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Big 12 Championship Game 2021: Oklahoma State vs. Texas Schedule, Preview

Mar 12, 2021
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2) and Oklahoma State guard Bryce Williams (14) advance the ball during an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma State defeated Texas Tech in overtime. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2) and Oklahoma State guard Bryce Williams (14) advance the ball during an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma State defeated Texas Tech in overtime. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)

The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Texas Longhorns are expected to be locked in a third close battle of the men's basketball season in the Big 12 tournament final. 

Oklahoma State advanced to Saturday's title matchup in Kansas City, Missouri by beating the top-seeded Baylor Bears behind a terrific showing from star freshman Cade Cunningham.

Texas did not take the floor on Friday, as it moved on through the Kansas Jayhawks leaving the competition early due to a positive COVID-19 test within the program. 

Both the Cowboys and Longhorns come into the championship in great form. The two sides have combined to go 15-3 since February 13. 

Oklahoma State is in search of its first Big 12 tournament crown since 2005, while the Longhorns are attempting to become the first team from Texas to capture first place at the event.

           

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Big 12 Tournament Championship Info

Date: Saturday, March 13

Start Time: 6 p.m. ET 

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN.com or ESPN app

      

Preview

Oklahoma State is the slightly hotter team of the two championship game participants. 

Mike Boynton's team has a single loss in its last nine games, with the only defeat coming to Baylor, who has been consistently in the top three of the AP Top 25 all season. 

During that run, Cunningham has taken over some games with his best performances of the season. He had 25 points in the Big 12 semifinal on Friday and he owns five 20-plus-point outings in that run. 

But the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft has not been the only scorer challenging opposing defenses recently. Avery Anderson has 68 points in his last three games. 

Anderson gained confidence during his 31-point outing against the West Virginia Mountaineers that the Cowboys won without Cunningham.

Anderson and Cunningham combined to shoot 15-for-29 and had 45 points and 13 rebounds in the win over Baylor. 

When the Cowboys beat Texas in double overtime on February 6, Anderson and Cunningham totaled 35 points and had Kalib Boone chip in 22 points. 

Oklahoma State won that contest through its defense, as it held Texas to 25.3 percent from the field and it gave up five three-pointers on 35 attempts from the Longhorns. 

Texas was more effective from the field in its quarterfinal win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders, as it shot 45.5 percent from the field and made 11 three-pointers. 

Shaka Smart's team will have to score more than 67 points to remain close with the Cowboys. It has averaged 73.6 points per game in its last five victories. Oklahoma State averaged 82.6 points per contest in its last five wins. 

Texas has four players that average more than 10 points per game in Andrew Jones, Courtney Ramey, Matt Coleman and Greg Brown, but the last 20-point performance from that group came on February 20. 

If that quartet is unable to keep pace with Cunningham, Anderson and Co., it could fall behind for stretches of the contest. 

One way Texas could dictate the pace is through Jericho Sims and Brown in the paint. Both players average over 6.5 rebounds per game. 

If the Longhorns limit Oklahoma State's second-chance opportunities, they could control the run of play for parts of the contest. 

Even if Oklahoma State rushes out to an advantage, do not expect it to be a massive one since the two regular-season games between the programs were decided by a combined 11 points. 

         

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

Big 12 Tournament 2021: Semifinals Scores, Championship Bracket and Schedule

Mar 12, 2021
Baylor guard Mark Vital (11) tries to steal the ball from Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerry Larson)
Baylor guard Mark Vital (11) tries to steal the ball from Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Waco, Texas. (AP Photo/Jerry Larson)

No. 12 Oklahoma State will meet No. 11 Texas on Saturday to determine the 2021 Big 12 tournament champion and an automatic berth in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

The Cowboys advanced to the title game for the first time since 1999 with an 83-74 upset win over Baylor. 

The Longhorns were scheduled to play 11th-ranked Kansas in the first semifinal Friday, but the Jayhawks announced they had to withdraw from the tournament because of a positive COVID-19 test within the program. 

