Big 12 Basketball Tournament: What every team needs in Kansas City this week

7. Texas needs to improve their seed in the NCAA Tournament 

Entering the week of the Big 12 Tournament, Texas is projected to be in the 8-9 matchup. Obviously, the potential of that matchup brings a cause for concern for fans of any program, because you are likely to face a 1-seed should you win the 8-9 tossup game. The problem with facing a 1-seed should go without saying, but for Texas, it may create an even greater cause for concern. Texas has not faired well against quality opponents this season. Texas is just 5-9 against Quad 1 opponents including blowout losses to Marquette, Houston, and Kansas. They also have double-digit losses to UConn, BYU, and Texas Tech. The Longhorns' best win of the season came in a 2-point home victory over the Baylor Bears. If the Longhorns want a chance to reach the Sweet 16, it starts with picking up some wins in Kansas City to improve their seeding. 

6. Kansas needs to find some depth and get healthy

Though they have won 22 games this season, the Jayhawks (by their standards) have had a down season. There are 2 major concerns for Kansas as we continue to inch closer to the NCAA Tournament. 

Firstly, Kansas is not very deep, yet they have injury concerns. That is not a good recipe. At times this season, players on the roster have made themselves unplayable with their performances. They have 4 players averaging over 32 minutes per game. The least of those 4 players has played nearly 200 more minutes this season than the player with the 5th most minutes played. 

Second, Kevin McCullar Jr. and Hunter Dickinson have both been injured, neither of which will play in the Big 12 Tournament. While they are both expected to play in the NCAA Tournament, how healthy will they really be? Given that they already lack depth, if one or both of these stars are injured next week, Kansas may not make it out of the first weekend for the second consecutive season.