CBB Futures Picks: Big 12
With the college basketball season just months away, get yourself prepared with a deeper look into which teams you’ll want to place your futures bets on to win conference titles.
Here’s a look at the top five programs ready to compete for the Big 12 title in the upcoming season.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Odds to Conference: +250
Record last season: (31-7 OVR, 14-4 CONF)
Texas Tech heads into the upcoming season on the heels of the best finish in program history.
The Red Raiders fell just short of winning the National Championship, losing in the title game to the Virginia Cavaliers 85-77 in overtime.
The roster will look different after losing three starters to the NBA, including the sixth overall pick Jarrett Culver. He lead the team in points (18.5 ppg), rebounds (6.4 rpg), and assists (3.7 apg).
Although some major losses, Texas Tech returns one of the best three-point shooters in the Big 12 in Davide Moretti. The Italian sophomore ranked second on the team in scoring with 11.5 ppg while shooting 45.9% from three-point range. The team also adds the nations’ 16th-ranked recruiting class with three four-star recruits.
Baylor Bears
Odds to Conference: +900
Record last season: (20-14 OVR, 10-8 CONF)
The Baylor Bears are a dark horse to win the Big 12 with the fourth-best odds to win.
Baylor reached the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last six years, and advanced to the second round before losing to the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs.
The Bears return all four of the team’s top scorers from last season, including senior sharp shooting guard Makai Mason. Mason lead the team in scoring and assists with 14.9 ppg and 3.4 apg.
Also returning is forward Tristan Clark (14.6 ppg), and guards Mario Kegler (10.5 ppg) and Jared Butler (10.2 ppg) who each averaged double digits.
Kansas Jayhawks
Odds to Conference: +100
Record last season: (26-10 OVR, 12-6 CONF)
Kansas enters the 2019 season with an experienced roster and are the favorites to win the Big 12 at +100.
The Jayhawks had a disappointing finish last season in both the conference and NCAA Tournament - finishing third in the Big 12 and being eliminated in the second round as the fourth seed.
Kansas’ only major loss was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder Dedric Lawson. The team returns four starters and three of their top five scorers, including junior seven-foot center Udoka Azubuike, who lead the team in blocks (1.6 blkpg) and was third in scoring (13.4 ppg).
Joining the Jayhawks as well is the 15th-ranked recruiting class in the country which includes five four-star prospects.
Texas Longhorns
Odds to Conference: +500
Record last season: (21-16 OVR, 8-10 CONF)
Right behind both Kansas and Texas Tech at +500 is the Texas Longhorns. They finished sixth in the Big 12 but ended last season on a high winning the NIT Tournament in commanding fashion.
Returning to Texas is team leading scorer Kerwin Roach II. The senior guard averaged 15.1 ppg along with 4.4 rpg and 1.2 stlpg.
Sophomore Matt Coleman III joins Roach in the backcourt after averaging a team-high 3.4 assists per game and ranking fourth in scoring with 9.8 ppg.
The Longhorns once again fall right behind the Jayhawks and Red Raiders in recruiting. Texas’ recruiting class ranks 17th in the nation with three four-star recruits.
Iowa State Cyclones
Odds to Conference: +1200
Record last season: (23-12 OVR, 9-9 CONF)
Iowa State are longshots to win the conference but have great value and should strongly be considered at +1200.
The Cyclones were competitive last season finishing fifth in the conference, and earned a six seed in the NCAA Tournament before falling in the first round to Ohio State.
Iowa State’s key returner is junior forward Michael Jacobson, who lead the team in rebounds (5.9 rpg) and shooting percentage (57.6%) with 11.1 ppg.