Rock Chalk another title up for Kansas

Kansas is primed to add the Big 12 tournament title to its regular season crown in what promises to be the most bizarre of the major conference tournaments.

When the teams take to the floor this week very little will be at stake. In addition to Kansas, five teams have locked up at-large bids already with Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State all certain to be dancing. In addition Missouri would need a particularly poor showing in its tournament opener against last-placed Nebraska to not make it to March Madness. With all the front runners and most of the dark horses already certain to be dancing there’s little tension for the participants but that won’t mean there won’t be excitement.

If the seven teams expected to get bids make it through to the quarter finals, and given the match-ups in round one the sports book will certain favor this scenario, the Big 12 could deliver the most enthralling three days of Basketball we witness all season.

Kansas, K-State, A&M, and Baylor all have byes but only Kansas will be confident on an easy passage to the semis as they face the winner of Colorado and Texas Tech. Texas will relish the chance to gain revenge over Baylor on a neutral court while Missouri will know that an upset of the Aggies would guarantee the Tigers a better seeding in the dance. These are the two ties where I most favor an upset and, despite their poor run of form, I favor the Longhorns as the better candidate to pull it off as Texas needs this win a lot more than Baylor which ended its regular season on a high.

The final potential quarter-final offers the tightest match-up as there’s little between Oklahoma State and Kansas State. The Cowboys look hot for a run in March but the Wildcats will be too hungry this time out and they’ll make Friday’s semi finals.

Kansas may have Final Four ambitions of a national nature but they won’t look past the Big 12’s equivalent. Texas A&M pushed the Jayhawks close at College Station but this time out Rock Chalk Jayhawk will ring out in Kansas City as Kansas progresses to Saturday’s final.

Who they will meet is a tough call. Texas and Baylor are both capable of giving K-State all it can handle but there’s more at stake for what is a superior Wildcats side. With a #2 guaranteed should they progress to the tournament final, Kansas State will secure it faces its familiar rival for a third time this season on Saturday.

Such a meeting would be the perfect set-up for the Jayhawks. A #1 seed is pretty much locked up, even if the Jayhawks go out in the first round, but this Kansas team is eyeing the #1 overall seed. Nothing would do more to cement its claim than a third straight win this season over the #2 team in its conference, recording wins at home, on the road and at a neutral site. K-State may put up a fight but there’ll be no stopping the Jayhawks, not in tournament.

For thes best in online betting on the Big 12 tournament and all of this week’s conference tournaments check out Sports Interaction’s sports book.