Texas is one win away from winning the first Big 12 tournament title in school history. The Longhorns haven't won a conference tournament title since capturing the Southwest Conference crown in 1995. 

     

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2021 Big 12 Tournament Semifinal Results

No. 12 Oklahoma State def. No. 2 Baylor: 83-74

No. 13 Texas advanced past No. 11 Kansas (Uncontested Game)

       

2021 Big 12 Tournament Final Schedule

No. 12 Oklahoma State vs. No. 13 Texas

Date: Saturday, March 13

Start Time: 6 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN

      

No. 12 Oklahoma State 83, No. 2 Baylor 74

After a slow start to the second half, Oklahoma State had a run of 11 unanswered points to earn an 83-74 win over No. 2 Baylor.

The Cowboys were the aggressors in the first half and took a 35-30 lead into the break. Avery Anderson III capped off Oklahoma State's stellar opening 20 minutes with a fast-break layup. 

The Bears were able to make adjustments coming out for the second half. At one point, they had a 30-18 scoring advantage to take a 60-53 lead with just under eight minutes remaining. It looked like that was going to propel the Big 12 regular-season champions to a hard-fought win. 

Oklahoma State made adjustments of its own to earn its biggest victory of the season thus far. Cade Cunningham led a 13-5 run in the span of four minutes by hitting back-to-back three-pointers to put the Cowboys back up by one point. 

The two teams would trade six ties or lead changes over the final five minutes and 20 seconds of regulation. Anderson put Oklahoma State up for good with a layup-and-one with just over two minutes to play. 

Cunningham's assist to Rondel Walker on the Cowboys' next possession provided the cushion they would need to hang on. The star freshman finished with a game-high 25 points on 7-of-16 shooting, along with eight rebounds and five assists. 

Anderson added 20 points on an efficient 8-of-13 shooting from the field. Walker had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench. Oklahoma State had a 26-13 advantage in free-throw attempts in the win. 

In addition to scoring 83 points against Baylor, Oklahoma State's defense held the nation's fourth-ranked scoring offense to 38.7 percent shooting (6-of-28 from three-point range). MaCio Teague had 17 points but shot just 41.2 percent from the field. 

The Bears will likely still be in line for a No. 1 seed by virtue of their 22-2 record. ESPN's Joe Lunardi had the Cowboys as a No. 3 seed in the tournament and trending up entering Friday. 

A victory over Texas in the conference title game could potentially propel Oklahoma State up to the two line.

Kansas Out of Big 12 Tournament After Player Tests Positive for COVID-19

Mar 12, 2021
A spaced out limited crowd, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, watches during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game between Baylor and Kansas State in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A spaced out limited crowd, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, watches during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game between Baylor and Kansas State in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas has withdrawn from the Big 12 men's basketball tournament after a player tested positive for COVID-19.

Matt Norlander of CBS Sports first reported the news.

The Jayhawks were scheduled to face Texas in the tournament semifinals Friday, but the game has been canceled.

Per Norlander, the player who tested positive competed in Thursday's quarterfinals win over Oklahoma.

Kansas was already without David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna for the Big 12 tournament because of COVID-19 protocols.

The team expected both players to be available to return for the NCAA tournament, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported Kansas still has "optimism" it can compete in March Madness.

The 20-8 Jayhawks are projected as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament by Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller.

Kansas becomes the third major conference team to drop out of its tournament this week because of COVID-19 protocols after Virginia and Duke both withdrew from the ACC tournament.

Texas will advance to the finals of the Big 12 tournament to face either Baylor or Oklahoma State.

Kansas' David McCormack, Tristan Enaruna Expected to Play in NCAA Tournament

Mar 12, 2021
Kansas forward David McCormack (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Kansas forward David McCormack (33) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Kansas expects both David McCormack and Tristan Enaruna to be available for the NCAA tournament, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Head coach Bill Self announced Tuesday the two players were ruled out of the Big 12 tournament because of COVID-19 safety protocols, but it seems they should both return in time for March Madness.

