BYU Secures 4-Seed in Big 12 Tournament After Key Win

PROVO, Utah — After a crucial victory over Iowa State, BYU Cougars have clinched the 4-seed for the upcoming Big 12 Tournament, ensuring they receive a double bye to the quarterfinals. This result solidifies BYU’s standing in the tournament, which will begin next week as part of the March Madness festivities.

The Cougars’ impressive performance not only bolstered their tournament resume but also prevented them from falling to a lower seed, despite scenarios that could have allowed them to climb to the 3-seed. Texas Tech, holding the tiebreaker over BYU, can still achieve a higher seed based on their matchup outcomes this week. With two wins or an Arizona loss, Texas Tech would secure the 2-seed, while Arizona is likely to end up as the 3-seed.

Currently, BYU can only occupy the 3 or 4 seed in the tournament, with their probable final placement being the 4-seed. This positioning means BYU will face the winner of the matchup between Iowa State and either Cincinnati or Oklahoma State on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. CT.

The current tournament bracket indicates the potential for intense matchups in the quarterfinals. If Cincinnati, currently the 12-seed, can perform well this week, they could challenge BYU, as they were the last team to defeat the Cougars. Oklahoma State also proved their competitiveness by defeating Iowa State just a week prior, which could present a challenging matchup for BYU.

As for the rest of the Big 12, teams ranked between the 6th and 9th seeds could see significant shifts depending on the outcomes of their remaining regular-season games. The likes of Baylor, Kansas, and West Virginia are likely contenders for those seeds. Notably, if Kansas falters against Arizona, they risk falling to the 8 or 9 seed, which could lead to a tough encounter with Houston in the quarterfinals.

Houston enters the tournament as a favorite, but several lower seeds like Cincinnati and Kansas State have the potential to create chaos in the bracket. Cincinnati, showing improvement in recent weeks, alongside a healthy Kansas State, could both prove formidable against higher-ranked teams.

As the Big 12 Tournament approaches, every match will be crucial for teams seeking favorable positions in the NCAA Tournament. BYU’s resilience and tactical prowess on the court will be tested as they aim for a promising postseason.