Big 12 Basketball Tournament Preview

By Big12-Fans Writer Josh Cline

Well, folks, its that time of year again…March Madness. While most people think of the yearly event starting next weekend for the start of the NCAA Tourney, it really begins this weekend with the Big 12 Tournament in Dallas (along with all of the rest of the conference tournaments). There will be eleven games played from Thursday through Sunday, with eight of them played over the first two days. It will give teams with no shot at an NCAA at-large a chance to win four games in four days, and it will give the teams that are in a chance to jockey for the all-important seeding in the Big Dance. Here is a prognostication of what will happen during this wild, wild week.

Thursday, March 9 - First Round	Friday, March 10 - Quarterfinals
Saturday, March 11 - Semifinals	Sunday, March 12 - Championship

Thursday, March 9 - First Round

11:30 AM, Texas Tech (8) vs. Kansas State (9)
There are two stars in this one—Cartier Martin of Kansas State and Jarrius Jackson of Texas Tech. The game should be a good one, but I see Texas Tech as a tired team that has come off of four grueling losses in a row. While KSU hasn’t exactly been world beaters either, they have played good teams close and has felt they haven’t gotten a fair shake at the same time. The Wildcats are out to prove something and want another shot at Texas, while Texas Tech just wants to get it over with. Kansas State wins 57-52.

2:00 PM, Colorado (5) vs. Baylor (12)
The Bears have really improved over the course of their short season and should take that momentum into next year. Colorado needs to win at least two to make it to the NCAA Tourney and will play with some excited urgency. That excitement, combined with the solid play of the Bears, will keep the game close for a half, but then CU will calm down during the break and expand the lead to over ten and keep it there behind their star Richard Roby. CU 75, BU 60.

6:00 PM, Oklahoma State (7) vs. Iowa State (10)
What a wild season it has been for Oklahoma State with the Eddie Sutton issues and losing the nucleus of their successful squads from the past two seasons. Iowa State has been a disappointment as well, considering their dominating backcourt led by Curtis Stinson was supposed to take them better than third-to-last in the conference. However, in their last meeting, Iowa State dominated the Cowboys all over the court, and I see that happening again. Iowa State 68, Oklahoma State 59.

8:20 PM, Nebraska (6) vs. Missouri (11)
Missouri took the win at home on Sunday and this is a rematch of that game. Mizzou needed a rousing comeback and the home crowd fed it on senior day to win that day, but this time there will be hardly anyone from either camp in attendance. Nebraska is the better team and they will win this game by 8. Nebraska 68, Missouri 60.

Thursday, March 9 - First Round	Friday, March 10 - Quarterfinals
Saturday, March 11 - Semifinals	Sunday, March 12 - Championship

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