After too many years of tough talk followed by disappointing NCAA tournament performances, the Big 12 really needed to deliver this March. Deliver it has.
Thanks to high-scoring guards gifted at defending, breaking down defenses and knocking down 3-pointers and free throws, the conference can boast that 40 percent of its members reached the Sweet 16: Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech and West Virginia.
The 15-member ACC also has four schools in the Sweet 16: Clemson, Duke, Florida State and Syracuse.
The Big Ten (Michigan and Purdue) and SEC (Kentucky and Texas A&M) are the only other conferences with more than one Sweet 16 representative. The Big East (Villanova), Missouri Valley (Loyola of Chicago), Mountain West (Nevada) and West Coast (Gonzaga) all have a school still in the hunt for a national title.
The four surviving Big 12 schools were the top four seeds in the Big 12 tournament and all made it to the semifinals in Sprint Center.
A look at NCAA tournament stats produced by the four lead guards — junior Barry Brown and seniors Jevon Carter, Keenan Evans and Devonte’ Graham — who have led their Big 12 squads to consecutive victories:
| Big 12 G (School) | PPG | A/TO | FT-A (pct.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jevon Carter (WVU) | 24.5 | 13/3 | 6-8 (.750) |
| Keenan Evans (TT) | 22.5 | 6/7 | 13-15 (.867) |
| Devonte’ Graham (KU) | 18.5 | 15/7 | 14-17 (.824) |
| Barry Brown (KSU) | 18.0 | 3/9 | 15-18 (.833) |
