The Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy, aka The Professor, offers this capsule preview of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship.

Favorite: Kansas

Dark horse: Oklahoma State

Needs the automatic bid: Texas

Playing for a 1 seed: Kansas. Some bracket analysts are holding KU at the top line, but remaining there seems unlikely without a tournament title.

Needs success to escape bubble: Baylor. The Bears took a step by beating Kansas at home Saturday but own just five top-100 victories - with three bad losses weighing against that.

Player to watch: Pierre Jackson, Baylor. If there's any player who can single-handedly rearrange the tournament projections, it's Baylor's power point. Ask Kansas, which just allowed him 28 points and 10 assists.