The 2021-2022 men’s basketball season was one for the books. With the Big 12 Tournament concluding in March of 2022, there were plenty of surprises and unexpected outcomes throughout the tournament. In the end, it was the Texas Tech Red Raiders who emerged victorious, taking home the Big 12 Tournament Championship.
Overview of the Big 12 Tournament
The Big 12 Tournament is an annual college basketball tournament held in the United States. Established in 1997, the tournament is held in the first week of March and features all ten teams in the Big 12 Conference. The tournament is single-elimination and the winner receives the Big 12 Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The 2021-2022 Big 12 Tournament
The 2021-2022 Big 12 Tournament was held in Kansas City, Missouri from March 9th-13th. The tournament featured the top ten teams in the Big 12 standings and was played on a single-elimination basis. The top four seeds received a bye in the first round, while the remaining six seeds played in four first-round games.
The tournament opened with an exciting first round, as all four games were decided by three points or less. The second round featured four games with an upset, as the sixth-seeded Iowa State Cyclones pulled off a stunning upset over the third-seeded Kansas Jayhawks. The quarterfinals featured another upset, as the seventh-seeded Oklahoma Sooners took down the second-seeded Baylor Bears.
The Final Four
The Final Four of the 2021-2022 Big 12 Tournament featured the fourth-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys, the seventh-seeded Oklahoma Sooners, the fifth-seeded Texas Longhorns, and the top-seeded Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The first semifinal game was an exciting one, as the Oklahoma State Cowboys took down the Texas Longhorns in a thrilling overtime game. The second semifinal saw the Texas Tech Red Raiders defeat the Oklahoma Sooners, setting up an all-Texas final.
The Championship Game
The championship game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Oklahoma State Cowboys was a back-and-forth affair. The Red Raiders jumped out to an early lead, only to see the Cowboys claw their way back into the game. In the end, the Red Raiders held off a late surge by the Cowboys to take home the Big 12 Tournament Championship with a final score of 68-65.
Texas Tech Wins the Big 12 Tournament
The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the 2021-2022 Big 12 Tournament Champions. The Red Raiders, who entered the tournament as the top seed, went undefeated in the tournament and capped off their run with a thrilling three-point win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the championship game. The Red Raiders received the Big 12 Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they are expected to make a deep run.
Conclusion
The 2021-2022 Big 12 Tournament was an exciting one, with plenty of surprises and unexpected outcomes. In the end, it was the Texas Tech Red Raiders who emerged victorious, taking home the Big 12 Tournament Championship. The Red Raiders now look ahead to the NCAA Tournament, where they hope to make a deep run and continue their 2021-2022 season success.