Houston is the undisputed favorite of the Big 12, which offers one last chance of redemption for the preseason darlings.
When tournament time rolled around in Kansas City, the Big 12 men's basketball hierarchy was always destined to look different.
Conference realignment was particularly tough on the Big 12, which bid farewell to prior champions such as Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas. That trio's move to the SEC gave some of the newcomers, such as Houston, Arizona, Cincinnati, and BYU, an immediate opportunity to succeed. Of course, they had to deal with some of the holdovers, not least of which was preseason No. 1 Kansas.
But some (BYU, Texas Tech) rose and others (Kansas, Cincinnati) drastically fell, creating a relatively open bracket as things get a little crowded in Kansas City. Those that made the ascent now have a chance to show why they belong at the top. March, of course, is about redemption and miracles—and there are plenty of such intriguing such narratives buried in the early portions.
What: 2025 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament
When: March 11-15
Where: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO
Meet The Teams
(1) Houston Cougars (27-4, 19-1)
Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson (11th season, 291-83)
Players to Watch: LJ Cryer (15.3 points, 43.1 three-point field goal percentage), Emanuel Sharp (11.8 points, 41.3 three-point field goal percentage), J'Wan Roberts (11.1 points, 6.4 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
The Cougars will seek their first through the three: they enter this year's tournament ranked fourth in the nation with a 3-point success rate just under 40 percent. They've proven equally dominant on the other side of the ball, posting the nation's best defensive efficiency rating and allowing the fewest points per game at 58.1. Likely fuming over last season's no-show in the Big 12 title game against Iowa State, UH has been one of the most dominant teams in the nation following a disappointing showing in Las Vegas' Players Era Classic: it enters the conference tourney on a 10-game winning streak and its lone loss in regulation came against Auburn (the team currently below them in active Associated Press rankings).
(2) Texas Tech Red Raiders (24-7, 15-5)
Head Coach: Grant McCasland (2nd season, 47-18)
Players to Watch: JT Toppin (18.1 points, 9.3 rebounds), Chance McMillian (14.7 points, 44.2 three-point field goal percentage), Darrion Williams (14.3 points, 5.1 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
The Red Raiders are the only team to tag the Cougars since November, taking an 82-81 overtime decision on the road back on Feb. 1. Adjusting well to the high-level game after a Mountain West breakout at New Mexico, Toppin is generating late first-round draft pick buzz while McMillian has handled work from deep since arriving as a graduate transfer from Grand Canyon. This will be the last stand for assistant coach Matt Braeuer, who has been nominated to serve as the next head coach at Stephen F. Austin.
(3) Arizona Wildcats (20-11, 14-6)
Head Coach: Tommy Lloyd (4th season, 108-31)
Players to Watch: Caleb Love (16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds), Jaden Bradley (11.9 points, 1.9 steals), Toba Awaka (8.6 points, 8.0 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
The switch from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 has been a rollercoaster for the Wildcats: they were 4-5 amidst the holiday season before winning their first five new conference excursions (and 11 of their first dozen) but went 3-5 the rest of the way. One thing that has remain powerfully consistent has been the Wildcats' interior game: Tuscon lost Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award watchlist candidate Motiejus Krivas early on but has pulled in a Big 12-best 39.9 rebounds per game, besting their opponents by over seven, also topping their new brethren.
(4) BYU Cougars (23-8, 14-6)
Head Coach: Kevin Young (1st season)
Players to Watch: Richie Saunders (16.0 points, 43.7 three-point field goal percentage), Egor Demin (10.8 points, 5.6 assists), Fousseyni Traore (8.5 points, 5.5 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
Mark Pope's departure and the leap into the Big 12 cannot tame the Cougars, whose eight-game winning streak (including a double-overtime triumph over Iowa State) allowed them to sneak back into the national rankings. BYU is equally capable of firing up threes, as it leads all power conference programs with 10.6 successful triples a game this season. The Cougars have also handled themselves in the interior, as their rebounding margin of plus-6.0 per game is second in the conference.
