Baylor’s Adam Flagler on Big 12: ‘I Feel Like We Have the Best of the Best Conference’
Adam Flagler is one of the best players on one of the best teams in the Big 12, and he has some words for everyone about the league. They are words that are being spoken a lot these days, especially after his Baylor Bears won the national championship in 2021 and the Kansas Jayhawks followed up to make it back-to-back in 2022.
“The talent is there, is obvious,” Flagler said, when asked what about the Big 12 prepares teams so well for the NCAA Tournament. “The toughness, the coaching staffs, I think from top to bottom in the league, I feel like we have the best of the best conference. Any game, every game, away or at home is a battle, and when you play in March Madness, every game is win or go home.
“I think a lot of teams in the Big 12 see it as that. When we go on the road or when we’re playing home games, every game matters for standings for Big 12, regular season and for preparation postseason, as well.”
The Big 12 is lauded by many as the best league in the country. So, he’s not alone in that sentiment. In fact, Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger also said the same Thursday.
So, too, did one of his players, guard Jaren Holmes.
“Yeah. I think in my opinion the Big 12 Conference is the best in the country with the physicality and the players and teams and the legendary coaches that are in that conference,” Holmes said. “You go against those players night in, night out, and it prepares you for years to come in my opinion. So it’s exciting to play somebody new. You play everybody twice in the Big 12, which everybody kind of figures each other out at the end of the season. So, I’m excited to see some new faces and go some new teams.”
The Big 12, of course, landed a very modest seven teams in the NCAA Tournament. However, Oklahoma State was the first team left out. Oklahoma and Texas Tech, meanwhile, missed out on postseason play altogether.
