The Big 12 basketball tournament is an annual event that brings together the top men’s basketball teams from the Big 12 Conference. The tournament is a single-elimination competition that determines the conference champion and earns the winner an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Big 12 basketball tournament has become one of the most exciting and highly anticipated college basketball events of the year, attracting fans from across the country.
The Big 12 Conference is one of the most competitive college basketball conferences in the country, featuring some of the best teams and players in the sport. The conference includes ten teams, including Baylor, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and West Virginia, among others.
The tournament is held over five days, with the first round taking place on Wednesday and Thursday and the championship game being played on Saturday. The tournament is played at a neutral site, with the location rotating between different cities in the conference’s region.
The tournament has seen some thrilling moments and upsets over the years, with many games coming down to the wire. One of the most memorable moments in the tournament’s history was in 2019, when the Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the Kansas Jayhawks in a dramatic overtime game to win the conference championship.
The Big 12 basketball tournament also attracts some of the most passionate and dedicated fans in college basketball. Fans travel from across the country to support their teams and experience the electric atmosphere of the tournament. The tournament is known for its festive atmosphere, with fans decked out in their team’s colors and chanting and cheering throughout the games.
The tournament has become an important event in college basketball, not just for the Big 12 Conference but for the sport as a whole. The tournament is a chance for teams to showcase their skills and compete against some of the best teams in the country, and for players to make a name for themselves on the national stage.
In conclusion, the Big 12 basketball tournament is an exciting and highly anticipated event in college basketball, bringing together the top teams from one of the most competitive conferences in the country. The tournament is a chance for fans to witness some of the sport’s top players and teams in action and for teams to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The tournament’s festive atmosphere and thrilling moments make it an unforgettable experience for fans and players alike.
Here is a list of the winners of the Big 12 basketball tournament, from the first tournament in 1997 to the most recent in 2021:
- 1997 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 1998 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 1999 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2000 – Iowa State Cyclones
- 2001 – Oklahoma Sooners
- 2002 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2003 – Oklahoma Sooners
- 2004 – Oklahoma State Cowboys
- 2005 – Oklahoma State Cowboys
- 2006 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2007 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2008 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2009 – Missouri Tigers
- 2010 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2011 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2012 – Missouri Tigers
- 2013 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2014 – Iowa State Cyclones
- 2015 – Iowa State Cyclones
- 2016 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2017 – Iowa State Cyclones
- 2018 – Kansas Jayhawks
- 2019 – Iowa State Cyclones
- 2020 – Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021 – Texas Longhorns
These teams have earned the right to be called the Big 12 conference tournament champions and have advanced to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.