(5) Iowa State Cyclones (23-8, 13-7)
Head Coach: T.J. Otzelberger (4th season, 93-43)
Players to Watch: Curtis Jones (17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds), Keshon Gilbert (13.8 points, 48.4 field goal percentage), Joshua Jefferson (12.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 50.9 field goal percentage)
Last Big 12 Title: 2024
The path to a repeat hit several roadblocks, as the Cyclones were besieged by several brief, if not costly, medical absences that saw them plummet from second in the nation to 12th. ISU went 6-6 in its last dozen and 3-5 in its last eight, including a shocking loss to sputtering Oklahoma State back on Feb. 25. The Cyclones have continued to carry a formidable defensive presence, forcing the most turnovers in the conference at over 15 a game.
(6) Kansas Jayhawks (20-11, 11-9)
Head Coach: Bill Self (22nd season, 608-146)
Players to Watch: Hunter Dickinson (17.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, 53.8 field goal percentage), Zeke Mayo (14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds), Dajuan Harris Jr. (9.1 points, 5.7 assists, 1.4 steals)
Last Big 12 Title: 2022 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
America's preseason No. 1 fell all the way to No. 6 in its own conference and some of the losses (i.e. a 34-point shellacking at the hands of BYU) were particularly perplexing. The Jayhawks' facilitation has been fine, as they lead the conference in assists per game at 17.6. They have, however, lost a sense of defensive intensity of gritty intangibles after losing both Johnny Furphy and Kevin McCullar Jr. to the NBA Draft, as KU was second to last in turnovers forced.
(7) Baylor Bears (18-13, 10-10)
Head Coach: Scott Drew (22nd season, 464-257)
Players to Watch: Norchad Omier (15.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 56.8 field goal percentage), VJ Edgecomb (15.0 points, 5.4 rebounds), Robert Wright III (11.7 points, 4.5 assists)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
After replacing two 2024 NBA draft picks (Ja'Kobe Walter and Yves Missi) with a touted Miami transfer (Omier) and a five-star recruit (Edgecomb), the Bears sit firmly on the bubble entering championship week. Many are confident enough to include them in the final four ... teams getting in, that is, but they might be among the first to go if a bid stealer or two comes into play. Beating a round one winner would be nice but only a quarterfinal upset of Texas Tech would totally wash away the stench of recent losses to Cincinnati and Colorado.
(8) West Virginia Mountaineers (19-12, 10-10)
Head Coach: Darian DeVries (1st Season)
Players to Watch: Javon Small (18.5 points, 5.6 assists, 1.6 steals), Amani Hansberry (10.1 points, 6.5 rebounds), Toby Okani (8.1 points, 4.1 assists)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2023)
The Mountaineers have fallen back down to Earth after a scorching start under DeVries, which was unfortunately marred by the season-ending shoulder injury for his son and fellow Drake transfer Tucker. Burdened by a conference-worst rebounding margin (minus-3.4) anything short of a semifinal appearance likely isn't going impress the committee and that will require getting through the mighty Cougars, who won the two matchups by a combined 30 points this season.
(9) TCU Horned Frogs (16-15, 9-11)
Head Coach: Jamie Dixon (9th season, 176-125)
Players to Watch: Noah Reynolds (12.3 points, 3.0 assists), Vasean Allette (11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
At the top of the early participants, the Frogs have their work cut out for them when it comes to a return trip to the tournament, as they've been meandering across Fort Worth after losing then-leading scorer Frankie Collins due to a foot injury in December. It hardly takes a deep dive to look for proof of his impact, as TCU was the lowest-scoring team in the Big 12 this season at just over 66 tallies a game.
(10) Kansas State Wildcats (15-16, 9-11)
Head Coach: Jerome Tang (3rd season, 60-51)
Players to Watch: David N'Guessan (13.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 63.8 field goal percentage), Dug McDaniel (11.3 points, 4.9 assists)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2023)
The honeymoon is perhaps officially over for Tang, who is in danger of missing out on the postseason entirely after following up his Elite Eight showing in year one with a first-round exit in last year's NIT. If they're going to stage a miracle run, the Wildcats could get a nice boost from the return of Coleman Hawkins, an Illinois transfer who overcame a fracture in his tibia to make late seasons contributions. Kansas State brought back flashes of cohesion through a six-game winning streak in February, one that featured wins over West Virginia, Iowa State, Kansas, and Arizona.
