Big 12 Tournament 2023 Preview and Predictions

Big 12 Tournament 2023 Preview and Predictions

The Big 12 tournament has officially been set. To me, this is the most competitive conference in college basketball this year. The Big Ten is a close second, but the Big 12 only had one team that was sub .500. It was Oklahoma and their winning percentage was still .484.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝟔𝟔 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝟏𝟐 𝐌𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 🏆

➡️ https://t.co/cJlgOINmye#Big12MBB x @Phillips66Gas pic.twitter.com/tCdhldUHnQ

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) March 5, 2023

This conference is cut-throat and ANY of these teams can win or lose at a single point during this tournament. That’s why this conference is a must-watch until the NCAA Tournament. Let’s get into the preview and predictions.

One player to watch from each team

These players may or may not be the best player on their team, but for sure they will be a vital part of the team that may be depended upon for each team to win games or win the Big 12 tournament. Keep your eyes on the players listed below from each team.

• Kansas: Dajuan Harris Jr.
• Texas: Timmy Allen
• Kansas State: David N’Guessan
• Baylor: Flo Thamba
• TCU: Damion Baugh
• Iowa State: Tamin Lipsey
• Oklahoma State: Caleb Asberry
• West Virginia: Kedrian Johnson
• Texas Tech: Fardaws Aimaq
• Oklahoma: Tanner Groves

Sleeper team to win Big 12 Tournament: Iowa State

Defense. Wins. Championships. In a sport where defense has become a lost art, there are still teams that find the beauty in it like Iowa State.

The reason why Iowa State is fifth in a competitive conference like the Big 12 is because of their defense. Despite having a lackluster offense, the Cyclones’ defense is suffocating. Having a great defense is reliable come tournament time. If Iowa State is having trouble putting points up, best believe they’re going to try like hell to make sure the other team can’t score either.

Maybe Iowa State can muster enough offense with their stout defense to go on a run in this unpredictable Big 12 conference.

First Round

8. West Virginia vs. 9. Texas Tech

Can you guess who I think is going to win this game?

Texas Tech is a little disrespected. I think this team can play. Fardaws Aimaq came back in mid-January and has been a difference-maker for Tech. West Virginia can score the basketball, but they also let others score on them almost at will. Erik Stevenson has been playing lights out as of late. Tech will have to contain him as much as they can.

Despite whom I think will win, I think this game will be close and basically down to the wire if Stevenson goes off.

Prediction: Texas Tech 76, West Virginia 75

7. Oklahoma State vs. 10. Oklahoma

This is going to be a low-scoring game. Both of these teams can’t score very well and keep other teams from scoring well against them.

What hurts the Cowboys is that star guard Avery Anderson III is out. In his absence, Caleb Asberry has been stepping up (my player to watch for Oklahoma State above). But can he step up enough to fill the void that Anderson leaves?

My knock for Oklahoma is that they just struggle to score. It’s very hard to win basketball games if you don’t put the ball in the hoop — genius analysis, I know. But seriously, how can you expect this team to do well in the Big 12 when you only have two scorers in double figures? Most of Oklahoma’s offense is Grant Sherfield and that’s it.

Even with Anderson out for the Cowboys, I can’t feel comfortable taking Oklahoma here.

Prediction: Oklahoma State 70, Oklahoma 64

Quarterfinals

1. Kansas vs. 9. Texas Tech

Texas Tech has to pull off an upset here and I always think it’s possible, especially in the madness of March, but Tech needs to be on their A-game for this game. They only lost by four to the Jayhawks a week ago. Yes, Gradey Dick had a bad shooting night, but both Kansas and Tech didn’t shoot well.

As for Kansas, they just need to do what is expected of them. Play like one of the top teams in college basketball. Hopefully, losing that Texas game to close out the regular season woke up the Jayhawks. I do expect Kansas to shoot better and come out ready to get their get-back against Texas eventually. I do think Tech gives them a run for their money, though.

Prediction: Kansas 77, Texas Tech 72

4. Baylor vs. 5. Iowa State

This game is interesting for a lot of reasons. For one, this is one of the best scoring teams in the Big 12 in Baylor going against one of the best defensive teams in the Big 12 in Iowa State.

Despite Baylor’s ability to score, they don’t do it very efficiently. They score 77 points per game but only shoot 44.6% as a team. That’s ninth in the Big 12. The reason for that is they live and die by the 3. They shoot on average 26 3-pointers a game.

