2025 Big 12 Conference Basketball Tournament
Houston enters this year’s Big 12 tournament as the betting favorite, but this conference is absolutely loaded. That said, if the Cougars are going to win this thing, they’re going to have to earn it. Last year, Iowa State beat Houston 69-41 in the championship game, and the Cyclones are once again dangerous in 2025. But it hardly stops there. As of right now, Bracket Matrix has the Big 12 putting seven or eight teams in the NCAA Tournament, so this tournament is deep with teams that can get hot and make something happen this week. That said, keep reading for our Big 12 tournament betting preview, where you’ll find a darkhorse to keep an eye on, some players to watch and a pick to win. Also, make sure you’re watching VSiN live programming over the next couple of weeks. Our talented hosts, analysts and guests will be talking about these games as much as possible, so college basketball fans will consistently get high-level betting insights.
How to Watch the Big 12 Conference Tournament
When: March 11 – March 15
Where: T-Mobile Center; Kansas City, MO
Format: All 16 teams will participate; Top-eight teams receive first-round byes; Top-four teams receive double-byes to quarterfinals
Watch: ESPN / ESPN2 / ESPN+; Championship Game on ESPN at 6:00 pm ET on Saturday, March 15th
College Basketball Odds | College Basketball Betting Splits | Greg Peterson’s Daily Lines | Steve Makinen’s Power Ratings
Big 12 Conference Tournament Bracket
Big 12 Conference Tournament Seeds, Teams and Odds
- Houston Cougars (-120)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (+425)
- Arizona Wildcats (+850)
- BYU Cougars (11-1)
- Iowa State Cyclones (+700)
- Kansas Jayhawks (13-1)
- Baylor Bears (50-1)
- West Virginia Mountaineers (75-1)
- TCU Horned Frogs (250-1)
- Kansas State Wildcats (200-1)
- Utah Utes (250-1)
- Oklahoma State Cowboys (300-1)
- Cincinnati Bearcats (200-1)
- UCF Knights (250-1)
- Arizona State Sun Devils (300-1)
- Colorado Buffaloes (500-1)
Favorite To Win Big 12 Conference Tournament
Kelvin Sampson has a special Houston team this year. The Cougars are first in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency this year. That’s nothing new. However, Houston is also seventh in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency at Bart Torvik and 10th at KenPom. The Cougars are also shooting 39.7% from 3 this year, which is good for the fourth-best mark in all of college basketball. This group is just a little sharper offensively than previous Houston teams, with this year’s 125.6 adjusted offensive rating at Bart Torvik being the highest number the Cougars have had under Sampson. With all of that in mind, after a regular season in which Houston went 27-4 overall and 19-1 in Big 12 play, the team is the favorite to win this conference. However, that won’t be enough for the Cougars, who are surely thinking about winning the entire NCAA Tournament this year.
Big 12 Conference Tournament Darkhorse
Kansas missed badly in identifying transfers to pay in the offseason, and a 20-11 overall record is unacceptable for a Bill Self-coached team with this much talent. However, the Jayhawks aren’t playing all that far from Lawrence, so they should have the crowd whenever they’re on the court at the T-Mobile Center. When you combine that with the fact that Kansas is a top-10 team in the nation when it comes to adjusted defensive efficiency, there’s a decent chance the Jayhawks can make some noise this week. Kansas still has a dominant low-post big in Hunter Dickinson, plus a great decision maker at point guard in Dajuan Harris Jr. If some of the wings can just step up and make some shots this week, anything can happen. So I’m rolling with Kansas as my darkhorse, even if one of the nation’s highest-spending NIL programs shouldn’t be called that.
Players to Watch in Big 12 Conference Tournament
I already mentioned two of the Jayhawks, with Dickinson and Harris being good players. Dickinson is actually eighth in the Big 12 in BPM, and he averages 17.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Dickinson is a massive body that has good touch around the basket, and he is a tone setter for the Jayhawks. And Harris is a pest as a point-of-attack defender, and he’s a good decision maker at point guard.
Houston’s Emanuel Sharp has the highest BPM (10.8) in the conference, and he and LJ Cryer make up one of the best backcourts in the country. The Cougars have always had good guard play under Sampson, but this duo is a little different. While they do get after it defensively, both guys can really shoot the basketball. Also, Milos Uzan is another very good guard, averaging 10.9 points and 4.4 assists per game as the third-best guard on the team. J’Wan Roberts is a good small-ball big, averaging 11.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. You also have to mention Joseph Tugler when talking about Houston, as he’s up there with college basketball’s best defensive players. Realistically, anybody that Sampson decides to put in the game can play. Houston is deep.
