HoopsHD continues its series leading up to Selection Sunday and March Madness, as we simulate what would have happened in TTTW (The Tournament That Wasn’t). Up next is the Big 12 Tournament, an event that featured a quarterfinal matchup between Texas and Texas Tech that may very well be an elimination game for each team’s postseason hopes. Kansas and Baylor were each on pace to be #1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, and if the championship game ended up being between the two, it would certainly be one of the top games of the entire season. Who would win? Who would secure their dance ticket? It is time to find out!
BIG 12 QUARTERFINALS
The Big 12 started quarterfinal play with the huge 4 vs 5 game between Texas and Texas Tech. This was by far the most intriguing conference quarterfinal in the nation, as the winner looked to be in great shape for an NCAA Tournament bid while the loser had a very good chance to be on the way to the NIT. Texas Tech had one huge advantage in this game – they were a team that knew how to win in the postseason after last year’s run to the national championship game. That could have been the difference, as the Red Raiders came out strong and held on all the way, winning 83-70 and advancing to the semifinals. Davide Moretti was the standout star, scoring 17 points in the victory. For Shaka Smart’s Longhorns, it was time to sit back and wait to see if their team was called on Sunday afternoon.
The second quarterfinal matched top-seed Kansas up against 8-seed Oklahoma State. The Cowboys entered on a four-game winning streak, and had Bracketologists suddenly saying that there was a chance for this team, if they got the win today, to pull themselves out of nowhere and into the bubble talk. However, they were up against the best team in the nation, and Kansas showed up ready to play. The Jayhawks rolled to an 88-69 win led by 19 points from Devon Dotson.
The evening session began with 2-seed Baylor taking on 10-seed Kansas State. Although the Bears had suffered a few toe-stubs down the stretch, they still seemed poised to be on the #1 seed line as long as they did not suffer a bad loss in the Big 12 Tournament – which basically meant as long as they won this game. Although they did not blow K State out by any means, Baylor was able to build an 8-point halftime lead and keep the Wildcats at arm’s length the rest of the way, winning 73-64 and laying a solid claim on the #1 seed line in the Big Dance. Jared Butler scored 17 points and MaCio Teague added 15 for the victorious Bears.
The final quarterfinal was between 6-seed West Virginia and 3-seed Oklahoma. Both teams entered this game as close to being locks to make the NCAA Tournament as possible, and were playing this tournament for seeding and for pride. The Mountaineers held a narrow 2-point lead at the break, 35-33, and then turned up the defensive pressure even greater in the second half, holding the Sooners to only 25 points after halftime. West Virginia won by a final score of 67-58, with Oscar Tshiebwe’s double-double of 10 points and 11 boards leading the way. Oklahoma was left to see where the Selection Committee would send them, while West Virginia had a semifinal date with Baylor.
BIG 12 SEMIFINALS
Although most experts felt that their quarterfinal win over Texas was enough to put the Red Raiders into the Big Dance, the team knew that beating #1-ranked Kansas in the semifinals would lock up a bid without any doubts. Tech came out red hot in the first half and was able to take a 37-34 lead into the break. However, KU proved to be just too much for the team. Udoka Azubuike had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Devon Dotson added 17 points as the Jayhawks won by a final score of 77-68. With Kansas in the title game, the only question was whether we would get to see a battle against another 1-seed, Baylor, in the finals.
Baylor had gone into Morgantown, West Virginia, for their final game of the regular season and walked out with their worst loss of the season, losing to the Mountaineers by 12 points. West Virginia knew they could defeat Baylor and Baylor wanted revenge in this game – which led to one of the best games of the Big 12 Tournament so far. The Bears held a narrow 31-28 lead at halftime. The second half saw neither team open a lead of more than 4 points, and a Jordan McCabe 3-pointer tied it at 60 with just under 2 minutes left to play. Devonte Bandoo of Baylor was fouled with 36 seconds left but only hit one free throw to put the Bears up 61-60. The Mountaineers then saw Emmitt Matthews’ 19-footer hit off the front of the rim, but Oscar Tshiebwe was there to tip in the miss and put WVU up 62-61 with 21 seconds left in the game. It all came down to Baylor’s final possession, and the Bears were able to get Jared Butler open for a short jump shot, which he nailed with 14 seconds to play to put his team up a point. Tshiebwe got one more shot off for the Mountaineers at the buzzer, but it could not find the net and the Baylor Bears were moving on to the title game by a final score of 63-62.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP
Two teams that appeared destined for 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament met in the Big 12 title game. Although this was their third meeting of the season, with each team having won at the opponent’s home court, there was talk that it might not be their last – these teams could very well be squaring off again at the Final Four in Atlanta. Everyone expected a great game, and that is exactly what they got. The teams traded shots the entire first half with KU taking a 1 point lead into the break, 30-29. In the second half, Kansas twice opened the lead to 6 points, but both times the Bears stormed back to tie it up. With Kansas up 64-60 and 1:12 left to play, MaCio Teague nailed a 3 to pull the Bears within a point, and after a defensive stop it was Devonte Bandoo hitting from beyond the arc to give his team the 2-point lead with under 40 seconds left. Baylor’s defense held the Jayhawks, and the Bears made their free throws to pull off a 68-64 win and claim the Big 12 Tournament championship.
