament Darkhorse
While many will gravitate to Baylor, who ranks fourth nationally in 3-point percentage and topped the Big 12 for offensive efficiency in conference play, and they are certainly the most logical dark horse in the opposite draw of Houston, Texas is a viable longer shot. The Longhorns will have to play an extra day as the No. 7 seed. Nevertheless, this club has five seniors including proven late game, big shot makers like Max Abmas and Tyrese Hunter.
Players to Watch in Big 12 Conference Tournament
Houston has the best backcourt in the conference with likely first-team All-American Jamal Shead and Baylor transfer L.J. Cryer. Shead dishes out an assist on over 39% of Houston possessions and the nation’s top point guard also has a knack for big shots having beaten both Baylor and Oklahoma on the road with buzzer-beaters.
If Shead and Cryer are the league’s best backcourt, then Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert are not all that far behind. Both are two of the league’s better defenders with Lipsey leading the conference in steals.
RayJ Dennis transferred to Baylor from Toledo and led the Big 12 in assists during his lone year in the conference. The main recipients of his assists are freshmen Ja’Kobe Walter and Yves Missi, who are both likely one-and-done NBA first-round draft picks this June.
Texas Tech 7-footer Warren Washington is neither a big-time scorer nor stat sheet stuffer, but he is the key to the Red Raiders defense. The Red Raiders are 4-3 without him and have won their last three games but have been forced to win with offense and play faster than usual. If Washington can return from a foot injury, he is a rim protector that they desperately need.
Kansas’s Hunter Dickinson gave the Jayhawks much-needed size and production down low but dislocated his right shoulder in the regular season finale at Houston. His potential absence in the Big 12 Tournament puts even more pressure on Big 12 leading scorer Kevin McCullar, who missed five conference games with a knee injury.
Betting Pick to Win Big 12 Conference Tournament
Houston is the rightful odds-on favorite, but the likely No. 1 overall seed (Purdue also in running) may not want to go all that deep in this tournament. No team in the conference shoots the three-ball better than Baylor (+750) and hot shooting can carry a team through three days in this tournament.
Makinen Power Ratings for Big 12
Check out the other previews in our 2024 College Basketball Conference Tournament Betting Guide
