Christian Royston, Sports Editor
No. 12 UCF vs. No. 5 BYU
Unfortunately, as much as I want UCF to be the Cinderella team of the Big 12 Tournament, BYU is just too good of a team to upset. The Cougars come in at the No. 5 seed but are playing like a top-three seed.
The Cougars are dangerous from all over the court and have given better teams than UCF troubles. The Knights may present size and presence in the paint, but that will not matter against BYU, as I expect the Cougars to shoot lights out from beyond the arc and cruise to a win.
Moving on: No. 5 BYU
No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 8 TCU
This could be a sneakily good matchup. On one hand, Oklahoma is a team that will be hungry to prove that it should not be counted out just yet. On the other hand, TCU’s lockdown defense could be enough to shut down the Sooners.
I see this being the closest game of the day, with both teams struggling to pull away. However, TCU’s offense could be the difference maker, as the Horned Frogs did finish at the top of the Big 12 in points per game throughout conference play. The Sooners might have some issues keeping TCU off the boards when it matters most.
Moving on: No. 8 TCU
No. 10 Kansas State vs. No. 7 Texas
Kansas State does have a chance to sneak out a win in this matchup, but I see the game coming down to atmosphere.
If you asked me a couple of days ago, I would probably pick Kansas State to win. The Wildcats were coming off a big home win against Iowa State and were heating up at the right time. Along with that, the fans showed out for the women’s game against Texas.
However, now that Texas secured the Big 12 title on the women’s side, and many Kansas State fans went home, there could be a good turnout for the Longhorns. I see fans staying the night and catching the night game, which could help Texas feed off an overwhelming atmosphere and pull out a tight win.
Moving on: No. 7 Texas
No. 11 Cincinnati vs. No. 6 Kansas
This will be an interesting matchup for a few reasons. For one, the Bearcats are catching fire at the right time, as they got back-to-back wins over West Virginia and have all the momentum going for them.
Along with that, Kansas will be dealing with injuries throughout the tournament. The Jayhawks will be without their top two scorers, who make up nearly their whole offense. Hunter Dickinson’s absence will create a huge hole in the post, and the absence of Kevin McCullar Jr. will cause the Jayhawks to be limited with options on offense.
I am not going to overthink this one. Cincinnati will keep dancing thanks to an easier-than-expected matchup against Kansas.
Moving on: No. 11 Cincinnati
Logan Shanks, Assistant Sports Editor
No. 12 UCF vs. No. 5 BYU
While the Knights put together a solid game against Oklahoma State, especially with their 42 points in the second half, taking on BYU will be a whole different challenge. The Cowboys are a team that has struggled to score all year, and the opposite can be said for BYU who finished as the second-highest-scoring offense during league play (76.2).
An area where the Cougars have been especially efficient is behind the arc, finishing with the most makes during league play (182). UCF has consistently shown an inability to match teams from 3-point land, as the Knights shot 30% from deep during Big 12 play.
BYU hosts one of the strongest and quickest offenses in the Big 12 that keeps its foot on the gas until the final buzzer. Good job on UCF’s part for winning a game in the conference tournament in its first year, but that is as far as the team will go.
Moving on: No. 5 BYU
No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 8 TCU
I could see this game going either way with how these two teams have played down the stretch. They each finished 1-3 in their final four games of the regular season, with ugly losses due to poor defensive efforts.
One thing that stands out to me is that the Horned Frogs sneakily finished first in the Big 12 in points per game in conference play (76.6). No matter what situation it has been in, TCU has found ways to score, averaging the highest 3-point percentage in the conference (38%).
Looking back on the Horned Frogs’ nine-point win over the Sooners in January, they executed on extra opportunities with the ball scoring 25 points off turnovers. If TCU jumps out to an early lead, I can see the team riding with it until the end as Oklahoma has not shown its ability to overcome large deficits consistently.
Moving on: No. 8 TCU
No. 10 Kansas State vs. No. 7 Texas
While it was hard to figure out what kind of team Texas would be for much of the Big 12 season, it finally turned things on in its final six games, going 4-2. The Longhorns look more offensively sound, scoring over 80 points in their final four games, three of which were blowout wins.
Even with Kansas State capping off its regular season with a dominating win over Iowa State, I do not think that momentum will be enough to be a team as hot as Texas. While the Longhorns have had an overall underwhelming season to this point, they are at their best at the right time which is all that matters when it comes to March.
Moving on: No. 7 Texas
No. 11 Cincinnati vs. No. 6 Kansas
Considering the amount of talent the Jayhawks are losing for the conference tournament, I think Cincinnati has a realistic shot at advancing to the semifinals.
Kansas has not looked great recently, losing three of its last four as the team has been outmatched offensively. Taking that into account and the fact that they are going to be without McCullar and Dickinson, the Jayhawks will be scrambling for scoring options against Cincinnati.
A big factor for Cincinnati in this matchup will be staying sound defensively, even when its shots are falling. Although the Bearcats scored 54 second-half points in their first-round matchup with West Virginia, they also allowed 47 points which kept the game closer than it should have been.
I think Kansas is too banged up and playing its worst basketball heading into the tournament to make it past its first game, even with it being against a shaky team in Cincinnati.
