Big 12 Basketball: 3 biggest surprises of the 2017-18 season

The Big 12 from top to bottom was the best overall basketball conference. Which surprising teams help made the league so strong?

At the end of the non-conference, there were legitimate conversations about all 10 teams making the NCAA Tournament. Not one of them had more than one loss on their record, and each team had at least one star that could carry them to a win on any given night.

Even with Iowa State’s 4-14 record, there were really no disappointments within the league. But there were some surprises. Here were the top three from the Big 12.

3. Kansas State Wildcats 25-12 (10-8)

In all honesty, even without their Elite Eight run, their season was still a big success. Despite going through some injuries, the Wildcats were able to finish in the top half of the league, which by any standard is an impressive accomplishment. The biggest development was the emergence of their stars Dean Wade and Barry Brown, who each should be First-Team Preseason players.

2. Oklahoma Sooners 18-14 (8-10)

The last couple of months wasn’t good, but based on this roster – was this really a tournament team? Take away Trae Young and this team doesn’t win four games in conference play. Whether you think they deserved an at-large bid or not, the Sooners were far better than we expected overall.

1. Texas Tech Red Raiders 27-10 (11-7)

Even after going through a four-game skid thanks to an injury to Keenan Evans, Texas Tech still finished tied for second place in the conference. The Red Raiders were the biggest contender to Kansas this season and even got a win at their place to establish themselves as a viable BIg 12 champion.

Next: 10 biggest transfer busts of the season

It was poetic justice that the team was able to make history with their first-ever Elite Eight appearance this season, continuing what was an excellent season. Few expected Texas Tech to be as good as they were, showing that nothing is a sure thing in college basketball.