By Wendell Barnhouse
Big12Sports.com Correspondent
DALLAS – After 90 Big 12 Conference games, the biggest takeaway is that the Phillips 66 Big 12 Women's Basketball Championship is that the nine games upcoming at the American Airlines Center could be as unpredictable as any in the history of the event.
Baylor won its fifth consecutive regular-season title and is seeking a fifth straight championship. But the Lady Bears have lost two of their last three, dropping road contests to Oklahoma and Iowa State.
"You're going to see that this time of year," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said when asked whether her team is tired. "I guess everywhere across the country we're all tired. Maybe I'm tired. Maybe the team's tired. I don't know, but it's not anything any different than you see happening everywhere."
Four teams tied for third with 9-9 records. The gap between third place and last place is just four games – the closest that's ever been in the final standings. And No. 10 seed Texas Tech finished with a 5-13 record, the best winning percentage for a team seeded at the bottom in the history of the Big 12 Championship.
Only Baylor and Iowa State have a winning record in their last five games, going 3-2. And just one team enters the Championship with at least a two-game winning streak – No. 9 seed Kansas, which has won its last two.
“There aren’t many teams that can say they’re heading into the tournament with a lot of momentum,” TCU coach Raegan Pebley said. “I’m proud of this conference because so many teams didn’t schedule easy (non-conference) wins. They went and scheduled tough teams when you’re not at your best. I believe we deserve multiple teams in the NCAAs with good seeds.”
While the Big 12's automatic NCAA Tournament bid goes to the team that cuts down the nets Monday night, there is plenty at stake for teams that don't win the championship. Recent bracket projections have the Big 12 with six or seven teams making the 64-team field.
TCU, the No. 3 seed, has played itself into the conversation but remains on the bubble. West Virginia and Oklahoma State probably need to win at least one game here. And even No. 8 seed Kansas State has the chance to improve its profile. If the Wildcats win their first-round game with Kansas, they'll take on top-seeded Baylor.
"I think we need to get caught up in it," Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. "I think we need to find out what we're made of. I think we need to get caught up in the possibilities to some extent. We didn't shy away from that yesterday. We told them this was do or die and it really felt that way from our perspective."
No. 1 Baylor
Game info: The Lady Bears will play the winner of the Kansas State-Kansas game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Thus far: 27-3 overall, 16-2 Big 12.
Coach: Kim Mulkey.
Big 12 Championship history: 29-12; championships in 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.
Probable starters: Niya Johnson, 5-8 Jr. G; Imani Wright, 5-9 Soph. G; Alexis Prince, 6-1 Soph. G; Nina Davis, 5-11 Fr. F; Sune Agbuke, 6-4 Sr. C.
You need to know: The Lady Bears hope to match their fifth consecutive regular-season championship with a fifth straight Big 12 Championship trophy. … Sophomore Nina Davis was selected as the Big 12 player of the year. She led the league in scoring at 20.7 per game and was third with 8.6 rebounds per game. David had 10 double doubles to lead the Big 12. … Baylor sophomore Khadijiah Cave averages 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18 minutes of play to win the Sixth Man Of The Year award as voted by the Big 12 coaches. … Kim Mulkey was voted as coach of the year for the fifth time since 2005.
No. 2 Oklahoma
Game info: The Sooners will play the winner of the West Virginia-Texas Tech game at 6 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Thus far: 19-10 overall, 13-5 Big 12.
Coach: Sherri Coale.
Big 12 Championship history: 23-14; championships in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007.
Probable starters: Peyton Little, 5-11 Soph. G; Gabbi Ortiz, 5-5 Fr. G; Sharane Campbell-Olds, 5-10 Sr. G; Gioya Carter, 5-9 Soph. G; Kaylon Williams, 6-3 Jr. C.
You need to know: Peyton Little, playing her first season at OU after transferring, has been the team's leading scorer in eight of the last 11 games and has made 32 3-pointers over the last eight games. … Gabbi Ortiz, named the Big 12 freshman of the year, leads the team in assists and minutes played. … Oklahoma was picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches' poll. … The Sooners have two victories over top five teams this season, beating No. 3 Baylor and No. 4 Texas. … Nine players are averaging double figures in minutes played.
