Big 12 Basketball: 10 questions looming for the 2021-22 season

Apr 3, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Scott Drew talks with guard Jared Butler (12) and guard Davion Mitchell (45) and forward Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (23) and guard Mark Vital (11) during the first half against the Houston Cougars in the national semifinals of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jay Wright Big 12 Basketball Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Who poses the biggest challenge in the Big 12/Big East Battle?

Big 12 and Big East Basketball will clash in the month of December, marking the third year of Big 12/Big East Battle. Here’s a look at three matchups that should be fun to watch on this year’s slate.

Dec. 8 – Connecticut Huskies at West Virginia Mountaineers

The West Virginia Mountaineers and UConn Huskies meet for the first since 2014 in this year’s Big 12/Big East Battle. The Mountaineers won their last meeting on November 23, 2014, with a 78-68 victory.

Dan Hurley and the Huskies are fresh off a 15-8 season and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament so West Virginia can expect nothing but their best. RJ Cole and Akok Akok are two names to keep an eye on this matchup.

Dec. 12 – Villanova Wildcats at Baylor Bears

The Baylor Bears and Villanova Wildcats will square off in a rematch of their 2021 NCAA Tournament meeting in the Big 12/Big East Battle. The Bears are 2-0 historically against the Wildcats following their 62-51 victory in last year’s Elite Eight.

It was an 18-point swing in the second half that led Baylor to the win in the end and it will certainly be on the Wildcats’ mind when the two teams meet.

Villanova will look to get their first victory over Baylor on Dec. 12.

Dec. 18 – TCU Horned Frogs at Georgetown Hoyas

Things haven’t gone quite according to plan for the TCU Horned Frogs and Jamie Dixon in recent seasons. They went 12-14 this past season and 5-11 in Big 12 basketball play. If anything is an early indicator of the season, it will be their meeting against the Georgetown Hoyas.

Georgetown, on the other hand, is fresh off its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2015. The seat could start heating up if Dixon and company can’t secure this one on the road.

It will be the first time in school history that either team faces each other.

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