We're quickly approaching March and the NCAA Tournament field is starting to take shape. The experts will alter their predictions week in and week out because college basketball fluctuates so much.
That being said, let's take a peek at where the Big 12 Conference currently stands with its projected representatives in March Madness.
The Big 12 is currently clear of the NCAA Tournament bubble
ESPN's Joe Lunardi and CBS Sports' Jerry Palm are the forefront experts on how the NCAA Tournament bracket will look come selection Sunday on March 16. So far, they have eight teams from the Big 12 well inside the field of 64. This week's edition of projections doesn't feature any of them on the tournament bubble, meaning they'd all avoid having to play in Dayton, Ohio to just make the first round of competition.
Tournament locks: Houston, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Arizona and Kansas
Five squads are practically guaranteed to be playing next month for a national title. It would be beyond shocking if anyone like Kansas (19-9) or Arizona (18-9) somehow went on a devastating losing streak over the final two weeks of the regular season and crashed out of the Big 12 tournament very early.
Houston, Iowa State and Texas Tech are projected to be top 3 seeds which puts them on track to potentially reach the Sweet Sixteen at least. Anything can happen once the tournament starts but these will be the squads to watch and maybe put some wagers on to win their region if not the whole thing.
Probably in: Baylor, West Virginia and BYU
The last three programs in the field for the Big 12 shouldn't have trouble hearing their names on Selection Sunday, however, there's still a chance they slip up between now and then. West Virginia is considered one of the "last four byes" by Lunardi, meaning they're projected to not have to play-in at the First Four in Dayton.
BYU has a signature win over Kansas (in dominating fashion, no less), but it shouldn't rest on those laurels to get it into the field of 64. There's little to indicate the Cougars can't win out or at least go deep in the Big 12 tournament to secure their spot. Keep an eye on the boys from Provo, Utah to potentially be a serious dark horse threat next month.