For the first time in a decade and a half, the Kansas Jayhawks aren’t the top seed in the 2019 Big 12 Tournament, but how will things play out?
It’s felt like an eternity since the last time that the Kansas Jayhawks weren’t sitting atop the conference entering the Big 12 Tournament. To be specific, though, it’s been since 2004 that Kansas hasn’t won the regular season title, but that has officially changed. After the regular season in the conference play concluded on Saturday night, the Jayhawks aren’t just outside the top spot, but are actually the third seed.
With wins for each team on Saturday afternoon and evening, the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Kansas State Wildcats were able to capture a share of the regular season conference championship. Having said that, Texas Tech will ultimately be the No. 2 seed and Kansas State will own the top spot in the Big 12 Tournament.
The top two teams in the tourney will get byes, awaiting the winners of the first two games that will be played on Wednesday, March 13. Meanwhile, Kansas already knows they will be playing the six-seeded Texas Longhorns while the No. 4 Baylor Bears will take on the No. 5 Iowa State Cyclones. Those second round games will be played on Thursday and the Big 12 Tournament will conclude on Saturday, March 16.
Let’s take a look at the 2019 Big 12 Tournament bracket after all of this madness. For the printable version, please click on the bracket below to be taken to that version.
If you’re a college basketball fan who feels unsettled by the thought of Kansas not being the top seed in the Big 12 Tournament, you’re not alone. While that may be so, this will be a highly entertaining conference tournament that could be anyone’s game. Subsequently, we’ll see if the Jayhawks can get back into the driver’s seat or if they are truly out of the catbird seat in the Big 12.