Big 12 Basketball: Final Team Grades and Rankings for the 2017-18 season

4. West Virginia Mountaineers 26-11 (11-7)

2017-18 postseason result: NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen

Season Grade: B

It’s a bit unfair to say that West Virginia should’ve accomplished more this season, especially running up against the juggernaut Villanova Wildcats. But the Mountaineers could’ve easily avoided this fate, had they not choked leads on several occasions.

This team had double-digit second-half leads against Kentucky and Kansas (twice), only to let them slip at the end. Wins against any of them would’ve allowed West Virginia to not get a four seed, and put them into better position. Those games really did cost them at the end.

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

2017-18 postseason result: NCAA Tournament Elite Eight

Season Grade: A+

On a few occasions, Kansas State suffered a serious injury to a key starter. But rather than falling by the wayside, the Wildcats were over .500 in the Big 12 in route to an at-large bid.

They were then supposed to lose early in the NCAA Tournament after leading scorer Dean Wade was unable to play. That turned out not to be true, with everyone else stepping up to upset Kentucky to reach the Elite Eight.

There were some criticisms about Bruce Weber’s coaching ability, but this season should halt those talks for sure.