The Big 12 women’s basketball season begins its 18-game sprint to the league tournament in Kansas City as all 16 teams open conference action this weekend.
Before we get to the openers, it’s time to take a little stock of where we’re at and where we could be going in Big 12 women’s basketball.
Here are five questions I have about the Big 12 as we enter conference action.
Have the Favorites Changed?
No. I felt that entering the season, any one of the five teams could win the conference, and my mind hadn’t changed. Those teams are Kansas State (12-1), TCU (11-1), West Virginia (10-1), Baylor (10-2) and Iowa State (9-4).
I still believe those are the five best teams in the league, even though we do have some interesting teams that have crashed the top of the standings.
But all five of these those team are the best-equipped to win either the regular-season title or the big 12 Tournament title — or both.
Should We Be Worried About Iowa State?
No. The Cyclones chose to challenge themselves with a difficult non-conference schedule and they took their lumps. The losses to South Carolina and UConn were significant, while they certainly hung in there with Iowa.
The loss to Northern Iowa is regrettable, but the Panthers are a solid mid-major program, and coach Bill Fennelly did the right thing by taking his Cyclones there.
Iowa State is relatively healthy (losing guard Kenzie Hare is significant, though), its best players are playing like they should and I have complete confidence that between Fennelly’s experience and the talent Iowa State will be a player for one of the four double-byes at the Big 12 Tournament.
How Many NCAA Tournament Teams?
History tells us that teams that win 10 or more games in non-conference and win 10 or more games in conference usually make the NCAA Tournament.
Right now seven teams fit that description — Kansas State, TCU, Kansas (10-1), Oklahoma State (10-1), West Virginia, Texas Tech (11-2) and Baylor.
The five favorites I outlined should make it. I have solid confidence in Kansas and believe that either Texas Tech or Oklahoma State could make it.
Ultimately, I think the Big 12 gets eight in March Madness, with Colorado (9-2), Utah (9-2), Arizona (9-4) and BYU (9-2) also candidates to get there.
Any Hot Seat Coaches?
One comes to mind. Houston’s Ronald Hughey has been there a decade and the Cougars have never made the NCAA Tournament (three WNIT bids). He had some really bad luck this year losing a couple of key contributors to injury before the season started.
Houston (4-7) may end up last in the Big 12. What’s really working against him is that Houston has a new athletic director and new athletic directors tend to look for ways to make coaching moves early in their tenures. For that reason, Hughey’s job is worth following.
I don’t see another hot seat coach, honestly, although Utah’s Gavin Peterson is worth tracking, only because he replaced Lynne Roberts in-season because she took the job with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. It’s important to note that Peterson was named coach and not interim coach. This is not a Josh Eilert-West Virginia situation. Naming Peterson coach implies commitment.
He’s been there for a decade, part of that time as associate head coach. The team I saw in November has great shooters, good defenders and a relatively deep bench. I don’t anticipate issues for Peterson after the season.
How Will the Big 12 Tournament Seeds End Up?
To review, the top four teams in the Big 12 standings at the end of the regular season get a double bye in Kansas City. The next four teams, Nos. 5-8, get a single bye.
Who gets the double byes?
Kansas State, TCU, West Virginia, and Iowa State
Who gets the single byes?
Baylor, Kansas, Utah, and Texas Tech.
Saturday Games (Dec. 21)
(all times central)
TCU at UCF, 1 p.m., ESPN+
Arizona at BYU, 3 p.m., ESPN+
Iowa State at Oklahoma State, 4 p.m., ESPN2/+
Baylor at Kansas, 4 p.m., ESPN+
Arizona State at Utah, 5 p.m., ESPN+
West Virginia at Colorado, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Sunday Games (Dec. 22)
Cincinnati at Kansas State, 1 p.m., ESPN+
Houston at Texas Tech, 2 p.m., ESPN+
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
