Women’s Conference Tournament Preview: Big 12
WOMEN’S CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: BIG 12 — The Big 12 chose not to cap its conference tournament, inviting all 16 squads to Kansas City. Only the Big 12 and SEC opted to do that among the four mega-conferences, which means everyone technically has a chance.
Of course, some have more of a shot than others. Houston, for example, isn’t winning five games in five days because the Cougars have barely won five games in five months. Most likely, the Cougars won’t be around by the end of Day 1.
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Realistically, every team that isn’t playing on Day 1 probably feels like it has a chance to win. Whether they’re right will depend on how they can handle the pressure of this many games in a short time period. Here’s a look at what to expect from the Big 12.
Details
When: Wednesday, March 5 to Sunday, March 9
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Kansas City, Mo.
TV: ESPN+ and ESPNU
Who’s the Favorite?
TCU came up with its second win over Baylor to win the regular season title, and the Frogs have to be taken seriously as the team to beat in Kansas City. They’ve won nine of their past 10, only losing to Kansas State, and their biggest strength is that they don’t beat themselves.
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TCU has the lowest number of turnovers in the Big 12, and the Frogs are in the top three in both points scored and points allowed. They should be in fine shape when they finally take the court on Friday.
Who Needs A Good Showing?
Iowa State got a big win on Sunday over Kansas State, finally grabbing a win over a top 25 team. The Cyclones now probably just need to get through the first game, likely with Cincinnati, to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament. If they get two wins, they’re in for sure, as the second would be a Quad 1 win over Baylor.
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Arizona is in a much tougher spot. The Wildcats have to survive a first-round game with Colorado, who has already beaten them once and still has hopes of making the tournament itself. If they can pull that off, they’ve got the hardest quarterfinal: a fully rested TCU. That game would be all-reward if they win, but the Wildcats probably need the win to make it.
Who’s In the Best Form?
Oklahoma State seemed to realize that it was in crisis mode when it became the only Big 12 team to lose to Houston. Since that pratfall, the Cowgirls have gone 10-2 and picked off TCU in the process. They’re in the best form, but they also have by far the biggest variance. They’ll need Stailee Heard to be at her best with her shooting.
The Pick
This pick is not for the faint of heart, as Oklahoma State has taken three losses to five of the worst teams in the Big 12. But the Cowgirls swept TCU and Baylor, and as long as they can avoid the early stunner, they have the talent to make a deep run in the tournament. They offer the most value.