McCormack averages 13.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, both second-most on the team, while he leads the Jayhawks with 1.0 blocks per game. Enaruna averages just 2.8 points in 9.4 minutes per game but appeared in 25 of the team's first 27 games as a versatile reserve.

Losing depth in the post hurts any team, although McCormack especially showed his value in Kansas' upset win over Baylor with 20 points and three blocks. 

Self explained losing McCormack for the Big 12 tournament will help his team develop more flexibility going forward:

"On a plus side, though, if we're going to go into the NCAA tournament thinking we're going to have to play just one way, and then that one way is taken from us—we haven't really had a chance to prepare or practice it. So, I'm looking at it as, we're going to be better playing small in the NCAA tournament ... because it's forced us to change our game plan going into this one."

A projected return for the NCAA tournament should then give the Jayhawks a boost with the season on the line.

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller projects Kansas to be a No. 3 seed in the tournament.

Texas Escapes with Dramatic Big 12 Tournament Win vs. Mac McClung, Texas Tech

Mar 11, 2021
Texas guard Matt Coleman III, left, celebrates with forward Kai Jones (22) following an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 men's tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. Texas defeated Texas Tech 67-66. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Texas guard Matt Coleman III, left, celebrates with forward Kai Jones (22) following an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 men's tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. Texas defeated Texas Tech 67-66. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

Matt Coleman III made a pair of free throws with 1.8 seconds left as Texas overcame a pair of 10-point deficits to defeat Texas Tech 67-66 in the Big 12 men's basketball tournament quarterfinals on Thursday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Longhorns big man Jericho Sims then intercepted the Red Raiders' desperation full-court inbounds heave in response to seal the win.

Texas Tech led Texas 66-61 with 4:03 left but went 0-of-6 down the stretch. Texas cut the deficit with a Kai Jones layup and a Coleman layup before the game's final free throws.

Coleman led all players with 19 points and six assists. Sims had a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double for the Longhorns, who won despite committing 20 turnovers.

For Texas Tech, Terrence Shannon Jr. led the way with 18 points. Kevin McCullar guided the Red Raiders' defensive effort with six steals to go along with his 11 points. Mac McClung, who paces Texas Tech in scoring, posted just seven points on 3-of-8 shooting.

The 18-7 Longhorns, who are seeded third in the 10-team bracket, have won four straight. Texas Tech, which swept its two-game regular-season series with Texas, fell to 17-10 after its second straight loss.

        

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Notable Performances

Texas Tech G Terrence Shannon Jr.: 18 points

Texas Tech G Kevin McCullar: 11 points, 6 steals

Texas Tech F Marcus Santos-Silva: 10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists

Texas G Matt Coleman III: 19 points, 6 assists

Texas G Andrew Jones: 11 points, 4 assists

Texas F Jericho Sims: 10 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks

   

Coleman's Offense, Sims' Defense Propel Longhorns to Win

It was only fitting that Texas' win ended with Coleman scoring the game-winning point and Sims earning the game-ending steal on a night where the guard's offense and the big man's defense led to Texas' big win.

Coleman scored nine of his 19 points in the final 10:09. He personally went on a 5-0 run to turn a 49-43 Texas Tech lead into a slim 49-48 Red Raider edge with a layup and this three-pointer:

The end of the game was winning time for Coleman, who scored the game's final four points. He spoke with ESPN's Holly Rowe about his mindset at the end:

Coleman's finish may ultimately prove to be a defining moment for he and coach Shaka Smart as Texas looks to keep the momentum rolling in March, as Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports noted:

As for Sims, he starred on the other end, to the point where ESPN color commentator Fran Fraschilla made this mid-game comment:

 

The Red Raiders only shot 40.0 percent from the field, in part because of Sims' four blocks. He also had 11 of the Longhorns' 38 rebounds to help keep Texas Tech off the glass.

Sims also delivered the game's final blow, preventing a last-second miracle:



Thanks to the Coleman-Sims pair, Texas got the big win and will now look to knock off Kansas in the semifinals.

    

Shannon, McCullar Pave Way, But Texas Tech Can't Hold On

It was the Shannon and McCullar Show for much of the game, and it looked as though that would be good enough for a big win.