No. 3 TCU
Game info: The Horned Frogs will play No. 6 seed Texas at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Thus far: 17-12 overall, 9-9 Big 12.
Coach: Raegan Pebley.
Big 12 Championship history: 1-2.
Probable starters: Veja Hamilton, 5-10 Jr. G; Chelsea Prince, 5-11 Sr. F; Zahna Medley, 5-6 Jr. G; Natalie Ventress, 5-10 Sr. F; Aiche Ndao, 6-3 Jr. F.
You need to know: Chelsea Prince was named the Big 12 Defensive Player Of The Year. She led the Big 12 with 3.2 steals per game and her 92 steals is four shy of the school single-season record. Prince averages 10.4 points per game and leads the team with 5.8 rebounds per game. … Texas has a 34-2 edge in the series with TCU but the Horned Frogs have won two of the last four meetings. … Junior guard Zahna Medley became the 14th player in school history to score 1,000 points. She ranks in the top 10 in six career categories while appearing in the top 10 in 11 single-season categories.
No. 4 Oklahoma State
Game info: The Cowgirls will play No. 5 seed Iowa State at 11 a.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Thus far: 19-10 overall, 9-9 Big 12.
Coach: Jim Littell.
Big 12 Championship history: 13-18.
Probable starters: LaShawn Jones, 6-3 Sr. C; Brittney Martin, 6-0 Jr. G; Liz Donohoe 6-0 Sr. F; Roshunda Johnson, 5-7 Soph. G; Roddricka Patton, 5-4 Jr. G.
You need to know: Brittney Martin has double-doubles in her last two games at the Big 12 Championship and her 18 steals in the event are the most in program history. … A victory would give Oklahoma State four consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in program history. It would also be the 89th victory over the last four years would be the winningest four-year stretch in program history, surpassing the 88 wins from 2007-10. … The Cowgirls have advanced to the Big 12 Championship semifinals each of the past two years and have made one trip to the championship game (2008). … Liz Donhoe has started 130 consecutive games.
No. 5 Iowa State
Game info: The Cyclones will play No. 4 seed Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Thus far: 18-11 overall, 9-9 Big 12.
Coach: Bill Fennelly.
Big 12 Championship history: 24-16; championships in 2000, 2001.
Probable starters: Nikki Moody, 5-8 Sr. G; Seanna Johnson, 5-10 Soph. G; Kidd Blaskowsky, 5-7 Jr. G; Brynn Williamson, 5-11 Sr. G/F; Fallon Ellis, 5-11 Sr. G/F.
You need to know: Iowa State has finished in the top three of the Big 12 four of the last seven years. … The Cyclones are getting an assist on 69.5 percent of their baskets, the best of any team in a "power five" conference. … Senior point guard Nikki Moody, a unanimous All-Big 12 first team selection, is averaging 17.4 points and 7.3 assists over the last 14 games. Moody has 733 assists in her career, the most in school history. … Seanna Johnson, a 5-10 sophomore, led the Big 12 with 9.2 rebounds per game. … Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly recorded the 600th victory of his career when the Cyclones upset No. 3 Baylor on Feb. 28.
No. 6 Texas
Game info: The Longhorns will play No. 3 seed TCU at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Thus far: 20-9 overall, 9-9 Big 12.
Coach: Karen Aston.
Big 12 Championship history: 18-17; championship in 2003.
Probable starters: Brooke McCarty, 5-4 Fr. G; Brady Sanders, 5-11 Jr. G; Ariel Atkins, 5-11 Fr. G; Brianna Taylor, 5-9 Soph. G; Kelsey Lang, 6-5 Soph. C.
You need to know: The Longhorns have won 20 games for the 32nd time. Each time UT has won 20 games, it has earned an NCAA Tournament bid. … Texas has 11 players averaging 10 or more minutes per game and the Longhorns' bench has outscored their opponents' reserves by 11 points per game. … Texas has outrebounded 27 of 29 opponents and is 11th in the nation in rebounding margin. … Brooke McCarty was named to the All-Big 12 freshman team and has started the last 12 games at point guard. … Sophomore center Kelsey Lang has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 14 games.
No. 7 West Virginia
Game info: The Mountaineers will play No. 10 seed Texas Tech at 8:30 p.m. Friday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 17-13 overall, 7-11 Big 12.
