College basketball 2022-23 Big 12 betting guide

This is our first NCAA Hoops Conference Betting Guide. What I am hoping to do with each is to set you up for the season to come with some quick insight into each team, and identify a futures play or two per league to consider making right now. 

Those future odds are about winning the regular season title, not the conference tournament or predictive of success in the NCAA Tournament.

Big 12 Conference Betting Guide

It is easy to make the statement that the Big 12 is the best basketball conference. They have the past two champs in Baylor and Kansas, and even Texas Tech made it to the title game just a few years ago. Kansas had a stranglehold on the league for years but they split the regular season title with Baylor last year, making it two league titles in a row for the Bears. Baylor looks primed for another season of great success but there is a lot of competition at the top. 

Regular-Season Winner Odds

Baylor Bears +185
Baylor lost 4 players who scored at least 9ppg from a year ago but they are still poised for a lot of success this season. They might have the best backcourt in the country in Adam Flagler, LJ Cryer, and freshman Keyonte George, a future lottery pick. Baylor is just as much of a basketball school as a football school under coach Scott Drew. Maybe more.

Kansas Jayhawks +260

The defending champs are going to be very good again. Like Baylor, they lost a lot including multiple players to the NBA. Versatile forward Jalen Wilson is the key. He has to step up and become one of the best players in the league. If that happens there is more than enough talent for Kansas to be in the hunt in the B12 and nationally. 

Texas Longhorns +340

The Longhorns were good last season, but things did not quite come together the way they wanted under coach Chris Beard in Year 1. This was a team that could beat any opponent, but at the same time could lose to any opponent too. This year they are hoping for more consistency and they have everything they need to get there. This is a nice value for sure.

Texas Tech Red Raiders +650

Nobody wanted to play the Red Raiders under Beard and that is still the case under Mark Adams, who has maintained the elite defense they are known for. The question this season is the talent base, as they lost important players to transfer. The ceiling of this group looks a little lower this season.

TCU Horned Frogs +1500

This looks like the best squad Jamie Dixon has had at TCU. Guard Mike Miles Jr is a candidate for POY and they did not lose much from a team that scared the big boys including beating Kansas during the regular season. They have a nice balance coming into the year. 

Oklahoma State Cowboys +2000

When it comes to talent, this team can be right there with the top of the league. Guard Bryce Thompson and big man Moussa Cisse are former 5-star recruits who transferred into the program last year. If they make a big jump as juniors they could both be all-league talents. Consistency is the key for them and the team. 

West Virginia Mountaineers +2500

This team lost a lot and then filled up the roster with transfers. Forward Tre Mitchell was a tad disappointing last season with Texas, but at least he knows the league well. Coach Bob Huggins might have done his best coaching job if he gets more than expected out of this group. 

Iowa State Cyclones +4000

The Cyclones were the greatest surprise nationally last season, however, a repeat performance is very unlikely with all of the players who have moved on. They are awesome at making games ugly and doubled down on that strategy with the addition of rim protector Osun Osunniyi from St. Bonaventure. 

Oklahoma Sooners +5000

Hopefully, Porter Moser has established proof of concept with the Sooners. He has a lot of size on the roster this season and that should mean he can implement a strong defensive unit like he did at Loyola. He needs more scoring if he wants to get into the top half of the league though. 

Kansas State Wildcats +20000

There is a major gap at the bottom of the league (just look at those odds) where first-year coach Jerome Tang just doesn’t have much to work with in Manhattan. Marquis Nowell is just 5’8” and the Little Rock transfer might have to do all the heavy lifting for the Wildcats this season.

Best Bet:  Baylor - The Bears are still a decent value, even at the top of the table.

Sleeper Pick:  TCU - This well-coached team has all of the elements you need to break through (remember, this is a regular season title)