Figuring out the common season champion of the Massive 12 got here all the way down to the ultimate day of the common season in a winner-take-all recreation between TCU and Baylor. The Horned Frogs received 51-48, capturing the Massive 12 common season title for the primary time ever in a league they’ve been a member of since 2012. It was TCU’s first common season convention title since 2005, again when it was within the Mountain West.
Everybody knew that TCU could be improved and a group to look at this season with the addition of Hailey Van Lith and a wholesome Sedona Prince, however few predicted they’d be the perfect group within the league. Within the Massive 12’s preseason ballot, Kansas State was predicted because the winner, Iowa State was picked second, Baylor third after which TCU – coming in fourth place. Even West Virginia acquired a first-place vote.
4 of these groups completed within the prime 5 of the league standings, whereas Oklahoma State – voted eleventh within the preseason ballot – completed third within the common season with a 14-4 document. Iowa State, regardless of being led by a rising star in Audi Crooks, completed seventh, however is 7-3 of their final 10 video games. West Virginia has among the finest defenses within the nation and went an ideal 16-0 at house in convention play, however struggled on the highway with 5 losses.
The Mountaineers did beat Kansas State in Morgantown by 13 factors on Feb. 17, and the Wildcats haven’t fairly regarded like the identical group as Ayoka Lee has been sidelined at numerous factors this season. With the 6-foot-6 Lee within the lineup, Kansas State has only one loss. With out her, they’ve 5. Whereas as soon as seeming like a lock to be a prime 16 seed within the NCAA Match, the Wildcats have now misplaced 4 of their final seven video games with Lee out of the lineup. However they’ve additionally confirmed they’ve the potential to defeat good opponents with out her, like once they beat TCU on Feb. 5.
That wasn’t TCU’s solely shocking lack of the season. Whereas the Horned Frogs confirmed off their excessive ceiling once they defeated Notre Dame in November, additionally they confirmed their ground in losses at Kansas State and Oklahoma State.
Put extra merely, whereas TCU is the favourite to win the Massive 12 Match this week in Kansas Metropolis, that is really a league the place anybody can beat anybody. It has embraced the mess as March Insanity approaches.
Listed here are just a few storylines to look at within the Massive 12:
Baylor at its finest
In her fourth season on the helm of the Bears, this is likely to be Nicki Collen’s finest group at Baylor. Of the 4 groups she’s had in Waco, this Baylor squad is averaging essentially the most factors per recreation (78.7), permitting the least factors per recreation (59.3), has the best margin of victory (19.4), has the perfect offensive score (107.4) and the second finest defensive score (81.6) of Collen’s tenure.
The Bears misplaced two non-conference video games away from house to Massive Ten bubble groups – Oregon and Indiana – and since then have misplaced simply 4 video games, all to AP-ranked opponents. Their two losses to TCU have been by a median margin of 4 factors.
Baylor has been taking part in with out Darianna Littlepage-Buggs – who’s averaging a double-double – for the previous few weeks, however the Bears have stepped up. 5 different Baylor gamers common not less than 9.5 factors per recreation, and one other group of 5 gamers shoots north of 35 p.c from 3-point land.
In some unspecified time in the future, Sedona Prince has to speak
Hanging over TCU’s historic season – fueled by Hailey Van Lith’s resurgence and Sedona Prince’s stellar play within the paint – are the allegations towards the latter, the 6-foot-7, 24-year-old Prince.
In accordance a prolonged investigative report from the Washington Submit, Prince faces a string of allegations associated to home violence, sexual assault, sexual misconduct and abuse. The Submit reported on a number of incidents between Prince and her companions, with one going way back to 2019 and one other as current as final month the place no fees have been filed. Two of Prince’s alleged victims spoke to the Submit on-the-record.
Prince, Horned Frogs’ coach Mark Campbell and TCU have remained mum on the state of affairs and Prince has continued to play. She’s averaging 17.6 factors and 9.4 rebounds per recreation, and she or he’s third nationally in blocks per recreation with 3.1. She additionally ranks third in win shares with 6.2.
However as March Insanity will get underway – first within the Massive 12 Match after which within the NCAA Match – Prince and Campbell might be in positions the place reporters will be capable to immediately ask them questions on these allegations. Whether or not or not they really reply to these questions stays to be seen.
Can Serena Sundell carry Kansas State?
As Ayoka Lee has been out and in of the lineup over the past a number of weeks, Serena Sundell has regarded increasingly more like Kansas State’s finest participant. Her 27 factors and excellent protection have been a giant cause why the Wildcats have been capable of defeat TCU in Manhattan in early February, and she or he’s blossomed into one of many sport’s finest passers.
Sundell, a senior, wasn’t among the many prime 5 finalists introduced this week for the Nancy Lieberman Award – given yearly to the nation’s prime level guard – however she actually ought to have been. No participant has extra assists this season than Sundell’s 220 (which averages to 7.1 per recreation, which is second nationally). Sundell can also be one among simply three gamers this season – the others are Drake’s Katie Dinnebier and Ball State’s Ally Becki – who common not less than 13 factors, 4 rebounds and 6 assists per recreation.
If Kansas State goals to win a recreation or just a few on the Massive 12 match in hopes of holding onto a prime 16 seed within the NCAA Match, it’s going to want Sundell to proceed to play at her absolute best.
Extra questions stay elsewhere within the Massive 12. Can Iowa State do sufficient to safe its bid so we will all take pleasure in Audi Crooks within the NCAA Match once more? Are Arizona and Colorado able to profitable a pair video games to get off the bubble? Can West Virginia’s protection and the stellar play of JJ Quinerly carry them to an unbelievable convention title?
The Massive 12 Match begins in earnest on Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET. All video games are on ESPN+ till the championship, which airs Sunday at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN.
