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College Basketball

2020 Big 12 Tournament Odds, Preview and Picks – Kansas Jayhawks made favorites again

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read

Kansas is Close to an Odds-On Favorite in the Big 12 Tournament

After winning 16 straight games to close out the regular season, the Kansas Jayhawks are the team to beat going into March Madness. They were a unanimous No. 1 in Monday’s AP Poll, and the Jayhawks have the lowest national championship odds on the board (+600) at FanDuel. Kansas has won five of the last ten Big 12 Conference Tournaments, and a win this season will give the program half of the titles that have been awarded via the Big 12 Tournament.

Only four active teams have won this tournament since its inception in 1997. Iowa State has the second-most titles, and the Cyclones are 5-0 all-time in the Big 12 Championship Game, and both Oklahoma schools have also won a handful of titles. The other six teams have yet to claim a Big 12 Tournament title, highlighting how recently Baylor and Texas Tech became contenders in this conference.

2020 Big 12 Tournament Odds at FanDuel

Kansas +105
Baylor +230
Texas Tech +700
West Virginia +900
Oklahoma +1300
Texas +2000
TCU +6500
Oklahoma State +10000
Iowa State +15000
Kansas State +15000

Odds provided by FanDuel (IN, NJ, PA & WV only)
Subject to Change - T&C's Apply, 21+

2020 Big 12 Tournament Odds Overview

Since there are only 10 teams in the Big 12, even the worst teams in the conference just have to win four games in four days to claim the Big 12’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Given the nature of the tournament, there is a sizable gap between the teams that have to win four games in four days compared to the schools that simply need to win three games in three days.

The Favorites

Kansas finished the season 28-3, and the Jayhawks went 17-1 in conference play. Their only losses were to other teams that will make the NCAA Tournament in Duke, Villanova, and Baylor, and they are locked into the overall No. 1 seed in the brackets no matter what happens in the Big 12 Tournament. The Jayhawks are the highest-rated team in Ken Pomeroy’s ratings by a mile, sitting four points ahead of Gonzaga after continually proving they can beat some of the best defenses in the nation.

This is the only team in the country that has two Naismith Award semifinalists, and the combination of Udoka Azubuike and Devon Dotson is difficult for opponents to stop. Azubuike is averaging a double-double (13.7 PPG and 10.5 RPG), while being one of the most efficient scorers in college basketball. He is making 74.8 percent of his field goals, and he can take over games down low.

Dotson leads Kansas with 18.1 PPG, and he is sinking 46.8 percent of his baskets this season. He is a subpar three-point shooter, but Dotson has been one of the best perimeter defenders in the country this season, helping make Kansas one of the top defenses nationally.

Marcus Garrett and Ochai Agbaji have been solid, and the return of Silvio De Sousa from suspension gives Bill Self another talented big man just in case Azubuike gets into foul trouble.

Next Up

Baylor was the only Big 12 team to topple Kansas in the regular season, and the Bears were the No. 1 team in the nation for much of the year after reeling off 23 consecutive victories over the span of three months. Like most Big 12 programs, they are known for their excellent defense, and we saw the Bears hold 10 conference foes to under 60 points during the regular season.

However, this team is not entering the Big 12 Tournament on a high note. Baylor has lost three of its last five games, and the Bears were fortunate to pick up one of their wins, knocking off Texas Tech in overtime. They are likely to face TCU in the quarterfinals, and that has to give Bears’ fans trepidation considering the Horned Frogs beat them in Fort Worth less than two weeks ago.

Other Contenders

The Red Raiders fell apart down the stretch, losing their last four games of the regular season, but they have a favorable matchup in the quarterfinals. Texas Tech will be favored per the NCAA betting odds against No. 4 seed Texas, as the Longhorns continue to struggle mightily on the offensive end. Chris Beard’s team appeared to be peaking prior to the results of the last two weeks, and Texas Tech will be dangerous if it can rediscover that form.

West Virginia is much better than you might believe as the No. 6 seed in the Big 12 Tournament. The Mountaineers have the third-best defense in the country per Pomeroy’s ratings, and they closed out the regular season with a big win over Baylor. They will be favored against No. 3 Oklahoma when they meet on Thursday, and their press defense will give them an advantage when everyone is fatigued.

2020 Big 12 Tournament Free Picks
Kansas +105; West Virginia +900


Odds provided by FanDuel (IN, NJ, PA & WV only)
Subject to Change - T&C's Apply, 21+

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