Big 12: Kansas Slightly Favored over Sooners, Mountaineers and Cyclones
Scott Morris | March 9, 2016
The end of the season Big 12 Conference tournament tips of on Wednesday with Kansas as the favorites but West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Iowa State ready to challenge the Jayhawks.
Just two Big 12 teams have losing records which means as many as seven could be chosen this weekend for the Big Dance.
However, unlike the big three in the Big 12 that had 30-win seasons a few years ago, only Kansas looks to be on track for that this year. Kansas will be the choice to win the tournament appearing in 12 finals since 1996.
In their past 11 Big 12 conference championship games, the Jayhawks are 9-2 SU and 8-3 ATS, but lost in the final last year to Iowa State.
West Virginia has a squad that could upset Kansas. The Mountaineers are 0-9 ATS over their past nine games in conference tournament play, but coach Bob Huggins’ teams are 30-9 SU in tournament games when his team has a .667 winning percentage or higher.
Huggins is also 8-2 SU and ATS in conference tournaments against No. 1 and No. 2 seeds.
The Oklahoma Sooners have one of the nation’s best players in Buddy Hield. They Sooners were No. 1 in the nation during this season but are only 3-10 ATS as a favorite in conference play this season.
Oklahoma is just 2-14 ATS in its past 16 games in the Big 12 tournament with one and out seasons in three of the past four years.
Iowa State has been the champions in this tournament the last two seasons. They could take a run at it again this season with a team of upperclassmen with experience.
Iowa State was 11-0 SU against teams under .590 and could be playing for the tournament title this weekend.
Coming into the tournament the dark horse has to be Baylor. The Bears were 19-2 this season against teams with a .750 or less winning percentage. In the Big 12, Baylor was 7-3-1 ATS against team of that winning percentage.
If the No. 2 seed reaches the semifinals take them in that round. The No. 2 seed is 7-0 SU as well as 6-1 ATS in the semifinal the past seven times it has reached the semifinal and over the past five seasons is a perfect 5-0 SU and ATS in that situation.
