{"id":123336,"date":"2025-02-13T10:05:46","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T15:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=123336"},"modified":"2025-02-13T13:00:57","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T18:00:57","slug":"most-successful-big-12-basketball-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/13\/most-successful-big-12-basketball-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranking The Most Successful Big 12 Basketball Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like most other Conference\u2019s the Big 12 has undergone a significant facelift over the last few seasons. Still, the Big 12 is one of the top three basketball conferences in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n

Originally known as the Big Eight, the Big 12 emerged in the summer of 1996 as the conference absorbed four schools from the Southwest Conference. The eight teams that formed the Big 12 were Kansas, Colorado, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and Missouri. Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Texas Tech joined the conference after the Southwest Conference disbanded.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Big 12 Academics and Sports<\/h2>\n

The Big 12 Conference, entering its 29th year, is a prominent collegiate athletic conference that also emphasizes academic excellence.<\/span>\u00a0The conference sponsors 25 sports across Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons, including popular sports like football, basketball, and baseball.<\/span><\/p>\n

Academically, the Big 12 recognizes student-athletes through programs such as the Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Academic All-Big 12 Teams.<\/span>\u00a0These accolades are awarded to students who maintain high GPAs while excelling in their respective sports.<\/span> The conference’s member institutions are known for their large student populations and wide range of degree offerings.<\/span>\u00a0With 16 universities spanning 10 states, the Big 12 continues to be a powerhouse in both athletics and academics<\/p>\n

Student life on campus has always been thriving both in the classroom and in the dorms. Student athletes looking to write my essay paper<\/a> for one of many nationally-ranked programs are encouraged to keep strong grades while representing the school’s Division I teams.<\/p>\n

Ranking The Most Successful Big 12 Basketball Programs<\/h2>\n

The Big 12 Conference has gone through a few different iterations over the years of its existence. In the summer of 2011, the Big 12 saw Colorado bolt for the Pac-12 and Nebraska left for the Big Ten. The very next year, the conference lost two more programs (Texas A&M, Missouri), though they remained at 10 teams with the addition of West Virginia and TCU.<\/p>\n

The Big 12 remained unchanged from 2012-13 to the summer of 2023. In 2023, Houston, BYU, Cincinnati, and UCF joined the Big 12, giving the conference 14 members.<\/p>\n

This past summer once again meant changes to the conference. Oklahoma and Texas vacated the Big 12 for the SEC. However, they brought in Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah, bringing the total to 16 teams.<\/p>\n

Since the conference’s inception, the Big 12 has consistently finished with one of the best winning percentages in the nation. The Big 12 has finished with a top-three winning percentage every season since 2013-14, finishing with the top percentage on seven occasions. Overall, the Big 12 has finished seven times outside the top 3 conferences in 28 years.<\/p>\n

The Big 12 hasn’t just been one of the top regular-season conferences in the nation. The conference’s success extends to the postseason, which includes sending 159 teams, or an average of 5.6 teams per year, to the NCAA tournament. Those 157 teams have posted a 217-156 record in the NCAA Tournament, reaching 12 Final Fours and winning three national championships. Their current membership has six national titles.<\/p>\n

Also Read: Ranking the Most Successful Big Ten Basketball Programs<\/a><\/p>\n

Top Conference Coaches and Players<\/h2>\n

Regardless of the number of teams, Kansas has dominated the Big 12. The Jayhawks, one of the “Bluest of Blue Bloods,” have claimed at least a share of 22 regular-season conference crowns and 14 conference tournament titles.<\/p>\n

A big reason for a college basketball program’s success is coaching. The Big 12 has undoubtedly had its fair share of fantastic coaches, including current Kansas boss Bill Self. Roy Williams, Kelvin Sampson, Eddie Sutton, and Rick Barnes are among the top coaches to roam the Big 12 sidelines.<\/p>\n

The Big 12 Conference also has six National Player of the Year recipients, including three John Wooden Award winners: Kevin Durant<\/a>, T.J. Ford, and Frank Mason III. Since its inception, the conference has produced over 150 draft picks, including two No. 1 overall selections, Cade Cunningham and Andrew Wiggins.<\/p>\n