I could talk about players here, but I think that’ll be the story of the game. Against one of the best defenses in the country, can Baylor score the ball and shoot efficiently from the field, especially from 3? If they can do that, they win, but if Iowa State is as suffocating as their defense can be, it could be bad news bears for the Baylor, pun intended.

For me, defense is more reliable, I’ll take that all day.

Prediction: Iowa State 69, Baylor 67

2. Texas vs. 7. Oklahoma State

Texas is the best-scoring team in the Big 12 and they are the most efficient at it in this conference. That’ll be the challenge to Oklahoma State, how are they going to stop this offense?

Texas is coming off a 16-point win against the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 in Kansas. They should be feared when their offense is clicking. Luckily, Oklahoma State is one of the better defensive teams in the country. They will have their hands full containing backcourt of Marcus Carr, Tyrese Hunter and Sir’Jabari Rice. If they can do that, then Oklahoma State MAY have a shot.

Still, I don’t think the Cowboys have enough offense to hang with Texas anyway.

Prediction: Texas 77, Oklahoma State 68

3. Kansas State vs. 6. TCU

The biggest question for TCU is how they will handle Keyontae Johnson and Markquis Nowell from Kansas State. Those guys can score. Out of those two Johnson is much more efficient and is a stone-cold killer. From TCU, Mike Miles Jr. is the killer from the horny toads. These guys are going to go at it all day on the court.

Statistically speaking, Kansas State and TCU are virtually identical. If these two teams played 100 times, they would probably split the wins at 50 apiece. And you’re asking me to pick between the two? Ugh.

You know I am going to have to go with Jamie Dixon and my Horned Frogs. Don’t look at me like that, this is too close to tell, I am going to be biased if I have to be.

Prediction: TCU 73, Kansas State 72

Semifinals

1. Kansas vs. 5. Iowa State

I already raved about Iowa State’s defense earlier and how I think they can win against Baylor with that, but their task isn’t as easy with Kansas. Baylor’s offense is volatile, while Kansas’s offense is more consistent. It’ll be tough to say, “Well, just try to make Jalen Wilson and Gradey Dick have a bad night and you’ll win.” It just doesn’t work that way.

Iowa State’s defense is their bread and butter for wins, but if you’re going against the No. 3 ranked team in the nation in the Big 12 tournament, you are going to need more than defense to win — which Iowa State just doesn’t have. They don’t have the offensive prowess to keep up with Kansas’s offense.

I think they suffocate Baylor and make them pay for living and dying by the 3, but they can’t do that with Kansas.

Prediction: Kansas 68, Iowa State 63

2. Texas vs. 6. TCU

It doesn’t matter who wins in the TCU and Kansas State game, because I think they both lose to Texas. At the end of the day, teams that score efficiently will win.

As we saw against Kansas in the regular season finale, when Texas is on, they’re TOUGH to stop. TCU (or Kansas State) will have its hands full trying to stop Texas. The Longhorns’ backcourt and its depth in the frontcourt gives this team flexibility on offense and defense.

TCU may not be able to do anything about Texas’s depth in the frontcourt, but they need to focus on containing their backcourt. TCU does have depth in guards to throw different looks at Carr and Rice, but will it be enough? I’m not sure, so I think Texas gets the job done.

Prediction: Texas 78, TCU 74

Jerome Tang Is Already Transforming Kansas State Basketball

Finals

1. Kansas vs. 2. Texas

This seems like the most predictable outcome for the Big 12 Tournament. However, predictable doesn’t explain this conference at all. Any of these teams can beat any team in this conference. I picked Texas Tech, ninth in the Big 12, as a sleeper in this conference. I raved about Iowa State’s defense and that could be a factor in the outcome of this tournament. This conference is as unpredictable as they come.

However, if things work out as they should, this should be the final.

Kansas is as good as they come in this country and Texas can damn near score on anyone. If you want a confident pick on who wins this, you might want to stop reading here. I’m just expecting a damn good game.

Kansas is far more consistent as a team; they’re probably wanting to get their revenge in the final against Texas after they blew them out in the regular season finale. However, Texas’s offense is nasty, plus I like some drama with my basketball.

These teams made the tournament, anyway, let’s pick Texas here to win the Big 12 tournament.

Prediction: Texas 85, Kansas 83 (OT)

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