TCU is moving forward in a new era of Big 12 basketball, but the championship this week in Kansas City is truly up for grabs.
Here’s everything you need to know heading into this week’s Big 12 women’s basketball tournament.
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TCU wins Big 12 again
TCU is in the Big 12 again this year. The Horned Frogs finished the season with a 27-4 record and a 15-3 league record, en route to their second consecutive regular season championship. Olivia Miles is averaging 20.1 points (third in the Big 12) and 6.9 rebounds. Although TCU has been on a winning streak for several years and won the tournament last season, this year’s event in Kansas City looks to be far from plain sailing.
West Virginia earned the No. 2 seed after narrow losses to TCU this season, including one on a buzzer-beater in mid-January. The Mountaineers also ended the season with a 58-point win over Cincinnati. Baylor wasn’t far behind, although the Bears trailed TCU by double digits in the final game of the regular season.
While they missed both byes, don’t count out the Audi Crooks and Iowa State. After a 14-game winning streak to start the season, the Cyclones are well positioned to make a deep run in the tournament behind Crooks, who is averaging 25.6 points and 7.8 rebounds this season. Nationally, only Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes averages more points per game. Crooks also had a 41-point double-double in the final game of the regular season, her fourth 40-point game this year.
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While the conference is undoubtedly underperforming nationally — ESPN projects TCU to be the No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament, the highest of any Big 12 team making the playoffs — the Big 12 tournament should be very interesting.
Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament Basics
when: March 4-8
Where: T-Mobile Center | Kansas City, MO
television: ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN+
Brackets for the Big 12 women’s basketball tournament have been set. (Big 12)
Big 12 Women’s Basketball Schedule, Results
All times ET
Wednesday, March 4 – Round 1
Game 1 | No. 12 Kansas State vs. No. 13 Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 2 | No. 9 BYU vs. No. 16 Houston | 2:30 PM | ESPN+
Game 3 | No. 10 Arizona State vs. No. 15 Arizona State | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Game 4 | No. 11 Kansas vs. No. 14 Central Florida | 9 p.m. | ESPN+
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Thursday, March 5 – Round 2
Game 5 | No. 5 Texas Tech vs. G1 Champions | 12 PM | ESPN+
Game 6 | No. 8 Utah vs G2 Winner | 2:30 PM | ESPN+
Game 7 | No. 7 Iowa State vs. G3 Winner | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Game 8 | No. 6 Colorado vs. G4 Winner | 9 PM | ESPN+
Friday 6 March – Quarter-finals
Game 9 | No. 4 Oklahoma State vs. G5 Winner | 12 PM | ESPNU
Game 10 | No. 1 TCU vs. G6 Winner | 2:30 PM | ESPNU
Game 11 | No. 2 West Virginia vs. G7 Winner | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Game 12 | No. 3 Baylor vs. G8 Winner | 9 p.m. | ESPN+
Saturday 7 March – Semi-finals
Game 13 | G9 Winners vs G10 Winners | 4 PM | ESPN+
Game 14 | G11 Winners vs. G12 Winners | 6:30 PM | ESPN+
Sunday, March 8 – Championship
Game 15 | G13 Winners vs G14 Winners | 5 PM | ESPN
Note: If BYU advances to the championship game, the game will be held on Monday, March 9 at 4 p.m. ET.
