Another huge college basketball weekend is upon us as we are hitting the home stretch of the regular season. March is right around the corner and before you know it, so will Selection Sunday. Whether you are fighting for a Big 12 Conference title, a one seed or simply just trying to get into the tournament, every game matters. We have a full slate this weekend and I thought it would be fun to go down the list of games to see what’s on the line in the Big 12.
Cincinnati at #8 Kansas
We get a light game to tip things off on Saturday afternoon with this one. Cincinnati is just trying to stay above .500 at this point and Wes Miller is trying to keep his job. Meanwhile, Kansas is still in the hunt for a Big 12 title, but the real story has been Darryn Peterson. Will he play and if he does, how long will he play for? That is the million-dollar question because when he’s on the floor, he is as good as anyone.
Kansas State at #13 Texas Tech
Talk about two teams that look a lot different than they did a week ago. Kansas State fired Jerome Tang earlier in the week and managed to notch their first conference win in nearly a month. As for Texas Tech, they are probably out of the conference title race but safely in the tournament. But the focus will be on them due to the loss of JT Toppin. He was arguably the best player in the Big 12 and it will be interesting to see how they look without him for a full game.
#4 Arizona at #2 Houston
You need to stop what you are doing on Saturday and watch Arizona vs. Houston. The two best teams in the Big 12 are meeting in Houston and I can’t wait for tip off. Despite losing two out of their last three games, Arizona is still chasing down a Big 12 title while Houston is sitting in the driver’s seat. Not only are there conference championship implications but both teams are fighting for a potential one seed as well. It’s truly a shame that College GameDay didn’t make the trip in H-Town.
Oklahoma State at Colorado
There’s not much to look forward to with this one. Both teams are 4-9 in Big 12 action and neither one will be playing much basketball, if any, after their trip to Kansas City. So, unless you are just a diehard Big 12 basketball fan, there’s no need to pay much attention to this one.
Arizona State at Baylor
Much like the game above, there aren’t really any stakes in this game. Arizona State did get a nice win over Texas Tech earlier in the week, but they are still 5-8 in conference play. And somehow, Baylor is even worse because they just lost to Kansas State and have won just three Big 12 games this year. Yikes.
West Virginia at TCU
While there are some big games on this weekend, this would be my under-the-radar pick for a must watch. Both West Virginia and TCU are on the bubble, and both teams are coming off a loss. With just a few games left, each team needs all the help they can get and this could truly be a knockout game with the winner staying on the bubble while the loser fades away.
UCF at Utah
No disrespect to the Utes but this game is not about them or their 2-11 record in the Big 12. This game is all about UCF because they are one of the few bubble teams left in the conference. As of now, the Knights are projected to be a nine or ten seed depending on who you ask but they are by no means a lock to get in. They need to rack up all the wins they can and this should be a layup for them.
#6 Iowa State at #23 BYU
If you are a night owl like me then BYU vs. Iowa State will scratch that late night college basketball itch. Iowa State is coming off a historic weekend after taking down two top ten teams in Kansas and Houston. But now they hit the road to take on a banged up BYU team. The Cougars lost Richie Saunders for the season and with their questionable depth, it makes me wonder just how far AJ Dybantsa and Robert Wright can take them. I guess we will find out on Saturday night in Provo.