Shannon drilled an early three-pointer to put the Red Raiders up 15-7:

He hit another one later on following a pair of McCullar buckets to put Texas Tech up three early in the second half:

https://twitter.com/TexasTechMBB/status/1370219657601425408

Shannon ultimately hit four three-pointers, and McCullar scored seven of his points in the second half. McCullar in particular was sensational on defense, causing 30 percent of Texas' turnovers. He did a little of everything for the Red Raiders on this night.

However, it wasn't meant to be for Texas Tech. Texas took advantage of numerous cold stretches, and Coleman proved to be too strong down the stretch.

The consolation prize, of course, is that Texas Tech is a shoo-in to make the tournament as an at-large. Head coach Chris Beard's team should have a week to regroup and prepare as it looks to make back-to-back national championship games.

         

What's Next?

Texas will play No. 2 Kansas in the Big 12 tournament semifinals on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET. ESPN 2 will air the game.

Texas Tech will wait to hear its name called when the NCAA tournament bracket is revealed beginning Sunday at 6 p.m. on CBS.

Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State Rally to Beat West Virginia in Big 12 Tournament

Mar 11, 2021
Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham (2) and West Virginia's Miles McBride chase a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham (2) and West Virginia's Miles McBride chase a loose ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Big 12 Conference tournament in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, March 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Cade Cunningham's quest to win a conference championship at Oklahoma State will live to see at least one more game.

Cunningham and Avery Anderson III finished with 17 points apiece, as the Cowboys came back in the second half to earn a 72-69 win over West Virginia in their Big 12 Tournament quarterfinals matchup. 

Oklahoma State trailed by as many as eight points at several points early in the second half before fighting its way back into the game by breaking the Mountaineers press. 

Miles McBride scored 19 points to lead the way for West Virginia, which has dropped back-to-back games to Oklahoma State heading into the NCAA tournament. 

Thursday's quarterfinal was far from Cunningham's best performance, as he turned the ball over six times and made only six of his 15 shot attempts. However, Oklahoma State locked in on defense, holding West Virginia to a 7-of-23 mark from beyond the arc.

Oklahoma State will move on to play top-seeded Baylor or ninth-seeded Kansas State.

       

Notable Stats

Oklahoma State

G Cade Cunningham: 17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
G Avery Anderson III: 17 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
G Bryce Williams: 10 points, 3 assists, 1 steal

West Virginia

G Miles McBride: 19 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks
G Taz Sherman: 19 points, 3 assists, 4 steals

Cade Cunningham Needs Help—Consistently 

There weren't many highlights on the reel for the presumptive No. 1 overall pick against West Virginia. Cunningham filled up the stat sheet with boards and his defensive efforts in the second half, but he was visibly forcing things—particularly in the first half.

This is the fifth straight game Cunningham has turned the ball over at least five times. He's done so 12 times in 27 games. That's a concern not only for NBA scouts but also Oklahoma State as it tries making a deep run into the NCAA tournament.

The problem is mostly one of trust. Cunningham forces things in large part because he's surrounded by a shaky supporting cast. You can see the moments where he's pressing, trying to will a team that wouldn't be in the Top 25 without him to title contention.

The only way Oklahoma State has a chance of making a deep run is if Cunningham starts trusting his teammates and they start delivering. Anderson's brilliant performance in the second half was a big start and could portend good things in the future. He's scored in double figures in five of his last six games, including a 31-point breakout against West Virginia in the regular-season finale.

If Anderson can emerge as a more consistent second in command, defenses will have to shift their focus a bit off Cunningham, and the star may flourish. 

Time for Concern in West Virginia

Bob Huggins' team closed the season with three losses in four games ahead of Selection Sunday. While those losses came against three ranked opponents, they also call into question any hopes of a long tournament run.

Ken Pomeroy had the Mountaineers 25th in his overall rankings coming into the day, making them about a No. 6 seed on the performance line. ESPN's Joe Lunardi had West Virginia as a No. 3 seed, which means their actual seeding may wind up overrating their overall performance.

