By Tony George 

They are coming to Kansas City, and yours truly, who owned this conference again this year with over 60% winners for the 8th straight season will be at every game in Kansas City in person with a pass for this tourney!  After dominating the MO Valley tourney and conference in the past 2 weeks, I turn my attention to this tourney, WHERE IS EVERYONE ELSE IS PLAYING FOR SECOND PLACE.  Kansas will be unbeatable in here as they are 45 minutes away from campus and the place is will be rocking with KU fans. I went 6-3 ATS in this tourney last year and won my Tourney GOY as well.  I may limit my picks this year, there is some parity after the top 2  or 3 teams here, so be aware of that.

There are going to be some interesting pairings here and both Baylor and Kansas State will be in the running here.  This tourney opens up March 10th on Wednesday with little fanfare because all 4 teams, which are identical in my power ratings as the top 4 seeds, have a bye.  Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in the opening round will be interesting as Okie State was a beast at home all year including handing the Jayhawks their only conference loss all year, but they are a different animal on the road.   Texas has to get past Iowa State who just upended Kansas State on the road this past Saturday, and with the way Texas plays, you never know.  The opening lines will determine my selections.

Kansas will have to get past Texas AM in their bracket and Kansas State has either Baylor or Texas, provided the Longhorns can get past Iowa State and play the Bears as K State should be able to beat the winner of the OU / Okie State game.  Nothing comes easy here for anyone and there may be a wild card along the way, but I just do not see someone rising from the ashes here to make a run.  There are at least 6 NCAA Tourney teams in the mix here for the Big 12, but again, Kansas is just heads and shoulders above everyone else.

I have a gut feeling that Baylor is a sleeper team here in the lower bracket.  Kansas will dominate the upper bracket, so the real competition will be in the lower bracket as mentioned.  I predict a Baylor and Kansas final with KU dominating in this tourney.  It will come down to K State and Baylor for the right to play Kansas.  Below are my final season ending power ratings to measure against the Las Vegas line.

CONFERENCE TOURNEY – SPRINT CENTER- KANSAS CITY

FINAL 2010 POWER RATINGS

Kansas 99 - (add 3 points for neutral site, but in KC)
 
Kansas State 96 - (add 2 points for neutral site in KC)

Baylor  94
 
Texas AM  92

Texas 89
 
Missouri 88 - (add 2 points for neutral site in KC)

Oklahoma State 87
 
Texas Tech 83
 
Oklahoma 81
 
Colorado 80

Iowa State 79
 
Nebraska 76

NOTE:  Tony George ended the regular season and some conference action on FIRE!  A 13-3 ATS run in NCAA Hoops, a 60% ATS February, and is putting 18 years of experience to work for you in March Madness.  Check out my ECONOMY BUSTING INVESTMENT for March Madness, conference tourneys, NIT and NCAA Tourneys for $139 this season.  ONE OF THE HOTTEST CAPPES IN THE NCAA RIGHT NOW!  www.pregamepros.com