(11) Utah Utes (16-15, 8-12)
Head Coach: Josh Eilert (interim)
Players to Watch: Gabe Madsen (15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists), Ezra Ausar (12.4 points, 5.0 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2016)
The Utes are simply playing out the final stages of a lost season, one that cost fourth-year boss Craig Smith his job. The countdown is officially underway for Alex Jensen to be removed from his Maverick misery in Dallas, as one of the Utes' recent losses came against Tuesday opponent UCF on the road.
(12) Oklahoma State Cowboys (15-16, 7-13)
Head Coach: Steve Lutz (1st season)
Players to Watch: Abou Ousmane (12.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals), Bryce Thompson (12.4 points, 2.7 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: 2005 (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2021)
After a near full-on roster makeover following last season's finish in the cellar, the Pokes didn't see too much of a rise up the leaderboard, though they did up the defensive intensity (second in Big 12 in steals) and also picked up a surprising upset win over Iowa State just about two weeks ago. Getting out of the opening is a fully reasonable goal for Lutz's makeshift group eager for any sign of progress.
(13) Cincinnati Bearcats (17-14, 7-13)
Head Coach: Wes Miller (4th season, 80-57)
Players to Watch: Jizzle James (12.9 points, 3.7 assists), Dillon Mitchell (9.5 points, 6.5 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2019)
There was a considerable amount of hype around year two of the Bearcats' Big 12 endeavors, especially after winning 22 games last year. Instead, UC lost each of its first four conference games and never recovered, with the bottom falling out with three consecutive losses and the infamy of playing on the conference's tournament's opening day, more or less popping the bubble of a preseason rankings rep.
(14) UCF Knights (16-15, 7-13)
Head Coach: Johnny Dawkins (9th season, 167-118)
Players to Watch: Keyshawn Hall (18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds), Darius Johnson (16.5 points, 40.9 three-point percentage)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2019)
One could at least have fun betting the over on the Knights, who come into the tournament ranked fifth in Big 12 scoring (78.6 points a game). That, however, is offset by some distressing defensive outings, ones that letting up over 80 on a nightly basis and allowing opponents to shoot over 45 percent from the field, second worst in the Big 12 entering championship week.
(15) Arizona State Sun Devils (13-18, 4-16)
Head Coach: Bobby Hurley (10th season, 168-148)
Players to Watch: BJ Freeman (13.7 points, 3.9 rebounds), Jayden Quaintance (9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2023)
Despite landing five-star recruit Quaintance, it proved to be a trying first year of Big 12 play for Hurley's Sun Devils, who capped off their season with four consecutive double-figure losses. Quaintance, despite his freshman prowess, couldn't do it all, as the Sun Devils' rebounding margins ranked toward the bottom of the conference and they were dead-last in second chances off the glass.
(16) Colorado Buffaloes (12-19, 3-17)
Head Coach: Tad Boyle (15th season, 310-202)
Players to Watch: Julian Hammond III (12.6 points, 3.1 assists, 1.1 steals), Andrej Jakimovski (9.7 points, 4.8 rebounds)
Last Big 12 Title: None (Last NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2024)
The Buffaloes' first Big 12 excursion was a challenge after losing Cody Williams and Tristan da Silva to the opening round of the 2024 NBA Draft. Though an early win over defending champion Connecticut lost value as the year went on, the young Buffs do have a pair of late wins to build upon, having bookended their final five games with triumphs over Baylor and TCU.
Schedule
(All Times ET)
Tuesday, March 11
(12) Oklahoma State vs. (13) Cincinnati, 12:30 p.m., ESPN+
(9) TCU vs. (16) Colorado, 3 p.m., ESPN+
(10) Kansas State vs. (15) Arizona State, 7 p.m., ESPN+
(11) Utah vs. (14) UCF, 9:30 p.m., ESPN+
Wednesday, March 12
(5) Iowa State vs. OSU/UC, 12:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
(8) West Virginia vs. TCU/CU, 3 p.m., ESPN+
(7) Baylor vs. KSU/ASU, 7 p.m., ESPN+
(6) Kansas vs. UU/UCF, 9:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPNU
Thursday, March 13
(4) BYU vs. ISU/OSU/UC, 12:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
(1) Houston vs. WVU/TCU/CU, 3 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
(2) Texas Tech vs. BU/KSU/ASU, 7 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
(3) Arizona vs. KU/UU/UCF, 9:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Friday, March 14
Semifinal 1: 7 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Semifinal 2: 9:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Saturday, March 15
Championship: 6 p.m., ESPN
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
