The Kansas Jayhawks are the favorites in the Big 12 tournament despite taking control of the conference for the first time last week. The Texas Longhorns were the conference leaders much of the season only losing their first Big 12 game on February 19. The problem is that Texas' loss that day was the first of three three total losses over the next nine days which helped them give control of the Big 12 to Kansas.
So the Jayhawks now sit here as the favorites to win the Big 12 tournament, and it's hard to argue with that. Here are three reasons Kansas will win the Big 12 tournament this week.
Kansas is the deepest team in the conference and can handle playing three physical games in three days. I'm not sure every team, like K-State for example, can handle playing that many games in a row. KU's eighth and ninth guys would start on most teams in the conference so, in theory, they'll be fresher than anyone.
Kansas has the best player in the conference. Marcus Morris took home the conference player of the year award ahead of guys like Colorado's Alec Burks and Kansas State's Jacob Pullen. I think Kansas needs a couple of big games from Morris to win this tournament and I think they'll get it. All these teams have played Kansas, and their goal is going to be to stop Marcus Morris. KU's ability to work against that will be key.
Kansas has the best coach in the conference. Oh, you didn't hear Bill Self won Big 12 coach of the year? Yeah, he's good and his ability to manage his players will stand out in a sprint like the Big 12 tourney. He knows how to put the pieces of the puzzle together so that the team is operating most effectively.
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