OSU Basketball: Big 12 Tournament to Feature All 16 Teams
In the wild world of conference realignment, the Big 12 will still give every team a chance in March Madness.
On Thursday, Jon Rothstein reported that the Big 12 would include all 16 teams in next season’s conference tournament. The SEC will also follow suit with every team making the tournament. However, the Big Ten and ACC will exclude three teams each to make a 15-team tournament.
The Big 12 will likely have a similar set-up to its tournament last season, giving extra rest to the top teams. Last season, the top four seeds each had byes until the third day and needed to win only three games to win the tournament, which Iowa State accomplished as the No. 2 seed.
READ MORE: Oklahoma State Set to Host 3-star In-State RB Kenny Golston
Assuming the Big 12 keeps a similar format, the conference’s move from 14 teams to 16 would likely affect the No. 9 and 10 seeds. In 2024, those teams got a first-round bye, but with 16 teams, it would be necessary for those squads to play to reduce the field from 16 to 12 on the first day.
In this scenario, the No. 16 seed would match up with No. 9 for the opportunity to play against No. 8 in on the second day. This format would still give first-round byes to the eight best teams and byes in the first two rounds for the top four.
However, the Big 12 could choose to be a bit more chaotic and essentially have a NCAA Regional-style tournament. This would pit teams 1-16 against each other without any byes and reduce the length of the tournament from five days to four.
For a team projected to finish near the bottom of the Big 12 like Oklahoma State, a tournament without byes could eliminate any chance of a surprise NCAA Tournament run. Still, conference tournaments across college basketball will look different next season, and the Big 12 will be part of the fun.
READ MORE: What is Oklahoma State's Toughest Road Game in 2024?
Want to join the discussion? Like AllPokes on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.