Should Big 12’s strength give it extra benefit of doubt in NCAA Tournament selection?

The Big 12 Men’s Championship game is set with the top two seeds, Houston and Iowa State, meeting on Saturday at 5 p.m. at T-Mobile Center, as college basketball moves one step close to judgment day.

Nothing that happens in the title game should have an impact on Big 12 teams’ positioning for Selection Sunday, when the 68-team bracket will be revealed. The league should lead college basketball in teams selected, as many as nine, a reward for its season-long dominance.

But the Big 12 is no different from other conferences when it comes to bubble teams at this time of year, as coaches for teams perceived to be outside the field made their case at the conference tournament this week.

If the Big 12 is the nation’s top conference, as polls and analytics suggest, shouldn’t teams like Kansas State (19-14) and Cincinnati (20-14) receive a larger benefit of the doubt?

After all, the majority of conference games are against teams that will be in the NCAA Tournament.

“I believe this league deserves 10 or 11 teams in the tournament, no doubt about it,” Cincinnati’s Wes Miller said.

Houston and Iowa State will lead the way next week. They’re the top two seeds in the Big 12 Tournament, and they’re projected as No. 1 (Houston) and No. 2 (Iowa State) seeds in the NCAAs.

The top-ranked Cougars (30-3) rolled into the final with an 82-59 dusting of Texas Tech behind 20 points from L.J. Cryer and a 12-point, 10-assist effort from Big 12 Player of the Year Jamal Shead.

Iowa State (26-7) reached its first Big 12 final since 2019 after romping third-seeded Baylor 76-62. The Cyclones, led by Keshon Gilbert’s 20 points, sizzled from deep, hitting 50% (10-of-20) of their 3-point shots.

An Iowa State streak will be on the line. The Cyclones have never lost a Big 12 championship game (5-0).

The finalists will have a relaxing Selection Sunday. No so much the teams on the outside, according to the projections. When their teams were eliminated from the league tournament, coaches used the postgame podium as a pulpit to make their cases.

Kansas State’s Jerome Tang said he’s applying “crazy faith” about the Wildcats’ NCAA credentials after the loss to Iowa State in the quarterfinal round.

Miller fired back at ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi, whose updates are a constant presence during conference games.

“Good thing Joe Lunardi isn’t on the NCAA Tournament selection committee because he ain’t been on our side,” Miller said.

Based on a consensus of bracket projections updated daily on bracketmatrix.com, K-State and Cincinnati would be the first Big 12 teams out of the field.

Both improved their credentials in Kansas City. The Wildcats defeated Texas and one of the Bearcats’ two victories was over Kansas. The Longhorns and Jayhawks, along with Houston, Iowa State, Baylor, BYU and Texas Tech aren’t sweating out announcements on Sunday.

TCU and Oklahoma are considered to be on the right side of the bubble, and the Big 12 is looking to land at least nine. But Miller said more are deserving.

Coaches in other conferences express similar sentiments during conference tournament week. Among the themes taking shape is an oldie but goodie: the worthiness of power conference vs. mid-majors. Indiana State is perhaps this best example of the mid-major battle.

The Sycamores stand 28-6 but lost in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game to Drake, which gets the league’s automatic NCAA bid. Indiana State is on the bubble because of its poor strength of schedule. Programs from power conferences, like the Big 12, don’t have that issue because of their overall conference strength.

“I’ve been in other people’s shoes,” said Miller, formerly the head coach at UNC Greensboro. “I’ve been in mid-major programs that had a chance to get an at-large.

“After coaching in (the Big 12), I don’t know (how) this league doesn’t get a massive amount of bids. There is just nothing like it in college basketball right now.”