What’s at stake in this year’s Big 12 Tournament at Sprint Center? Well, not very much. Get used to it if the NCAA Tournament expands to 96. At that point nothing will have meaning until the second round of the big dance…but that’s not what this article is about. Luckily, at least this year, there are still only 65 teams that will advance. So let’s look at what’s a stake for each Big 12 squad.

Colorado, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Iowa State

These five teams are all in the same boat. They must win four in a row, in four days. Teams have come close (OSU in ’99, Baylor ’09) but nobody has been able to pull it off yet. It’s hard to see one of these five having the ability to get that hot over a four game stretch.

Most likely the bottom of the Big 12 is positioning itself for NIT berths. CU, Tech, and Iowa State appear to being on the verge of having a good enough resume. A win could solidify that. Oklahoma and Nebraska would probably have to get to the title game. Of course, sometimes the NIT is more about selling tickets than it is about what you’ve accomplished. These teams should look at Baylor’s run in the NIT to see what can be gained by continuing to play in March.


Kansas

The Jayhawks are a lock for a #1 seed, and probably a lock for the Oklahoma City to St. Louis path in the Midwest regional. However, I believe KU still has a little work to do to earn that #1 overall seed.

Why is the #1 overall important? Well, if the seeding goes as intended, it will match Kansas up with the weakest #4 seed in the Sweet Sixteen, and the weakest #2 seed in the Elite Eight. Most importantly, it would keep Kentucky and Syracuse on the other side of the bracket, meaning the Jayhawks wouldn’t see the Cats or Orange until the National Championship game.

I believe KU has to, at least, make it to Saturday in order to wrap up the #1 overall. However if Kentucky wins the SEC, it could still be dicey. In all reality, the Jayhawks need to focus on winning its fourth postseason tournament in five years to remove any doubt.


Kansas State

The Wildcats apparently blew a chance at a #1 seed with Saturday’s upset loss at home against Iowa State. Right now the Cats appear on the #2 line, but it’s probably too early to rule K-State out of the chase for the fourth and final #1.

Two wins will probably entrench KSU as a #2 seed, especially if the loss comes to Kansas in the final. A Big 12 Championship would put the Cats back in the hunt for #1. It would help if Duke, Ohio State, and West Virginia bow out of their respective tournaments earlier than expected.


Missouri

The defending tournament champions don’t have to worry about receiving a bid to the field of 65. In all honesty, the Tigers seeding probably won’t move too much no matter what happens this weekend.

Missouri’s big focus should be on playing better and gaining momentum going into next week. The Tigers haven’t been the same team since losing Justin Safford. Mizzou appears to be headed on a downward curve, so now’s the time to turn it around.

The good news is that most people think MU’s style is conducive to tournament play since teams have less time to prepare. The Big 12 teams are used to the Tigers, but teams in the NCAA Tournament could be more likely to be taken by surprise.


Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, Oklahoma State

With the exception of Texas, these teams are ascending towards March. The Longhorns appear hopeless and doomed to one of the biggest collapses in the history of the league. The other three appear to have a legitimate shot at winning this championship. If one of them is able to pull it off, it could propel them up two or three lines in the bracket selection. Texas A&M and Baylor could get as high as a #3 or #4. OSU, Baylor, and Texas might be able to climb to a #5 or #6 seed with a title run.