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5 questions entering the Big 12

College basketball season is almost here!

Between now and Nov. 4th, we’ll take an in-depth look at different conferences around the country.

Today’s focus is on the Big 12:

1. Will the Big 12 have multiple number one seeds in the 2025 NCAA Tournament?
It’s well within the realm of possibility. Five teams from the Big 12 — Kansas, Houston, Baylor, Iowa State, and Arizona — are currently ranked in the Top 14 of the ROTHSTEIN 45 and four of those teams — Kansas, Houston, Baylor, and Iowa State — are ranked in the Top 5 of the ROTHSTEIN 45. With the Big 12 now a 16-team league following the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah, there’s going to be some really good teams who finish in the middle of this conference. Don’t be shocked if a team that finishes seventh or eighth in the Big 12 standings wins multiple games in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

2. Is Hunter Dickinson capable of making another jump for Kansas?
Yes, because he’s going to play with a better supporting cast, which will lead to better spacing on offense. Last season, the Jayhawks made 180 three-point shots as a team, but only shot 32.9 percent from three-point range. Kansas’ three primary perimeter transfers — AJ Storr (Wisconsin), Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State), and Rylan Griffen (Alabama) — combined to make 214 three-point shots last season while shooting a combined 36.8 percent from three-point range. That should aid the 7-2 Dickinson, who still averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds despite a limited supporting cast. Kansas’ fifth-place finish last season in the Big 12 standings was its worst-ever finish in league play under Bill Self.

3. Which Big 12 transfer will have the biggest impact?
Baylor’s Norchad Omier. A fifth-year senior who played the last two seasons at Miami, Omier has averaged a double-double in every season of his college career, including tallies of 17 points and 10 rebounds a year ago with the Hurricanes. The undersized big man plays much bigger than his 6-7 frame and should be an All-American candidate for the Bears during the 2024-25 season.

4. How good is Cincinnati?
Good enough to be the best team that this program has had since the 2018-19 season, which was the last time that the Bearcats played in the NCAA Tournament. It was also the last season that Mick Cronin was Cincinnati’s head coach before leaving for UCLA. Wes Miller returns 75.6 percent of his scoring from last season’s team that finished 22-15, with 10 of those 15 losses coming by five points or fewer. The Bearcats also added multiple rotation players from the transfer portal in Dillon Mitchell (Texas), Connor Hickman (Bradley), and Arrinten Page (USC). Cincinnati is currently ranked 21st in the ROTHSTEIN 45.

5. Who is the sleeper?
UCF. Johnny Dawkins led the Knights to an overachieving 17-16 finish last year in UCF’s first season in the Big 12 — this team is significantly more talented. Jaylin Sellers (15.9 points) and Darius Johnson (15.2 points) both return as starters in the backcourt, which should serve as a strong anchor for a team that will lean heavily on newcomers. A pair of top-50 freshmen — Mikey Williams and big man Moustapha Thiam — should have major roles along with a plethora of transfers, highlighted by former Pitt commit Dior Johnson (JUCO) as well as Keyshawn Hall (George Mason), Benny Williams (Syracuse), Jordan Ivy-Curry (UTSA), and Dallan Coleman (Georgia Tech). Don’t be shocked if this is a bubble team.

Leftovers