The cash at the top of the Big 12 has been a massive storyline throughout the spring. Texas Tech and BYU do not just have good money; they have lavish money. It’s changed a smidge of the power dynamic in a league that was once dominated by the house of horrors that is Allen Fieldhouse.
While the Big 12 fell slightly behind the SEC and the Big Ten in the national pecking order last season, the influx of NBA talent could help change that. Eight of the top-20 recruits in the Class of 2025 are Big 12-bound, and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa will be firmly in the mix to be No. 1 picks in next year’s NBA Draft.
Buckle up. Winning the crown this year will be no easy task because the big dawgs at the top of the food chain have built jam-packed rosters.
Ranking Big Ten basketball teams by tiers: Purdue, Michigan, Illinois at top of ultra-deep conference
Isaac Trotter
So, who is going to be good in this newcomer-heavy Big 12? Tiers provide a preferable way of contextualizing the outlook.
Tier 1 – Title contenders: Pretty cut and dry. I think these teams have the upside to win the title. Not just make the second weekend. Not just win three in a row because of a nice draw. Six straight, do-or-die wins.Tier 2 – Top-25 caliber club: These teams have accrued plenty of talent and should be safely in the NCAA Tournament field today, but they have a few flaws that could keep them out of the top tier.Tier 3 – Tournament team: These teams have built good rosters and could flirt with top-25 status, but let’s be honest: they aren’t serious title threats.Tier 4 – Bubblicious: A Big Dance appearance is in the range of potential outcomes, but the NIT, the Crown (or worse) looms if…..
