Consider this your gameday thread for the basketball tournament…
Big 12 Conference Tournament
(Sprint Center, Kansas City, Mo.)
Thursday’s games
No. 4 Kansas State vs. No. 5 TCU (ESPN2) 11:30 a.m.
Preview & Prediction: TCU was on a 5 game win streak before the Red Raiders defeated the Frogs in the last game of the season. TCU has done enough to get into the Big Dance, and K-State is more on the bubble. Yet, both teams should make it through to March Madness. K-State needs this victory to better pad their resume. The Wildcats split their series with the Frogs during the regular season. I actually want K-State to win this game and assure an invite to the NCAA tourney, but from watching the last part of this season my gut tells me to pick TCU for the win.
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 Oklahoma State (ESPN2) 1:30 p.m.
Preview & Prediction: Oklahoma State is hot, and came away with an easy win over Oklahoma yesterday. They just made a case for getting into March Madness, but still might be on the outside looking in unless they can beat Kansas today. Kansas is the top team to beat, but have announced they lost their big man Udoka Azubuike for the Big 12 tournament. OSU swept Kansas this regular season, and will try to make it a third win against KU in a row today. That just cannot happen, can it? No way the Cowboys win and secure an invite to the NCAA tournament, right?
No. 2 Texas Tech vs. No. 7 Texas (ESPN2) 6 p.m.
Preview & Prediction: Most people think that the Longhorns punched their ticket to the Big Dance with the win over Iowa State yesterday. Without Mo Bamba is the lineup they got it done. Our Red Raiders are looking to raise their seeding in the NCAA tourney. This game was destined to happen after our last overtime thriller in Lubbock against UT. It is going to be a battle, and we should be playing with a mostly healthy squad. Bragging rights are on the line, and Texas Tech can show who is the superior team between the two flagship Texas schools in the state.
Seth will handle the in-depth preview for this match-up. My take is that we are the better team and will be nice and rested for a fight with our Big 12 rival. We got this, and will cause the Longhorns to go back to Austin crying that the Red Raiders got away with pushing them around in an unfair fashion on the court. Deal with it, we are the best college basketball squad in Texas. Wreck ’em Tech!!!
No. 3 West Virginia vs. No. 6 Baylor (ESPN2) 8 p.m.
Preview & Prediction: Baylor is a true bubble team, and needs a win against West Virginia to have hope to get into the Big Dance. West Virginia is solid in getting into the NCAA tourney and might make a decent run in it. The bad news for the Bears is that the Mountaineers have beat them twice during the regular season. WVU has the more physical team, and can neutralize the Baylor big-men. My prediction stays the same for the third time, as I think Baylor gets knocked off and lose their March Madness dreams in this game.