The Big 12 has long been recognized as one of the premier men’s basketball conferences in the nation, and it seems this season’s competition is particularly fierce. The Arizona Wildcats have emerged as a strong contender for the national championship. Meanwhile, the Houston Cougars are eager for redemption after falling just short of securing a championship for their coach, Kelvin Sampson, last year. Iowa State, under the guidance of coach TJ Otzelberger, is poised for potential breakthroughs this season, perhaps fielding their best squad yet. Kansas, despite some injury struggles for Darrin Peterson, showcased impressive performances, especially in their latest game where he appeared back to form.
There’s speculation that the Big 12 could send seven to eight teams to the 2026 NCAA Tournament. But first, attention shifts to Kansas City, where the Big 12 Tournament will take place at the T-Mobile Center, promising the intense play fans have come to expect from this conference.
As the top seed, Arizona looks to be the favorite, boasting a strong defense and a trio of standout freshmen. However, their limited shooting capabilities might make them vulnerable to an upset in the early rounds. Houston faced some challenges as the regular season concluded, but they still have the talent to come out on top. If you’re considering an upset, UCF might be a team to watch as they enter the tournament on the bubble.
Below is the schedule for the 2026 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament. Results will be updated as the tournament progresses.
2026 Men’s Basketball Big 12 Tournament Bracket
2026 Men’s Basketball Big 12 Tournament Schedule and Results
Round 1 – Tuesday, March 10
Game 1: No. 12 Arizona State 83, No. 13 Baylor 79
Game 2: 9th place Cincinnati 73, 16th place Utah 66
Game 3: No. 10 BYU 105, No. 15 Kansas State 91
Game 4: No. 14 Oklahoma State 92, No. 11 Colorado 83
Round 2 – Wednesday, March 11
Game 5: No. 5 Iowa State 91 vs. No. 12 Arizona State 42
Game 6: No. 8 UCF 66, No. 9 Cincinnati 65
Game 7: No. 7 West Virginia vs. No. 10 BYU – 7:00 p.m. ET
Game 8: No. 6 TCU vs. No. 14 Oklahoma State – 9:30 p.m. ET
Quarterfinals – Thursday, March 12
Game 9: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Iowa State – 12:30 p.m. ET
Game 10: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 8 UCF (ESPN/2) – 3:00 p.m. ET
Game 11: No. 2 Houston vs. Game 7 Winner (ESPN/2) – 7:00 p.m. ET
Game 12: No. 3 Kansas vs. Game 8 Winner (ESPN/2) – 9:30 p.m. ET
Semi-final – Friday, March 13
Game 13: Game 9 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner (ESPN/2) – 7:00 PM ET
Game 14: Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 12 (ESPN/2) – 9:30 PM ET
Final – Saturday, March 14
Game 15: Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 14 (ESPN) – 6:00 PM ET
