College Basketball finally returns on Monday night, and so does the best league in America. There is no doubt who has been the best and most consistent league in the country over the past decade. The Big 12 has consistently sent 60% of its league to the Big Dance. Additionally, they have two out of the last three national champions in the Kansas Jayhawks and Baylor Bears, as well as a national runner-up in 2019 from the Texas Tech Red Raiders. This year will be a unique year with the four newcomers and the departure of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC. Let’s dive into this Big 12 gauntlet and break down each team. Here is my Big 12 Betting Preview!
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Big 12 College Basketball Betting Preview
Kansas Jayhawks +200
Bill Self enters his 21st season in Lawrence, and this team is on par with all of the past championship teams. They have everything you need in a championship group with the return of maybe the best floor general in College Basketball: DaJuan Harris, Kevin McCullar, and KJ Adams.
They dominated the Transfer Portal with the additions of former Michigan big man Hunter Dickinson and Nick Timberlake from Towson. This roster has experience, athleticism, size, and arguably the best coach in America. The Jayhawks are the clear favorite to win the Big 12 once again in Lawrence. They are my obvious pick to win the league once again under Bill Self.
our first Hawk Talk of the year with Coach Self is tomorrow at Johnny’s Tavern West at 6 p.m. CT‼️
check below for this year’s full Hawk Talk schedule 👇#RockChalk | @JohnnysTaverns pic.twitter.com/X76hyYJdDI
— Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) November 6, 2023
Houston Cougars +375
Kelvin Sampson brings the Houston Cougars into the Big 12 after a dominant run in the American Athletic Conference. They clearly won’t dominate this great league, but they do have the roster and depth to compete right away. Houston is led by their backcourt, headlined by the return of Jamal Shead. They also add to their backcourt a pair of transfers, LJ Cryer from Baylor and Damian Dunn from Temple. The Cougars will be right in the thick of things in the Big 12.
Texas Longhorns +750
Rodney Terry rallied the troops after Chris Beard was let go in the middle of the year. The Longhorns won the Big 12 Tournament and made the Elite Eight during that run. They do lose a couple of key veterans but also bring back contributors in Tyrese Hunter, Dillon Mitchell, and Dylan Disu. They reloaded as well in the portal with the additions of Max Abmas and Kadin Shedrick. In their final year in this league, the Longhorns will contend and get back to the big dance.
Baylor Bears +850
It’s hard to believe Scott Drew is already entering his 21st season in Waco. He has turned this program from one of the biggest dumpster fires into a national contender year in and year out. There are a bunch of new faces that come in for the Bears to join Jalen Bridges and Jonathan Tchamwa-Tchachoua. A new set of transfer guards come in via the portal in RayJ Dennis and Jayden Nunn. Many will probably doubt the transition of the turnover in the roster, but this team will once again dance come March and be at the top of the Big 12 standings.
Your 2023-2024 Baylor Bears 🫡#SicEm | #CultureofJOY pic.twitter.com/MV1YMTKBkb
— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) October 15, 2023
TCU Horned Frogs +1200
Jamie Dixon has quietly turned this TCU program into a Big 12 contender, including back-to-back NCAA appearances. They do lose a lot of their core that contributed to those tournaments but return Chuck O’Bannon, Emanuel Miller, and Micah Peavy. They added really good role pieces that have Big 12 experience in Avery Anderson and Ernest Udeh. I think these Horned Frogs will take a little bit of time to mesh, but come league play, they will be a tough out in the Big 12.
Happy Halloween 🎃 👻 🦇#GoFrogs pic.twitter.com/H3t0EzP83k
— TCU Men’s Basketball (@TCUBasketball) October 31, 2023
Kansas State Wildcats +1800
What a year it was for Jerome Tang in his first season. They were preseason picked dead last, and all they did was go all the way to the Elite Eight. They do lose their 1-2 punch in Nowell and Johnson, but they have plenty of reinforcements coming in to reload for Coach Tang in year #2. Tylor Perry, Arthur Kaluma, and Ques Glover all bring winning experiences to this already good culture. Just like TCU, I think it will take a stretch for this team to get going, but come league play, they have all the pieces to return to the Big Dance.
Texas Tech Red Raiders +3000
A new era began out in West Texas with Grant McCasland taking over from North Texas. It is a completely new roster, but McCalsand is no stranger to building his roster through the portal from his JUCO days and winning stops at Arkansas St and North Texas.
Joe Toussaint Devan Cambridge, Darrion Williams, and Warren Washington headline this loaded transfer class. Do not be surprised if this is the sneaky surprise team in this league like Kansas State was last year in year #1 of Jerome Tang. I think postseason basketball will return to Lubbock to begin the McCasland era.