For Texas Tech, JT Toppin is the go-to guy, averaging 18.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The New Mexico transfer has taken his game to another level, which is impressive considering the jump in competition in the Big 12. But his athleticism and ability to do a number of different things is a big part of the reason the Red Raiders are thinking about a championship this year. Chance McMillian, Darrion Williams, Christian Anderson and Elijah Hawkins are also great for Grant McCasland’s team.
As always, Arizona has a bunch of studs. Caleb Love is the household name. The former UNC star definitely leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to efficiency, but he’s a big shot taker and a big shot maker. That’s valuable at this time of year. Henri Veesaar is Arizona’s best player when it comes to BPM, ranking 10th in the country — with Defensive BPM helping him quite a bit. He’s a great player in the middle. The Wildcats also have plenty of talent scattered throughout the rotation. In fact, like Kansas, this team has disappointed when compared to what it has on paper. But that always means things can turn around, as all it takes is one good week.
Iowa State’s rotation also includes plenty of players that demand your attention. Joshua Jefferson led the team in BPM and was third in the conference in that regard. He’s an awesome forward that contributes on both ends of the floor. Curtis Jones, the team’s leading scorer at 17.0 points per game, Keshon Gilbert, Tamin Lipsey and Milan Momcilovic are also dangerous in their own ways. Iowa State can rival anyone when it comes to guard play, and Momcilovic gives the Cyclones some much-needed perimeter firepower.
BYU’s Egor Demin and Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe are also some names to watch heading into the tournament. Both players are viewed as lottery picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Demin is a 6-foot-9 wing that initiates the offense at a high level, making him the type of player front offices love. And Edgecombe is a wrecking ball of a combo guard, capable of attacking downhill, knocking down 3s and getting up in opponent’s faces as a defender.
Another player that needs to be mentioned is West Virginia’s Javon Small, who is tied with UCF’s Keyshawn Hall as the conference’s leading scorer (18.5 points per game). Small is a part of the reason the Mountaineers will feel like they have a puncher’s chance this week.
Betting Pick to Win Big 12 Conference Tournament
While I think Houston will win this tournament, I don’t think there’s value in backing the Cougars at the current number. This conference is too good. Instead, I’d take the team I listed as the darkhorse earlier. Kansas’ path to the final isn’t easy. After a meeting with Utah or UCF, the Jayhawks would take on Arizona and then likely Texas Tech or Baylor. However, we just saw Kansas beat Arizona in Lawrence, and the team should have a decent home-court advantage at the T-Mobile Center. Also, while I know Texas Tech beat Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse this year, that was a game in which the Jayhawks played a poor first half and went down by 11. But they got things going in the second half, and it ended up being a 73-73 game with 1:47 left. There’s nothing that suggests Kansas can’t beat Texas Tech. And if the Jayhawks do find a way into the finals, holding a 13-1 ticket would give you all kinds of options. I also just value certain things when it comes to postseason college basketball. I like a team with a proven head coach, a good table-setter at point guard and an impactful center. Kansas has all of that. Let’s see if the Jayhawks can get this season back on track.
Makinen Power Ratings for Big 12
Steve Makinen’s Betting Trends for the Big 12 Conference Tournament
- Teams off an earlier round bye in the Big 12 tournament and favored have gone 17-2 SU since 2015 and have won their last seven ATS (100%).
- Mid-level favorites of -4 to -9.5 in the Big 12 bracket have gone 26-12 SU but just 15-23 ATS (39.5%) since 2015.
- In expectedly competitive games (lines -3.5 or less) of the Big 12 tourney, Under the total is on a 13-5 ATS (72.2%) surge.
- Underdogs in the opening round of the Big 12 tourney are on an 8-9 SU and 14-3 ATS (82.4%) surge.
- Big 12 semifinal favorites are on an 18-2 SU and 15-5 ATS (75%) run dating back to 2013.
- Totals of 147 or higher have gone 15-5 (75%) Under over the last 11 years in the Big 12 tournament.
More Steve Makinen Conference Tournament Betting Trends.
Check out the other previews in our 2025 College Basketball Conference Tournament Betting Guide
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