The Big 12 Tourney... what is in store for us

Some sportsbook customers who wager on college basketball might be looking at Kansas as the top contender to win the national title. Does that mean that the Jayhawks also rate as the solid favorite to win the Big 12 title? The prohibitive favorite even? We'll find out soon enough.

KANSAS (-300 to win Big 12) comes into this tournament as the nation's #1 team, and it's not beyond the realm of possibility that even if the Jayhawks lose here, they could be a #1 seed in the NCAA's. At two of the most critical positions, they have players among the nation's best - point guard Sharron Collins and center Cole Aldrich. They play at a furious pace and manage to do it while staying under control. They shoot well (48.9%) and defend well (37.6%) and they carry a load of depth. They haven't covered the pointspread in the NCAA basketball odds very well (12-15-1 ATS) but I'm sure that is little consolation for them. They are the favorites, and justifiably so, but there is enough depth in this conference where we might be able to pick another team and possibly get some value.

Odds To Win Big 12 Championship

March 10-13, Kansas City

• Baylor +500
• Kansas -300
• Kansas State +350
• Missouri +1500
• Oklahoma +3000
• Oklahoma State +1000
• Texas +650
• Texas A & M +1200
• Texas Tech +3000
• Field +2500

KANSAS STATE (+350 to win Big 12) stumbled when visiting Kansas, and came away a 17-point loser. Then they lost to Iowa State to conclude the regular season. That's not a great note to go into this post-season tournament on. There are a lot of virtuous things about this team, but this backcourt of Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente, which shoots about 40% combined and commits almost five turnovers a game between them, needs to play better.

BAYLOR (+500 to win Big 12) is a team that has really developed some balance, able to fill up the hoop from long range with LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter (six three-pointers per game between them) and get some dominating play on the inside from Ekpe Udoh (9.8 rebounds, 4.1 blocks per game), who is starting to make some All-America teams. Udoh gets help too, from Quincy Acy and Anthony Jones, who both hit the boards with some authority. Baylor is a team that can beat anybody, and if Kansas has a lack of interest and Kansas State simply can't handle it, this is the team can slip on through.

TEXAS (+650 to win Big 12) is a team that has really fallen hard. The Longhorns won their first 17 games of the season and ascended to #1 in the polls. After that, they went 6-8, and that included losses to Oklahoma, Missouri and U-Conn, none of whom are likely to get into the NCAA Tournament. This team rebounds well; we all know that, but let's face it - Dogus Balbay is not DJ Augustine at point guard, and Dexter Pittman can be outplayed by capable centers. Texas also doesn't make free throws (just 63%), and that has come back to haunt them more than once.

OKLAHOMA STATE (+1000 to win Big 12) scares the hell out of a lot of teams who have problems with their perimeter defense, because the Cowboys have three players who make more than two treys a game, and that group is led by All-America guard James Anderson, who averages almost 23 points a game. On those nights that OSU gets hot, they can beat anybody, and that includes Kansas, who they turned back on February 27. If they had more of an offensive threat underneath, they would really drive foes nuts. Right now, though, their best bet is to "out-quick" the opponent.