Iowa State Cyclones +3000
TJ Otzelberger has been a staple for success in Ames. He took over a program that was winless two years ago, and all he’s done is get them to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in his first two seasons. They have struggled offensively, and that was a key spotlight to this transfer class they brought in. Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones come in to join a core that has gotten used to winning. It won’t always be pretty under Otzelberger, but this team is always prepared to come to Big 12. I expect the Cyclones to go dancing three straight years under Otzleberger.
THREE Games at Hilton this week! #Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/F1HYEl4S6n
— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) November 6, 2023
West Virginia Mountaineers +5000
Unfortunately, the team that had the toughest offseason was the West Virginia Mountaineers. Hall of Fame Coach: Bob Huggins retired after off-the-court issues, which led to a chain of events, including the departures of Tre Mitchell, Joe Toussaint, Mohammed Wague, and James Okonkwo. Long-time assistant for Huggs, Josh Eilert, now takes over and has had arguably the unluckiest offseason due to a couple of ruled ineligible players in RaeQuan Battle and Kerr Kriisa.
“𝙒𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩.”
There’s still time to join in on the nearly 7,000 season tickets sold. Secure yours today!
🎟️ https://t.co/4GKUqnkiYl#HailWV pic.twitter.com/2JXgeaeP8O
— WVU Men’s Basketball (@WVUhoops) November 3, 2023
Additionally, Akok Akok went down with a severe injury in the exhibition game. There are still a lot of moving parts for this team with the appeals and health of the roster. Despite being down multiple key contributors, the culture of this program will keep this team competitive and will be a pain to deal with come Big 12 play for these top-tier teams.
Oklahoma State Cowboys +5000
In a big year for Mike Boynton and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. It is almost a completely new look for the Cowboys team after losing a bunch of production to graduation and the portal. Javon Small, Mike Marsh, and Jarius Hicklen are all looking to make the jump from the mid-major to the Big 12.
Bryce Thompson is the lone remaining guy from last year’s team that played significant minutes. There are a lot of question marks for these Cowboys in the Big 12, which is why I believe they will most likely miss the Big Dance back-to-back years.
Cincinnati Bearcats +5000
Wes Miller enters a big year for him as the Bearcats head coach while jumping into the best league in America. On paper, this is a talented roster, but they are also awaiting the NCAA for a couple of waivers to go their way in Aziz Bandaogo and Jamille Reynolds. CJ Frederick from Kentucky was a huge addition to add some scoring to this roster. Like West Virginia, there are still multiple moving parts with eligible players. I believe the Bearcats will eventually be good in the Big 12, but it will take a year or two to transition from the AAC.
The wait is over! See ya tomorrow, Cincinnati! 😍#Bearcats | @WorkatMedpace
— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) November 5, 2023
BYU Cougars +5000
Mark Pope and the BYU Cougars transition over from the Mountain West into the Big 12. They bring back a lot of experience, including guys like Fousseyni Traore, Jaxson Robinson, and Spencer Johnson. Additionally, they bring in a pair of transfers in big man: Aly Khalifa and Dawson Baker. The Cougars, long-term, will be a good fit in the Big 12, but like Cincinnati, it will take Mark Pope a year or two to transition into this gauntlet of a league.
Oklahoma Sooners +20000
Porter Moser enters his 3rd season in Norman after a memorable run at Loyola Chicago. He has not come close to having the same success so far at Oklahoma. They lose a majority of their roster but have made efforts to get more size and athletic in the portal.
They are bringing Javian McCollum, Rivaldo Soares, and John Hughley via the portal. This team should be improved from previous years, with Moser going through the gauntlet twice now. However, I think the Sooners will fail to dance for a third straight year, and can’t wait to get to the SEC.
UCF Knights +20000
Welcome to the Big 12, the UCF Knights! Johnny Dawkins brings over another team from the Eastern time zone. He has quietly made this program into a consistent, solid program. Darrius Johnson and CJ Walker are back, and so are a bunch of transfers that they are bringing in. Shemarri Allen, Jaylin Sellers, DeMarr Langford Jr, and Omar Payne all lead the way in this roster overhaul. The Knights are ecstatic to be a part of this league but will find out quickly how difficult this league is night in and night out.
welcome to hoops szn 🙌@UCF_WBB at 6PM@UCF_MBB at 8PM
claim student tix NOW 🤝https://t.co/SNL0zIBV1f pic.twitter.com/SqCNIcmyGt
— UCF Knights (@UCFKnights) November 6, 2023