Assuming this loss will drop Huggins and Co. to the 4-seed line, there's a real danger that could come from a few of the potential 13 seeds. At the very least, the Mountaineers are among the teams that will be a popular upset pick in one of the two early rounds. 

A Huggins team that ranks outside the top 70 in defensive efficiency is one to watch for an early ouster. His defensive philosophy requires a certain combination of discipline and aggressiveness that this team has not shown all season. 

Big 12 Tournament 2021: Betting Tips for Quarterfinal Odds, Spreads, Over-Under

Mar 11, 2021
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2)points during an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March. 1, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2)points during an NCAA college basketball game Monday, March. 1, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)

The Big 12 is so deep that two top-15 teams in the AP poll will face off in the quarterfinals of the men's league tournament.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys and West Virginia Mountaineers are both poised for deep runs in March, but only one will get a chance to make a run at conference glory.

Oklahoma State comes into Kansas City as the hotter of the two teams, with four wins in its past five games, including a road win over West Virginia without star freshman Cade Cunningham in the lineup. With Cunningham back on the floor Thursday, the Cowboys have a chance to earn a semifinal showdown with the Baylor Bears.

Two of the other three quarterfinal games feature a pair of Top 25 team as well, with the nightcap between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Texas Longhorns looking like the better of the two matchups.

Since both the Longhorns and Red Raiders have an abundance of scorers, that contest could produce the easiest over/under hit of the four-game slate.

                                           

Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinal Schedule

No. 4 West Virginia (-3.5) vs. No. 5 Oklahoma State (Over/Under: 151) (11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 1 Baylor (-20) vs. No. 9 Kansas State (O/U: 137) (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 2 Kansas (-3) vs. No. 7 Oklahoma (O/U: 138) (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

No. 3 Texas vs. No. 6 Texas Tech (-1.5) (O/U: 135.5) (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

               

Betting Tips

Oklahoma State (+3.5) vs. West Virginia

Oklahoma State is one of the hottest teams in the country with six wins in its past seven games. Saturday's victory over West Virginia was its most impressive triumph of the stretch since it won on the road without Cunningham.

Cowboys head coach Mike Boynton revealed Cunningham and Isaac Likekele will play in Kansas City, per The Oklahoman's Jacob Unruh.

Cunningham, the Big 12 Player of the Year, averages 19.7 points per game and eclipsed the 20-point mark in four of his past five appearances. The potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft leads an offense that has five players who average over nine points per game.

While Cunningham will be crucial to the team's postseason success, Avery Anderson III may be the X-factor who pushes it in deep into March. Anderson produced 31 points in Saturday's win and reached double digits in four of the past five games, all of which were against Top 25 teams.

If Anderson complements Cunningham's scoring Thursday, Oklahoma State should answer whatever West Virginia's offense throws at it.

The Mountaineers have four players who average more than 10 points and 42 percent from the field, but they have shortcomings on defense. Bob Huggins' team conceded 80 or more points to its past four Top 25 opponents, and it gave up that total to seven foes in league play.

If the Mountaineers fail to contain Cunningham and Anderson, it may not matter how many points Miles McBride and Derek Culver put up.

                   

Texas vs. Texas Tech (Over 135.5) 

An over/under of 135.5 points seems low for a matchup between two teams that average more than 70 points per game.

Texas averages 74.9 points per game, and Texas Tech is at 73.3 points per contest. Both teams also shoot over 44 percent from the field.

However, the over could be more of a sweat than you think because both defenses concede under 69 points per game, and the most recent meeting between the sides featured 127 points.

That contest had two uncharacteristic shooting nights for both sides, as Texas shot 34.7 percent from the field and the rivals combined to go 11-of-37 from three-point range.

If the Longhorns shoot more like they did in the January 13 meeting, the over should be in good shape. Texas shot 42.6 percent from the field and made 13 three-point shots in a 79-77 loss.

Shaka Smart's program has four players who average more than 10 points per game, led by Andrew Jones at 14.9. All of those players shoot better than 40 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range.

