What's Your Forecast for the Big 12 Tourney?

(This article originally appeared on www.big12-fans.com.)

Brian #1

I was thinking of boycotting this column until the Big XII tournament returns to Kansas City, and Kelly’s, and Westport, but alas…a deadline is a deadline. I just wrote an ACC Tournament preview in 35 minutes for the Virginia Tech Rivals site, I guess I can churn this one out as well.

Iowa State vs. Oklahoma, first round.
Oklahoma seems a lot scarier than they are, probably because I still get confused as to why the best player on their whole team is actually the coach. I like Jeff Capel, but he may be in over his head in the Big XII. The same can’t be said about Greg McDermott, and I like the Cyclones to pull this one out by 6. Wesley Johnson with his umpteenth double-double.

Iowa State vs. Kansas, second round.
Ssshhhhh. Take a nap, Jayhawks. Don’t worry. We set your alarm for NCAA tourney time. Just…lean back…head on the pillow….Sssshhh….Rock-a-chalk Jayhawk, in OKC…Cyclones catch Kansas napping, and squeak the stunner.

Iowa State vs. Kansas State, semifinals
Dang it. There’s no way in H-E-L-L this Cyclone team has a Big XII title run in them, but I certainly can’t pick ISU to drop three in one year to Huggy Bear Thuggins from the Little Apple? Gawd, what to do? OK. I’ll be reasonable. Hopefully Jiri sings the Jayhawks an authentic Czech lullaby, because that’s the only way we’re getting to this game. I say Michael Taylor finally stops shooting when we’re down by 15 with a minute left. 17-16 on the year, and an outside shot at an NIT bid. Yeah, that’ll do.

Brian #2

When it comes to predicting the Big 12 tournament, not much of my analysis really involves Iowa State. In fact, I see the Cyclones falling in the first round to Oklahoma, 62-54. The first time around, we were able to beat Oklahoma because Jiri Hubalek went unchecked for a 10 minute period while we built a huge lead. In the rematch, Longar Longar will have none of that, and Cyclone fans will probably have an array of wild shots and turnovers from Mike Taylor to keep them off balance and interested in defeat. I am predicting at least one Rahshon “Radioactive” Clark dunk over Longar Longar, but little else on the offensive end for the Clones.

First Round:
Iowa State 54, Oklahoma 62
Texas Tech 68, Colorado 52
Oklahoma State 67, Nebraska 69
Missouri 57, Baylor 55

Second Round:
Kansas 84, Oklahoma 71
Texas Tech 72, Kansas State 66
Texas A&M 70, Nebraska 65
Missouri 63, Texas 61

Semifinals:
Texas Tech 72, Kansas 69
Texas A&M 58, Missouri 54

Finals:
Texas Tech 65, Texas A&M 60

A title for Bobby Knight just a week after his team beat Iowa State by only 2? Call it a hunch, because there certainly is not much else behind it, but they have risen to the occasion in big games all season, and it is no fun to pick Kansas or A&M. Watch for Tech to play their way off of the bubble and into a 6 seed with a great tournament performance.

Brad

Although Brian #2 is my brother, he tends to see ISU’s fate a little bit differently than I do. The Cyclones have been playing better basketball of late, and Oklahoma simply isn’t the team people think they are. Yes, Rahshon Clark had Longar Longar’s number on a posterizing dunk in high school, and that will continue. Yes, Jeff Capel can’t coach his way out of a cardboard box compared to Greg McDermott. Yes, ISU is ready to make Oklahoma City Cyclone country for a weekend. Here is the way I see the Big 12 tourney playing out:

First Round:
Iowa State 61, Oklahoma 51
Texas Tech 72, Colorado 60
Oklahoma State 70, Nebraska 60
Missouri 68, Baylor 55

Second Round:
Iowa State 55, Kansas 54
Kansas State 73, Texas Tech 64
Oklahoma State 81, Texas A&M 78
Texas 67, Missouri 60

Semifinals:
Iowa State 64, Kansas State 59
Texas 76, Oklahoma State 73


Finals:
Texas 82, Iowa State 67

It won’t be easy for ISU to make it this far, but I truly believe that it won’t have much trouble with the Sooners in the first round. As long as it closes the deal on KU in the second round, Cyclone fans will be online in large numbers trying to purchase first round NCAA tournament tickets. The law of Averages says it’s tough to beat a team twice in the same season. Well, hopefully that applies to three times, too. Kansas State downright embarrassed ISU in Manhattan just a couple weeks ago, but if Mike Taylor pulls a Minnesota (we’ve all been hoping for that since the Minnesota game), we can do it.

The semis will include a rematch of the Texas-OSU classic in Stillwater this year, and it will live up to its expectations. In the finals, Jessan Gray re-injures his nose, and Michael Taylor has one of those games where he misses every shot (you know, every other game?). Kevin Durant will be seen stomping on anything closely resembling a Cyclone logo after the game, and all the ISU fans that travel down for Sunday will be crushed. Revenge stinks—thanks, Tasheed.


Brian #1 is a freelance writer living in Chicago, and a regular contributor to Rivals.com and his website, briankgolden.blogspot.com. Brian #2 is a sophomore at Iowa State University majoring in finance and Spanish. Brad is a junior at Notre Dame, majoring in Economics and Philosophy.