The 2026 Big 12 men's basketball tournament kicked off in Kansas City, Missouri, with several upsets in the first round on March 10. Arizona enters as the top seed after a dominant regular season, while Houston sits as the No. 2 seed. Second-round action on March 11 featured decisive wins for Iowa State and Brigham Young.
The Big 12 men's basketball tournament, held in Kansas City, Missouri, has hosted the event nearly every year since the 1996-97 season, except for five occasions. Kansas and Iowa State have dominated historically, combining for 18 of the last 28 titles. This year's expanded league brings new contenders, following Houston's victory over Arizona in the 2025 championship.
Arizona secured the No. 1 seed with an unbeaten non-conference record and only two league losses. Houston follows as the No. 2 seed, known for its reliable defense suited for tournament play. Other strong teams include Kansas, Texas Tech, and Iowa State, all vying for the automatic NCAA Tournament bid amid deep competition.
In the first round on March 10, No. 12 Arizona State defeated No. 13 Baylor 83-79, led by 19 points from Anthony "Pig" Johnson. Arizona State held a nine-point halftime lead, though Baylor outscored them 44-39 in the second half. This loss marks Baylor's first NCAA Tournament miss in seven years under coach Scott Drew.
Other first-round results included No. 9 Cincinnati beating No. 16 Utah 73-66, No. 10 Brigham Young topping No. 15 Kansas State 105-91, and No. 14 Oklahoma State overcoming No. 11 Colorado 92-83.
The second round on March 11 saw No. 5 Iowa State crush Arizona State 91-42, No. 8 Central Florida edge No. 9 Cincinnati 66-65 in overtime, and No. 10 Brigham Young defeat No. 7 West Virginia 68-48. No. 6 TCU faced No. 14 Oklahoma State later that evening on ESPNU.
Quarterfinals are set for March 12 on ESPN and ESPN2, with Arizona facing Central Florida, Houston against Brigham Young, Texas Tech versus Iowa State, and Kansas against the TCU-Oklahoma State winner. Semifinals follow on March 13, and the championship on March 14 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Key players include BYU's freshman AJ Dybantsa, Kansas' Darryn Peterson, Texas Tech's Christian Anderson, Arizona's Koa Peat, and Iowa State's Joshua Jefferson. Bubble teams like Central Florida hold solid positions, while Cincinnati and West Virginia need more wins for NCAA consideration.