Big 12 tournament power rankings: 10 players ready to own Kansas City

There is nothing easy about surviving the Big 12 in March.

That is what makes this tournament so much fun. Every round feels like a problem. Every matchup feels physical. Every team has at least one player capable of stealing a game and turning the bracket sideways. Arizona comes into Kansas City as the regular-season champ at 29-2 overall and 16-2 in league play, but nobody in this field is going to feel comfortable for long. Houston is lurking. Kansas still has Bill Self and enough talent to scare everybody. Iowa State is tough as always. BYU has one of the most electric stars in the country. Even the teams opening on Tuesday have players good enough to swing the whole week.

The 2026 Big 12 tournament runs March 10-14 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, with Arizona, Houston, Kansas and Texas Tech all receiving double byes into Thursday’s quarterfinals. That means the stars at the top of this list may have to wait a little longer to take the floor, while others will be thrown straight into the chaos on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Here is our list of the top 10 dudes that could own the week in Kansas City.

10. Cameron Carr, Baylor

Baylor has had a bumpy season, finishing 16-15 overall and 6-12 in Big 12 play, but Cameron Carr gives the Bears a real puncher’s chance every time they walk on the floor. He averaged 19.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 51.7 percent from the field, which is a big reason Baylor still feels dangerous despite the record.

The Bears open the tournament as the No. 13 seed against No. 12 Arizona State in the first round on Tuesday, so Carr will be on center stage right away. If Baylor is going to become one of those classic Kansas City teams that hangs around longer than expected, it probably starts with Carr getting downhill early and making tough shots.

9. Robert Wright III, BYU

AJ Dybantsa gets the headlines, and deservedly so, but Robert Wright III is a huge reason BYU still feels like a team nobody wants to deal with this early in the bracket. This is without Richie Saunders, who is out for the season.

Wright averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 assists and shot 41.4 percent from three, giving the Cougars a steady second creator who can score on his own or make life easier for everyone else.

BYU finished 21-10 overall and 9-9 in Big 12 play, earning the No. 10 seed and a Tuesday first-round game against No. 15 Kansas State. In a tournament setting, guards who can calm a game down without slowing it down too much matter a lot, and Wright fits that description.

8. Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

Texas Tech lost a lot when JT Toppin went down with a season-ending torn ACL in February, and that reality changes the feel of this tournament for the Red Raiders. It also puts even more weight on Christian Anderson, who has been terrific.

Anderson averaged 19.2 points and 7.8 assists while shooting 42.7 percent from beyond the arc, giving Texas Tech a guard who can score, organize and rescue possessions when things get messy.

The Red Raiders finished 22-9 overall and 12-6 in the Big 12, good for the No. 4 seed, so Anderson’s first tournament game will come Thursday in the quarterfinals against the winner of Iowa State’s side of the bracket. With Toppin out, Texas Tech’s margin for error gets thinner, which only makes Anderson more important.

7. Emanuel Sharp, Houston

You know what Houston is going to bring. The Cougars are going to defend. They are going to make every catch difficult. They are going to turn the game into a grind and dare you to stay composed for 40 minutes.

Emanuel Sharp matters because he gives Kelvin Sampson’s group a scorer who can punish teams once the defense does its job. Sharp averaged 15.8 points per game this season and remains one of the biggest shot-makers on a Houston team that finished 26-5 overall and 14-4 in the league.

As the No. 2 seed, the Cougars will not play until Thursday’s quarterfinals, when they face the winner that comes out of the BYU-Kansas State-West Virginia section of the bracket.

6. Brayden Burries, Arizona

Arizona has looked like the most complete team in the conference for most of the season, and Brayden Burries is one of the reasons why.

The freshman averaged 16.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, and more importantly, he has played with the kind of confidence that makes Arizona feel deep instead of merely talented.

Tommy Lloyd’s team won the league at 29-2 overall and 16-2 in conference play, earning the No. 1 seed and a Thursday quarterfinal opener.

5. Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State

Iowa State always seems to show up in March with a team that looks hard to play against, and Milan Momcilovic gives the Cyclones a real offensive edge.

He averaged 17.0 points per game and shot a blistering 50.0 percent from three this season, which is the kind of shooting number that changes an entire scouting report.

Iowa State finished 25-6 overall and 12-6 in the Big 12, landing the No. 5 seed. That means Momcilovic’s first tournament game will be Wednesday in the second round against the winner of Arizona State-Baylor.

4. P.J. Haggerty, Kansas State

Kansas State’s record is rough. There is no way around that. The Wildcats went 12-19 overall and just 3-15 in conference play.

But P.J. Haggerty still walks into Kansas City as one of the most gifted scorers in the field. He averaged 23.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists, carrying an enormous workload on a nightly basis.

Kansas State is the No. 15 seed and opens Tuesday against No. 10 BYU, so Haggerty will have to be brilliant immediately.

3. Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Kansas has not looked dominant all season, but nobody who knows this sport is going to dismiss a Bill Self team in March.

Darryn Peterson is the biggest reason why. The freshman star has averaged nearly 20 points per game and has shown the ability to take over games offensively while also creating opportunities for teammates.

Kansas finished 22-9 overall and 12-6 in Big 12 play, earning the No. 3 seed. That means Peterson will make his first appearance in the Big 12 tournament Thursday night in the quarterfinals.

2. Koa Peat, Arizona

Arizona has stars on the perimeter, but Koa Peat is one of the players who gives the Wildcats their edge as a championship favorite.

He averaged 13.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks this season, bringing physicality and rim protection that few teams in the conference can match.

Since Arizona has the double bye, Peat’s first Big 12 tournament game will come Thursday in the quarterfinals. If he controls the paint the way he has all season, the Wildcats will be extremely difficult to beat.

1. AJ Dybantsa, BYU

This is the one everybody will be watching.

AJ Dybantsa led the conference in scoring at 24.7 points per game while adding 6.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists. His combination of scoring ability, size and confidence has made him one of the most exciting players in college basketball this season.

BYU finished 21-10 overall and 9-9 in Big 12 play, meaning the Cougars begin the tournament Tuesday night against Kansas State.

If Dybantsa catches fire early in Kansas City, BYU could quickly become one of the biggest stories of Championship Week.

Big 12 tournament bracket schedule

The Big 12 tournament runs March 10-14 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

Top seeds
1 Arizona: 29-2 (16-2 Big 12)
2 Houston: 26-5 (14-4)
3 Kansas: 22-9 (12-6)
4 Texas Tech: 22-9 (12-6)

First round — March 10
Arizona State vs Baylor
Cincinnati vs Utah
BYU vs Kansas State
Colorado vs Oklahoma State

Second round — March 11
Iowa State vs Game 1 winner
UCF vs Game 2 winner
West Virginia vs Game 3 winner
TCU vs Game 4 winner

Quarterfinals — March 12
Texas Tech vs Game 5 winner
Arizona vs Game 6 winner
Houston vs Game 7 winner
Kansas vs Game 8 winner

Semifinals — March 13

Championship — March 14

The Big 12 has spent the entire season proving it might be the toughest league in college basketball. Kansas City now becomes the stage where those stars try to turn great seasons into a conference championship.