Also Read: Ranking the Most Successful ACC Basketball Programs<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Kansas Jayhawks<\/h2>\n

NCAA Championships: 4<\/p>\n

Kansas is one of the oldest basketball programs in the nation and a founding member of the Big 8 and Big 12 Conferences. The Jayhawks are the winningest program in college basketball history with 2,424 victories, eight more than Kentucky, through February 11, 2025. Their winning percentage of .729 is third all-time behind Kentucky and North Carolina.<\/p>\n

Kansas has claimed four NCAA national titles, the seventh most ever. The Jayhawks won their first national championship in 1952, though their three most recent crowns have all been in the modern era ( 1988, 2008, 2022). Their 10 title game appearances are the fifth most, as are their 16 Final Fours (fifth most).\u00a0 Six of their title game appearances have come since 1985.<\/p>\n

Kansas is also their all-time with 25 Elite Eight appearances and 34 Sweet 16 appearances. The Jayhawks’ overall NCAA tournament record of 117-50 in 52 appearances, including an NCAA record of 33 straight (from 1990 to the present), is the fourth best.<\/p>\n

Dr. James Naismith, the founder of basketball, is among the legendary coaches to lead KU. Phog Allen, Larry Brown, Williams, and Self have combined to coach 81 years at Norman. Self (two), Allen, and Brown have directed the Jayhawks to four national titles.<\/p>\n

Kansas has produced many quality players, including National Player of Year Frank Mason III (2017), Nick Collison (2003), Drew Gooden (2002), and Danny Manning (1988). Basketball Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain<\/a>, Paul Pierce, Clyde Lovelllette, and Jo Jo White are also part of the Rock Talk Jayhawk family. Andrew Wiggins, Raef LaFrentz, Jacque Vaughn, and Joel Embiid<\/a> are among the other top Jayhawks.<\/p>\n

2. Baylor Bears<\/h2>\n

National Championships: 1<\/p>\n

Scott Drew has done wonders for a once-downtrodden program.\u00a0 Drew has turned around a program that did not post a winning record for their first 11 seasons in the Big 12 to a perennial NCAA Tournament team. Since taking over the program before the 2003-04 season, Drew has directed the Bears to a 461-253 record.<\/p>\n

Drew, who led the Bears to their lone national title in 2021, has led Baylor to 15 seasons of 20+ wins, including a program-record 30 victories in 2011-12. The Bears have received 12 of the program’s 16 NCAA tournament berths under Drew, including four straight (2020-2024). This recent four-year stretch ties the longest stretch of consecutive NCAA Tournament berths in school history, with the first occurrence taking place in the mid-2010s under Drew.<\/p>\n

Overall, Baylor has posted a 23-17 NCAA tournament record, with 20 of the victories coming since 2003-04. In addition to their 2021 national crown, the Bears have reached the Sweet 16 on four occasions and two Elite eights this century. They also have claimed two Big 12 regular season titles, winning the 2020-21 crown outright, and reached the NIT Championship twice (claiming the 2013 title).<\/p>\n

Jared Butler (2021) and Jonathan Motley (2017) are Baylor’s only consensus All-Americans. However, Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson, Davion Mitchell, James Akinjo, and Taurean Prince have played for the Bears.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a03. Oklahoma Sooners<\/h2>\n

NCAA Tournament Titles: 0<\/p>\n

While Oklahoma has jetted for a more lucrative deal with the SEC, the Sooners were one of the best programs in the Big 12 and are also founding members of the Big 8 and Big 12.<\/p>\n

Granted, Oklahoma struggled in each of its last three seasons in the Big 12. The Sooners didn’t win more than 20 games and posted three straight losing conference campaigns, going 20-34 overall against Big 12 teams.<\/p>\n

Still, Oklahoma has garnered 20 NCAA<\/a> tournament berths since the inception of the Big 12 despite making three tournament trips over the last eight years. The Sooners’ best stretch over their 28 seasons as a member of the Big 12 came in the early beginnings of the conference.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma made the “Big Dance” in each of the first seven seasons of the conference, which was part of the Sooners’ longest consecutive tournament streak in program history. During these seven tournament berths, the Sooners won at least one game four times, reaching three Sweet 16s and two Elite Eights. They also reached the Final Four in 2001-02.<\/p>\n

