2026 Big 12 Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics
Format
Since the Big 12 now has 16 teams, it’s adopted the old Big East bracket, with the top four teams receiving a double-bye to the quarterfinals (Thursday), teams 5 through 8 getting a single bye to Wednesday, and the bottom half of the league playing on Tuesday.
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The T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri will yet again host the Big 12 Tournament—a run that began in 2008, was interrupted by a single year in Oklahoma City, resumed in 2010, and is set to continue well into the future. This year, the conference will play on a glass LED court (one year after playing on this). And no, the LED court won’t be better, as the women’s tournament once again provided a helpful preview.
Participants
Every single team will play at least one game in Kansas City.
Schedule
Downloadable PDF Bracket
First Round (Tues. 3/10)
Gm. 1: (13) Baylor (16-16, 6-12) 79, (12) Arizona State 83
Gm. 2: (16) Utah (10-22, 2-16) 66, (9) Cincinnati 73
Gm. 3: (15) Kansas State (12-20, 3-15) 91, (10) BYU 105
Gm. 4: (14) Oklahoma State 92, (11) Colorado (17-15, 7-11) 83
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Second Round (Wed. 3/11)
Gm. 5: (12) Arizona State (17-16, 7-11) 42, (5) Iowa State 91
Gm. 6: (9) Cincinnati (18-15, 9-9) 65, (8) UCF 66 (OT)
Gm. 7: (10) BYU 68, (7) West Virginia (18-14, 9-9) 48
Gm. 8: (14) Oklahoma State (19-14, 6-12) 88, (6) TCU 95
Quarterfinals (Thurs. 3/12)
Gm. 9: (5) Iowa State 75, (4) Texas Tech (22-10, 12-6) 53
Gm. 10: (8) UCF (21-11, 9-9) 59, (1) Arizona 81
Gm. 11: (10) BYU (23-11, 9-9) 66, (2) Houston 73
Gm. 12: (6) TCU (22-11, 11-7) 73, (3) Kansas 78
Semifinals (Fri. 3/13)
Gm. 13: (5) Iowa State (27-6, 12-6) vs. (1) Arizona (30-2, 16-2), 7 (ESPN)
The Wildcats won 73-57 in Tucson on 3/2.
Gm. 14: Gm. 12 winner vs. (2) Houston (27-5, 14-4), 9:30* (ESPN)
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Championship (Sat. 3/14)
Gm. 15: Semifinal winners, 6 (ESPN)
Mayhem Potential
Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitter in 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.
In the last 12 Big 12 Tournaments, the No. 1 seed has won six titles, with Houston snapping the No. 2 seed’s two-year win streak in 2025. In 2021, now-departed Texas became the first 3 seed to win since long-departed Missouri won 2009’s edition.
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1 seed (6): 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025
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2 seed (4): 2012, 2015, 2023, 2024
NCAA Bid Totals In The 68-Team Era
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8 bids (1): 2024 (7-8 record, 14 teams)
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7 bids (7): 2014 (6-7 record, 10 teams), 2015 (5-7 record, 10 teams), 2016 (9-7 record, 10 teams), 2018 (12-7 record, 10 teams), 2021 (11-6 record, Baylor national champion, 10 teams), 2023 (9-7 record, 10 teams), 2025 (14-7 record, 16 teams)
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6 bids (4): 2012 (10-6 record, 10 teams), 2017 (9-6 record, 10 teams), 2019 (8-6 record, 10 teams), 2022 (13-5 record, Kansas national champion, 10 teams)
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5 bids (2): 2011 (5-5 record, 12 teams), 2013 (3-5 record, 10 teams)
The Big 12 has sent no fewer than five teams to the NCAA Tournament over the past 12 editions. At least seven teams will again be selected in 2026. They will look to exceed last year’s win total—of the conference’s entrant, only Kansas failed to win a single game.
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Last Conference Tournament Titles
Houston: 2025 (1 seed)
Iowa State: 2024 (2 seed)
Arizona: 2023 (2 seed, Pac-12)
Kansas: 2022 (1 seed)
Cincinnati: 2019 (2 seed, American)
Colorado: 2012 (6 seed, Pac-12)
West Virginia: 2010 (3 seed, Big East)
Utah: 2009 (2 seed, MW)
Oklahoma State: 2005 (3 seed)
UCF: 2005 (2 seed, Atlantic Sun)
BYU: 2001 (2 seed, MW)
Texas Tech: 1996 (1 seed, SWC)
Kansas State: 1980 (2 seed, Big 8)
Along with five of Big 12’s newest members (all but Houston), holdovers West Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas State, TCU, and Baylor are all in search of their first Big 12 crowns. Making matters worse for the Horned Frogs, Bears, and Arizona State is the fact that all three have never won a conference tournament title period.
