Big 12 Conference Tournament Predictions: Champion, Biggest Surprise, Stock Risers + More

On this week's episode of Between The Eers, Schuyler Callihan and Christopher Hall fill out their Big 12 bracket and discuss what West Virginia's ceiling is in the tournament.

Champion

Christopher Hall: Houston. The Cougars have the best defense in the country, and they flexed it night in and night out in the Big 12 to run away with the regular season title. LJ Cryer, in his fifth season, has been consistently one of the best players in the league the last three years and leads the conference's best three-pointing teams. Iowa State or BYU pose their biggest threat in the semifinals.

Schuyler Callihan: BYU. It's a bold pick, but that's what this time of year is for, right? I'm all for chaos. I don't want to see chalk win all the way throughout the tournament and I really do believe the Cougars can cut the nets down. The playmaking of Richie Saunders and Egor Demin can be a massive headache for teams. My brain is telling me Houston, but I'm going out on a limb here.

Biggest Surprise

Christopher Hall: Baylor. Although the Bears did not meet expectations this year and lost five of their last eight, veteran head coach Scott Drew has a projected top 10 NBA Draft pick VJ Edgcomb and double double machine Norchad Omier, the only player in the conference averaging a double double. I think Drew and Co. flip a switch and make a run to the finals.

Schuyler Callihan: Kansas State. There was a time when the Wildcats looked like they may have been able to recover from a rough start to the season. They were one of the hottest teams in the country, winning six straight and beating the likes of West Virginia, Iowa State, Kansas, and Arizona. I think they'll catch a little lightning in a bottle again, making it to the semifinals.

Biggest Disappointment

Christopher Hall: Texas Tech. This group exceeded expectations this season without a doubt and this team is very capable of winning the Big 12 Championship, but going back to my "biggest surprise" I believe Baylor gets hot in Kansas City the Red Raiders will be one of multiple upsets this weekend.

Schuyler Callihan: Texas Tech. The Red Raiders could very easily win the whole thing, but I could also see them being a one-and-done. I have K-State winning two games to meet them in the quarterfinals and perhaps the extra rest backfires on Tech. K-State only lost by four in their one and only meeting this season.

NCAA Tournament Stock Riser

Christopher Hall: Baylor. They are the last "four byes" and a run to the Big 12 Championship could move them up from a projected 10-seed to a seven.

Schuyler Callihan: BYU. If K-State were a few games over .500 and near the bubble, I would have gone with them. Instead, I'm going with the team who I predict to win it all. By cutting down the nets, there's a chance they could sneak into the last No. 3 seed.

Best Player

Christopher Hall: LJ Cryer. Houston lost to Iowa State last season in the finals and the Cougars have certainly been a on a revenge tour this season. This will be Cryer's fifth Big 12 Championship appearance in his career, and he has the talent around him to cut down the nets in his final season.

Schuyler Callihan: Caleb Love. I have Arizona meeting BYU in the championship game, largely because I expect Love to heat up and light up the stat sheet for two straight nights. He'll need to go shot for shot with Richie Saunders of BYU to keep pace, which he's very capable of.

Champion

Biggest Surprise

Biggest Disappointment

NCAA Tournament Stock Riser

Best Player

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