Big Games in Big 12 and Big East

In many ways, postseason tournaments are a silly exercise, where three or four days of basketball can wipe away or enhance four months of toiling for players and coaches. However, in the Big 12 and Big East, at least this season, all four nationally ranked teams are already going to the Big Dance and this one is for honor and recognition, played out in prime time on ESPN. It promises to be quite a Saturday night.

Sunflower state battle

The sunflower might be a beautiful delicate flower, which will be in direct contrast to the bragging rights one final time (maybe), as Kansas and Kansas State meet for the Big 12 title in Kansas City.

The Jayhawks are the top team in the land and have owned their state partner, with 30-2 and 22-10 ATS record dating back to 1997. Kansas won both games this season, but Kansas State is not worrying about the past.

“That’s our goal (winning the Big 12 championship) right now,” said Kansas State guard Jacob Pullen, who’s averaging a team-leading 19.1 points. “We have the opportunity in front of us.” The Wildcats just missed knocking off Kansas at Manhattan, falling 81-79 in overtime as four point underdogs.

Kansas State has handled two good clubs in downing Oklahoma State and Baylor in this tournament and is 15-3 and 10-4 ATS after covering the spread this season. K-State coach Frank Martin is cautiously optimistic about this contest.

“I’ve got to think that it’s going to be the best environment of any conference championship game in the country,” Martin said. “I just hope we play well, because if not, it might be a long day against those guys.” His squad is 15-5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Kansas has to be one CBS analyst Clark Kellogg’s favorite teams since he can use one of his favorite pet words “spurtability”. The Jayhawks can look disinterested, matching baskets and quicker than Manny Pacquiao jab, the Jayhawks will run off eight straight points to take control, which is basically how they’ve handled both Texas Tech and Texas A&M. Kansas earned just their fourth cover in 13 tries in win over Aggies.

The Jayhawks are 5.5-point favorites according to Bookmaker.com with total of 147.5 and the favorite is 18-6 ATS, with the last six bitter battles producing 5-1 OVER mark. ESPN has the Big 12 title game between these Top 10 teams at 6:00 Eastern.

Cream to the top in Big Apple

The Big East Tournament has turned into lunacy the last several years with a myriad of upsets and unusual happenings, but in the end, it seems the best teams always emerge in the finals. Georgetown has gotten what it needs from its best three players to advance to this point at Madison Square Garden. Greg Monroe (serious player of the tourney candidate), Chris Wright and Austin Freeman have led the charge for the eighth-seeded Hoyas, who are 5-0 SU and ATS at neutral sites this season.

West Virginia is chasing a number of factors Saturday night. The Mountaineers were the only top four seed to advance in this tournament and rumors are circulating a Big East title might push them up to No.1 seed depending on how everything shakes out. West Virginia has never won this tournament and the players comprehend the significance.

“It would mean the world to me, just because it would be the first one, and I was part of the team,” star forward Da’Sean Butler said. “It would be something special.” The Mountaineers have yet to lose in tourney action this season with 5-0 record, but are 2-3 ATS.

West Virginia is hopeful peculiar spread run continues, at least for the short term. Coach Bob Huggins squad is 6-8 ATS in last 14 games and has covered two and failed to cover two in blocks since Jan. 26. The Teers have not covered their last two games and hopes things change to their benefit this time around.

West Virginia has won and covered previous two meetings, but lost to G-Town 72-55 in the semi-finals in this event in 2008. The Mountaineers played for the title in 2005, before falling to Syracuse. Georgetown is making third appearance in the final game in four years and 13th overall in its 30-year history.

“At the end of the day, now it’s the championship game,” Monroe said. “I know as a team we came here to win this tournament, and I mean, (Saturday) the lights are going to be on. We have to be prepared to play.”

The Hoyas are two-point underdogs with total of 132.5, with the tipoff set for just after 9:00 Eastern.