The last week of February is here and conference tournament season is nearly upon us in NCAA basketball. However, with all the teams still jostling for position, there is still much to be determined heading into these tournaments. That goes for the Big 12 Conference, which is the best conference in the nation this year when it comes to college basketball. While Houston and Iowa State have somewhat separated themselves from the pack, teams like Baylor, TCU, West Virginia, and Kansas State are angling for higher seeds when it comes to this fantastic conference tournament. However, this Monday night, those squads will all do battle with the Bears traveling to Fort Worth for a showdown with the Horned Frogs while the Wildcats aim to defend their home court against the Mountaineers.
In this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these squads, along with a predicted winner and even more notes about college basketball wagering.
| NCAA Basketball 23-24 Week 17 Games | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baylor at TCU | TCU ML | -127 | -127 | -127 |
| West Virginia at Kansas State | Kansas State ML | -800 | -800 | -800 |
Team Spotlight: Baylor Bears
The Bears enter this contest on a two-game skid, albeit against some very tough competition. In Baylor’s last game, they fell to Houston in overtime at home, 82-76. However, this is a very strong squad, as evidenced by their No. 11 ranking in the AP poll just a week ago. On the offensive end, the Bears are led by stellar freshman guard Ja’Kobe Walter (14.7 points per game) along with his backcourt mate Rayj Dennis (13.4 ppg and 6.5 assists per contest).
Center Yves Missi is the big man to look out for from the Bears with 5.7 rebounds per game. Baylor shoots the ball well (scoring 49.1% from the field) and does a great job of scoring (82.3 ppg). After starting the season with a 9-0 record, the Bears have an opportunity to avenge their loss earlier this season to the Horned Frogs.
Team Spotlight: TCU Horned Frogs
As referenced above, the Horned Frogs were able to outlast the Bears in three overtimes in Waco, 105-102. In that contest, Jameer Nelson Jr. was electric with 30 points and scored 11 of 18 field goals in that contest. Moreover, he was able to score the go-ahead shot in the third overtime as TCU upended Baylor. Of course, though this season, forward Emanuel Miller has been the steady hand on the offensive end with 16.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg. The Horned Frogs are 5-2 this season at home in conference play and have done an excellent job of beating top teams like Oklahoma (No. 9) and Houston (No. 2).
Prediction: This game could go down to the wire, but take the home squad TCU to win here as they will have a slight advantage in Fort Worth.
Team Spotlight: West Virginia Mountaineers
At 9-18 (4-10, Big 12), the Mountaineers are having a season to forget, but could spoil K-State’s late February plans with an upset this Monday night. Forward Quinn Slazinski is a problem for teams in the post and has been a nice core piece of the WVU attack this year (12.9 ppg and 4.1 rpg). That said, the Mountaineers have been outscored this season by an average margin of 68.6 ppg scored to 74.4 ppg allowed. Moreover, the last time these two teams met, West Virginia lost to K-State at home, 81-67.
Team Spotlight: Kansas State Wildcats
The Wildcats enter this contest coming off a great win over BYU at home, 84-74. Before that, Kansas State had dropped three in a row after a climatic overtime win over archrival Kansas in Manhattan on February 5th. The Wildcats feature an electric scorer in Tylor Perry (15.1 ppg and 4.6 apg) and have been solid this season at home with a 4-2 record. Moreover, K-State has knocked off three ranked foes this year in the aforementioned Jayhawks, Baylor, and also BYU just this past week. Moreover, the last time the Wildcats had back-to-back home games over conference foes, they won them both (Baylor and Oklahoma State).
Prediction: While there is the chance that the Mountaineers could upset the Wildcats, it will not happen this evening as K-State will defend home.
Once you are all squared away regarding the latest news and scores coming from the world of college basketball, make sure to check out the awesome variety of info for you at SBS. Of course, for even more info on the topic at hand, our NCAAB betting sites guide has you covered. Here you can find the latest lines and prop bets related to the sport and can keep you rolling along. Speaking of rolling along, if you are interested in keeping your bets moving while on the road, then look no further than the best betting apps rundown. On this page, you can learn more about the perks of mobile betting. Finally, for those interested in some higher-stakes wagering, make sure to check out the VIP sports betting sites breakdown which covers the benefits of VIP betting and if it might make sense for you.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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