Overall, Oklahoma reached the Final Four twice as a member of the Big 12. The Sooners also made four Sweet 16 appearances and two Elite Eights. In addition, they won the regular Big 12 title once and claimed three Big 12 tournament crowns.<\/p>\n

Blake Griffin, a 2009 Wooden Award finalist, and Trae Young are Oklahoma’s most renowned players during their Big 12 partnership. Buddy Hield and Hollis Price are the other top Sooners during this stretch. Meanwhile, the Sooners had several quality players like Wayman Tisdale and Stacy King throughout their history.<\/p>\n

4. Kansas State Wildcats<\/h2>\n

NCAA Tournament title: 0<\/p>\n

Kansas State has been a middling program. The Wildcats have gone through rough stretches but have also been really good at times.<\/p>\n

One such instance was in 2022-2023. Led by the talented Marquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson duo, K-State finished third in the conference but was upset by TCU in the quarters of the 2023 Big 12 tournament.<\/p>\n

However, K-State went on an incredible run in that NCAA tournament, including close victories over Kentucky and Michigan State, both of which occurred in overtime. The Wildcats’ run ended with a 79-76 loss to Florida Atlantic in the Elite 8 in a back-and-forth game. It was the third time since 1996 that the Wildcats lost in a Regional Final.<\/p>\n

Nowell had a heck of a tournament as he set the record for most assists in a game 19 while totaling 20 points against Michigan State. He finished the four-game tournament as the first player to total 80 points, 50 assists, and 10 steals. Nowell was named the 2023 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.<\/p>\n

Kansas State has made 10 NCAA tournament berths over the last 28 years. While Johnson and Nowell were fantastic during the 2023 Tournament, the Wildcats don’t have an overabundance of star players. Michael Beasley is KSU’s only consensus All-American as a member of the Big 12. Jacob Pullen, Rodney McGruder, and Dean Wade have been among the top KSUs since 1996.<\/p>\n

5. Iowa State Cyclones<\/h2>\n

Another Big 6 and Big 12 founding member, Iowa State, has taken off since the conference’s establishment. As a member of the Big 12, Iowa State has made 14 of the program’s 23 NCAA tournament appearances. The Cyclones are 23-23 in the NCAA tournament.<\/p>\n

Iowa State has been one of the most consistent Big 12 programs. The Cyclones have been really good of late, appearing in three straight NCAA tournaments.<\/p>\n

Moreover, Iowa State’s three best seasons have come over the last 28 years. In 1999-2000, the Cyclones set a program record with 32 victories and reached their first Elite 8 in the modern Era. That Cyclones squad, led by Marcus Fizer and Jamaal Tinsley, was the first Big 12 squad, other than Kansas, to win the regular season and conference tournament titles in the same year.<\/p>\n

Iowa State’s second and third most victories in a single year were 29 and 28, respectively, and the Cyclones reached the Sweet 16 in each of those campaigns. Overall, since 2010, the Cyclones have posted a 298-187 record and received 10 NCAA berths. They have won at least one NCAA\u00a0 tournament contest in eight of their most recent trips to the “Big Dance” and reached the Sweet 16 on four occasions.<\/p>\n

In addition to Fizer and Tinsley, Iowa State has had some talented players since the inception of the Big 12. These players include Tyrese Haliburton, Georges Niang, and Monte Morris.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Like most other Conference\u2019s the Big 12 has undergone a significant facelift over the last few seasons. Still, the Big 12 is one of the top three basketball conferences in the country. Originally known as the Big Eight, the Big 12 emerged in the summer of 1996 as the conference absorbed four schools from the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3146,"featured_media":123567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[773],"tags":[884,878,881,1512,1350],"class_list":["post-123336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-college-basketball","tag-baylor-bears","tag-iowa-state-cyclones","tag-kansas-jayhawks","tag-kansas-state-wildcats","tag-oklahoma-sooners"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123336"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123336\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":123600,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123336\/revisions\/123600"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}