Big 12 Tournament Favorite: Houston (+100)
It is baffling how little notoriety this Houston team has gotten due to falling into the shadow of both UConn and Purdue for the majority of the season. We are starting to see the Cougars get some well-deserved recognition as many bracketologists, including us, have put them as the second overall #1 seed ahead of the Huskies. They are led by senior Jamal Shead, who is the best two-way guard in the country. Shead will cover the opposing team's best player like a blanket for a full 30 seconds and then blow past them for an easy bucket on the other end. He is one-of-a-kind and for a head coach like Kelvin Sampson to sing his praises so often, we know he simply has to be an incredible leader within the locker room.
Houston boasts the top defense in the country, according to KenPom. They have held 15 opponents to 55 points or fewer this season and have only lost tight matchups on the road outside of a double-digit defeat to Kansas, who may be mailing this tournament in.