Texas Tech's top four scorers boast comparable numbers, and it could be poised for a big offensive game if Mac McClung bursts out of his recent slump.

McClung scored 31 combined points in his past three games, with 20 of them coming against the Baylor Bears. If he rebounds from that low-scoring run and produces a third game with 15-plus points against Texas, the over should be in good shape.

                  

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

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Big 12 Tournament 2021: Betting Tips for Round 1 Odds, Spreads and Over-Under

Mar 10, 2021
Oklahoma forward Brady Manek (35) shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Oklahoma forward Brady Manek (35) shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa State, Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Just a few weeks ago, the Oklahoma Sooners were riding high in the AP Top 25 and looked destined for a top-four seed in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

Instead of coming into the Big 12 tournament with title aspirations, though, the Sooners are just hoping to turn around their awful form before it's too late. 

Lon Kruger's team has to play an extra day in Kansas City as the No. 7 seed, but that could be a blessing in disguise since it can get right against the worst team in the league, the Iowa State Cyclones. 

Oklahoma won both of its regular-season meetings with Iowa State by seven or more points, but it will need to open up a larger gap to cover the 11.5-point spread set for the No. 7-versus-No. 10 matchup. 

The other first-round game is projected to be much closer, as the TCU Horned Frogs are favored by three points in their No. 8-versus-No. 9 clash with the Kansas State Wildcats. 

         

Big 12 1st-Round Schedule

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

No. 8 TCU (-4) vs. No. 9 Kansas State (Over/Under: 128.5) (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 7 Oklahoma (-11.5) vs. No. 10 Iowa State (O/U: 140.5) (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

      

Betting Tips

Oklahoma (-11.5) vs. Iowa State

It is understandable if you choose to fade the Sooners in this spot because of their four-game losing streak, but it's the perfect one to get right before the more competitive games begin. 

Iowa State did not win a single game in Big 12 play, and it scored only 56 points in its last meeting with the Sooners. 

The Cyclones average 9.8 fewer points per game than the Sooners and typically don't get anywhere close to their scoring average of 75.1. In a nine-game stretch dating back to February 11, Iowa State has not reached the 75-point mark in a single game. 

Additionally, Steve Prohm's side scored just 110 points in its last two regular-season games against the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Kansas State. 

The offensive inefficiency should come back to haunt the Cyclones on Wednesday in what will likely be their final game of the campaign. 

Although Oklahoma is stumbling into Kansas City, it did put up 165 points in back-to-back defeats to the Oklahoma State Cowboys. One of those games went to overtime. 

The top key for Kruger's side is to outperform Iowa State on the glass. It recorded 15 more rebounds than the Cyclones in their two meetings. 

Senior Brady Manek, who had 15 rebounds versus Iowa State on February 6, could be the X-factor in a likely victory and cover. He has four performances with five rebounds or more in the last seven games and scored 33 total points against the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma State. 

If Manek dominates down low and some of Oklahoma's guards shoot well against an Iowa State defense that allows 76.6 points per game, the Sooners may get a chance to rest some of their top players in the final minutes with a possible four games in four days ahead of them.

           

TCU vs. Kansas State (Under 128.5)

The opening game of the Big 12 tournament will not be an offensive exhibition.

Kansas State and TCU did not reach 130 total points in either of their regular-season meetings, and they both average well under 70 points per contest. 

The Horned Frogs are the better of the two sides with 67.5 points per game, while Kansas State averages 61.5. 

The Wildcats' offensive futility was not exclusive to their games with TCU. They have not scored more than 62 points in each of their last four games. 

Both programs have two players who average over 10 points per game, but their leading scorers haven't been overly impressive of late. 

Kansas State freshman Nijel Pack has 37 points in his last four appearances, while RJ Nembhard is one game removed from a five-point outing for TCU against the West Virginia Mountaineers. 

If the top scorers continue to record low totals, it may take a Herculean effort from an unsung hero to get one of the teams over 65 points. 

Even if the victorious team gets hot on Wednesday, its stay in Kansas City is not expected to last long with the Baylor Bears awaiting the winner.

         

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

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