Coach: Mike Carey.
Big 12 Championship history: 2-2.
Probable starters: Linda Stepney, 5-7 Sr. G; Bria Holmes, 6-1 Jr. G; Bre McDonald, 6-0 Soph. G; Averee Fields, 6-1 Sr. F; Lanay Montgomery, 6-5 Soph. C.
You need to know: Bria Holmes was a unanimous All-Big 12 first team selection. She averaged 19.2 points per game, second in the Big 12 this season. … Sophomore Lanay Montgomery leads the Big 12 in blocked shots and her 104 blocks are the third-most in a single season in West Virginia history. The Mountaineers have blocked 199 shots this season, eight shy of the school single-season record. … WVU is 6-1 when having four players reach double figures. The only loss came to Baylor on Jan. 10. … West Virginia, which shared last season's regular-season title with Baylor, lost to the Lady Bears, 74-71, in last year's Big 12 Championship game.
No. 8 Kansas State
Game info: The Wildcats will play No. 9 seed Kansas at 6 p.m. Friday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 17-12 overall, 7-11 Big 12.
Coach: Jeff Mittie.
Big 12 Championship history: 15-17.
Probable starters: Haley Texada, 5-6 Soph. G; Breanna Lewis, 6-5 Soph. F; Ashia Woods, 5-10 Sr. G; Kindred Wesemann, 5-6 Soph. G; Shaelyn Martin, 6-0 Fr. F.
You need to know: K-State swept Kansas in the regular season for the first time since 2011-12. … Sophomore forward Breanna Lewis leads K-State with 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. She is second in the league with 3.1 blocks per game. … Senior Haley Texada had a season-high 22 points including a career-best 12-of-13 from the free throw line in the Wildcats' season-ending victory over West Virginia. … Kansas State lost to Kansas in last year's first-round game, 87-84 in overtime. … The Wildcats' seven Big 12 wins are the most for the program since the 2011-12 season.
No. 9 Kansas
Game info: The Jayhawks will play No. 8 seed Kansas State at 6 p.m. Friday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 15-16 overall, 6-12 Big 12.
Coach: Bonnie Henrickson.
Big 12 Championship history: 12-18.
Probable starters: Lauren Aldridge, 5-7 Fr. G; Jada Brown, 6-0 Soph. F; Chelsea Gardner, 6-3 Sr. F; Chayla Cheadle, 6-0 Fr. G; Natalie Knight, 5-7 Sr. G.
You need to know: The Jayhawks will face their in-state rivals in the first round for the second consecutive year. Kansas won last year in Oklahoma City, 87-84 in overtime. It will be the 112th meeting between the schools. … Senior forward Chelsea Gardner averages 16.8 points per game and was a unanimous first team All-Big 12 selection. … Freshman point guard Lauren Aldridge was selected to the Big 12 all-freshman team and has started every game this season. … During the Bonnie Henrickson-era when the Jayhawks score 70 or more points, Kansas owns a 115-21 record (.845 winning percentage).
No. 10 Texas Tech
Game info: The Lady Raiders will play No. 7 seed West Virginia at 8:30 p.m. Friday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 15-15 overall, 5-13 Big 12.
Coach: Candi Whittaker.
Big 12 Championship history: 15-16; championships in 1998, 1999.
Probable starters: Ivonne Cook Taylor, 5-8 Soph. G; Rayven Brooks, 6-0 Jr. G; Amber Battle, 5-10 Sr. G; Kelsi Baker, 6-0 Sr. F; Jamie Roe, 5-10 Jr. F.
You need to know: Amber Battle was named to the All-Big 12 First Team. She led Texas Tech in scoring for the second consecutive season, averaging 15.8 points per game. Battle scored a career-high 33 points on Jan. 28 against West Virginia. … The Lady Raiders took both meetings against West Virginia this season, winning 55-45 in Morgantown on Jan. 14 and 73-57 in Lubbock on Jan. 28. … Senior Kelsi Baker, who missed last season with a torn Achilles, has the most starts (75) and minutes played (2,394) on the rostser. … As a player, coach Candi Whitaker (then known as Candi White) helped lead Texas Tech to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament from 2000-02.