Fact or Fiction: Will The Kentucky Wildcats Go Undefeated?

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Feb 2, 2015; Lawrence, KS, USA; Iowa State Cyclones forward Georges Niang (31) has his shot blocked by Kansas Jayhawks forward Cliff Alexander (2) during the second half at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won 89-76. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Big 12 Is The Best Conference In America This Year

Tran – Fact. The Big 12 Conference is hands down the best conference in the nation this year. The ACC may have gotten all the recognition before the season began, but the Big 12 has stepped into the spotlight as the most talented conference in the country. Per sports-reference, the Big 12 has the best score in the Simple Rating System (system which takes into account average point differential and strength of schedule) at 15.20, and no team is below .500 in their overall record. The ACC may get all the attention, but, top to bottom, the Big 12 has proven they are the top power conference this season.

Sherman – Fact. The Big 12 has seven solid teams. The ACC has five teams (Virginia, Duke, UNC, Louisville, Notre Dame) then everyone else.

Piasecki – Fiction. Though it depends how you technically define “best”, I think the top heavy nature of the ACC makes it the nation’s best basketball conference this year. The Big 12 has a number of very good teams such as Iowa State, West Virginia and of course, Kansas, but I don’t see any of those teams challenging the likes of Duke, Virginia, Notre Dame and Louisville come March.

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Lopez – Fact. It’s between the Big 12 and the ACC for that particular distinction. Both currently have 6 teams ranked in the AP Top 25 and both have their fair share of statement wins on the season. I look to either conference’s best two teams – Virginia and Duke for the ACC, Kansas and Iowa State for the Big 12. I feel both Kansas and Iowa State are better suited for runs deep into the tournament. Their styles of play are both more rounded, while Duke is prone to defensive lapses and Virginia relies very heavily on their admittedly impressive defense. Both Kansas and Iowa State, however, can play average defense while putting lots of points on the board. The Big 12 also has the second highest SOS on the season, trailing only the Big East

Bennett – Fiction. This award goes to the ACC. While the ACC has some bottom dwellers, its top five are the best anywhere in the country. They boast have five legitimate teams that could make a deep NCAA tournament run in Virginia, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Duke and Louisville. There have also been bubble teams who have big wins over some of the top five in NC State, Miami and Pittsburgh. The Big 12 has many vying for the label of “second-best” in the conference behind Kansas, but, overall, their top five isn’t on the same level as the ACC.

Parker – Fiction. While the depth of the Big 12 is impressive, it doesn’t seem to have the same firepower at the top of the conference as the ACC. Virginia looks elite, and Duke did for the early part of the season. On that note, it wasn’t until Duke hit ACC play that it stopped looking like a team that might be favored over Kentucky.

Miller – Fact. Look, I realize the ACC has five teams currently in the top 12 of the AP Poll. But outside of that? Only Miami, NC State, and Syracuse, freshly banned from postseason play, had a chance at tournament bids entering the week. The Big 12 could conceivably send 7 of it’s 10 members to the dance this year. It’s a much better conference top-to-bottom. The ACC is strong at the top with Virginia and Duke, but the bottom of the conference is horrible.

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