Ryan Wohl previews the Big 12 and gives his contenders to win the conference title!
The college basketball season is finally here! The Big 12 conference has been the gold standard in the sport over the past few seasons. Four new teams will join the conference this season, increasing the total to 16 teams in the Big 12. The new schools that recently joined the conference are the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, Colorado Buffaloes, and the Utah Utes.
Last season, the Houston Cougars won the regular season conference title in their first year in the Big 12. Five teams from the Big 12 were ranked in the top 25 in the first AP Poll. During the 2023-24 season, nine teams in the conference totaled over 20 wins during the regular season. Although the Cougars won the conference, Iowa State won 29 games, their most since 1999-2000. The Cyclones were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but lost to Illinois in the Sweet 16.
Out of the 14 teams in the conference last year, six teams finished the season with a .500 or better record in Big 12 play. Although this conference is loaded with top-tier talent, Bill Self’s team is the rightful favorite to win the regular season title.
This article will preview the teams with the best chance to win the Big 12.
Odds to win the Big 12 on DraftKings Sportsbook:
Kansas: +220
Houston: +280
Iowa State: +350
Baylor: +750
Arizona: +800
Cincinnati: +2000
Texas Tech: +2500
Kansas State: +4000
West Virginia: +10000
TCU: +10000
Utah: +15000
UCF: +15000
Utah: +15000
UCF: +15000
Colorado: +15000
ASU: +15000
Oklahoma State: +20000
Houston (+280)
The Cougars debuted in the conference a season ago and won the regular-season conference title. Houston won 32 games but lost in the Sweet 16 against Duke. Houston returns one of the best guards in college basketball, LJ Cryer. Although they lost one of their best players, Jamal Shead, the Cougars have four of five starters from last season.
Emanuel Sharp is entering his third season and will join Shead in the backcourt. This season, Sharp will take on a more significant role on offense. If Sharp and veteran big man J’Wan Roberts take a step forward this season, the Cougars will have a chance to repeat as Big 12 champions. Houston is one of the best-coached teams in the country, with Kelvin Sampson entering his 12th season. My only question for this team is do they have enough depth to keep up during a very tough conference schedule.
Baylor (+750)
The Bears lost to Clemson in the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2024. They lost a lot in the offseason. The only starter who is back is Jayden Nunn. But Scott Drew picked up former Duke Blue Devil Jeremy Roach. Roach is entering his fifth season, and as a senior, he had his best year to date, averaging 14 points per game while shooting 42 percent from deep.
This is a very young Baylor team this season. They have three new freshmen joining the program. Although they don’t have as much experience as other teams, they have the No. 4 recruiting class incoming. VJ Edgecombe leads the way, being a five-star recruit, but they also added two four-star guys in Rob Wright and Jason Asemota. These young players may take some time to develop in Drew’s system, but they are a dark horse to win this conference.
Arizona (+800)
Tommy Lloyd’s first three years in Tucson have been successful. The Wildcats have been to two Sweet Sixteens while winning two Pac-12 championships. But now, Arizona will face the most challenging regular season schedule in the last five years.
Four starters are gone from last season’s Wildcat starting lineup. Oumar Ballo (Indiana) and Kylan Boswell (Illionois) transferred, while Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson are playing for the Miami Heat in the NBA.
Lloyd added five new players in the offseason. Arizona added three veterans in the portal: Trey Townsend (Oakland), Anthony Dell’Orso (Campbell), and Tobe Awoka (Tennessee). Along with the talented transfers, two new recruits, Carter Bryant (five-star) and Emmanuel Stephen (four-star), enter the fold.
Even though they are playing in a tougher conference, Lloyd also scheduled a tough non-conference schedule. The Wildcats travel to Wisconsin during the second week of the season and face No. 7 Duke the following week. Arizona is also in one of the most challenging mid-season tournaments in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
This Arizona team has as much upside as any team in the country and the Big 12. Two big questions remain, though. Will Jaden Bradley and KJ Lewis improve in new starting roles? Can someone on the roster fill Oumar Ballo’s large shoes in the frontcourt?
The Pick: Kansas (+220)
The Jayhawks are heavy favorites to win the Big 12 this year. Three starters from last season’s team are returning, which is a big part of that. Hunter Dickinson returns for his second season at Kansas and fifth season in college basketball.
Along with Dickinson, Adams, and Harris, Bill Self added talented guard AJ Storr from Wisconsin. This is the most talented and experienced team not only in the Big 12 but in the entire country. After winning the national championship three years ago, Kansas has underwhelmed lately. They lost to Arkansas in the second round in 2022-23 and to Gonzaga in the second round last season.
Kansas also added sharpshooting wing Rylan Griffen from Alabama and point guard Zeke Mayo from South Dakota State. Self signed Flory Bidunga, a 6’8″ big man who is a five-star, top-15 recruit in the country. This team is loaded with veterans who have already had significant moments in their collegiate careers while maintaining youth. Kansas is the team to beat in the Big 12, and I expected them to be an even larger favorite.
Kansas’ odds of winning the 2025 National Championship are the second-best at +1000, behind Uconn’s (+900), on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is ryanwohl) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
