Chris Beard: Nobody's better than the Big 12 in college basketball

Having been a coach in the Big 12 for the past seven years, Texas head man Chris Beard knows the conference is annually one of the best in college basketball. Although it’s still early, this season is no different.

The Big 12 currently has the highest winning percentage (83%) of any conference in college hoops with a combined record of 54-11. It also has the No. 1 RPI among the conferences. In a press conference Tuesday, Beard offered his opinion on why the Big 12 is the top dog when it comes to college basketball.

“My personal opinion on that — I’m on the docket many years in this league as an assistant, head coach — the league is what it is,” he said. “It’s the best league in college basketball year in, year out. There might be somebody that’s as good, but there’s never anybody better in my many, many years in the Big 12. Same case could be made for other leagues as well, but just talking about us, it’s a round robin fight. You play everybody twice. You’re playing against great coaching and great talent in great venues and great fanbases every night.

“I think what the Big 12 has done in basketball kind of speaks for itself. This year, no different. …The league’s again dynamite. It’s not surprising at all.”

Despite having just 10 teams, the fewest amount of any Power 5 conference, the Big 12 has sent at least six schools to the NCAA Tournament in nine of the past 11 seasons. It has also had a team in the Final Four in each of the past four NCAA Tournaments, including the two most recent champions in Baylor (2021) and Kansas (2022).

With the Big12-Big East Battle tipping off this week, Chris Beard believes the Big 12 will have a chance to flex its muscles against one of the other premier leagues in college hoops. That includes when Texas takes on No. 7 Creighton at 6 p.m. CT on Thursday in Austin.

“I’ve had a chance to watch everybody in the league now a couple of times and it is what it is,” Beard said. “I think this event, the Big 12-Big East challenge, is one of the few times in the season that we all kind of pull for each other. So there’s a camaraderie in the Big 12. There’s actually a team text going on right now with the coaches in the league wishing everybody luck this week.

“The Big East-Big 12 challenge, I think those games start as early as tonight and they go a little bit even past our game. But it’s always a great even for college basketball. Two of the all-time great leagues. A lot of really good teams and I think we’re at the top of the list. I think Texas and Creighton is gonna be a special game.”

Baylor and Marquette tipped off the Big 12-Big East Battle on Tuesday, with the Bears suffering an embarrassing 96-70 defeat. With three contests on Wednesday before Texas’ matchup, the Big 12 will look to quickly get back on the right side of things.