2023 Big 12 Basketball Tournament: Updated projected seeds, schedule, magic numbers

By all accounts, the Big 12 has been the best conference in college basketball this year. That should make for an interesting conference tournament, and playoffstatus.com continues to project how the final seedings will shake out.

Current Big 12 Tournament seeding projections

Entering Wednesday, here are the conference standings:

1. Kansas — 23-5 (11-4)
2. Texas — 22-6 (11-4)
3. Kansas State — 21-7 (9-6)
4. Baylor — 20-8 (9-6)
5. Iowa State — 17-10 (8-7)
6. TCU — 18-10 (7-8)
7. Oklahoma State — 16-12 (7-8)
8. West Virginia — 16-12 (5-10)
9. Texas Tech — 16-12 (5-10)
10. Oklahoma — 13-15 (3-12)

Tuesday’s slate of games had a major impact and both the top and bottom of the Big 12 standings. At the top, Texas defeated Iowa State to move into a tie for first place with Kansas. The victory also eliminated the Cyclones small hopes of finishing with the No. 1 seed. Kansas State also defeated Baylor, which knocked the Bears out of contention for the top spot. The Jayhawks are the favorite to finish in first at 61% with Texas right behind at 38%. Kansas State has just a 1% chance of earning the No. 1 seed. The Lonhorns have the best shot at the No. 2 seed at 36%, just ahead of Kansas at 36%. Kansas State has a 49% chance of finishing third, Baylor has a 37% chance of finishing fourth and Iowa State has a 44% chance of landing the fifth seed.

The magic number to clinch the Big 12 regular season title for both Kansas and Texas is three games. The two teams end the regular season against each other on March 4, setting up a potential battle for the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

The third game Tuesday was between the two teams at the bottom of the Big 12 standings in Texas Tech and Oklahoma. The Red Raiders defeated the Sooners, all but confirming Oklahoma’s spot as the last seed in the tournament. The Sooners have a 91% chance of finishing in the 10th spot. The victory not only jumped Texas Tech out of the race for last but also put the program in a great position to finish with the No. 8 seed. The Red Raiders — winners of four straight — have a 54% chance of finishing with the No. 8 seed and a 1% chance of dropping down into the No. 10 spot. TCU has a 50% chance of finishing at No. 6, Oklahoma State has a 45% chance of staying in the No. 7 slot and West Virginia has a 58% chance to finish at No. 9.

All 10 Big 12 teams will be in action Saturday and all five games will have play a major role in the final seeding ahead of the tournament.

• Oklahoma at Iowa State: 12 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
• TCU at Texas Tech: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
• Texas at Baylor: 2 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Kansas State at Oklahoma State: 22 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
• West Virginia at Kansas: 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)

2023 Big 12 Basketball Tournament schedule

The 2023 Big 12 tournament is set for March 8-11 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

First Round: Wed., March 8
Game 1: No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed | 6 p.m. CT
Game 2: No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed | 8:30 p.m.
Quarterfinals: Thurs., March 9
Game 3: No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed | 11:30 a.m.
Game 4: No. 1 seed vs. Game 1 winner | 2 p.m.
Game 5: No. 2 seed vs. Game 2 winner | 6 p.m.
Game 6: No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 seed | 8:30 p.m.
Semifinals: Fri., March 10
Game 7: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner | 6 p.m.
Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner | 8:30 p.m.
Championship: Sat., March 11
Game 9: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner | 7 p.m.