
The Big 12 men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament of four rounds, with the top six seeds getting byes in the first round. The winner of the tournament receives the Big 12 Conference automatic bid to the NCAA Championship tournament. The Big 12 Championship game is a college football game held by the Big 12 Conference between the best and the second-best Big 12 teams. The championship game was held at several sites within the Big 12 states, with Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, hosting more often than any other venue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tournament structure | Single-elimination tournament of four rounds |
| Seeding | Based on regular-season records |
| Top seeds | Top six seeds get byes in the first round |
| Tournament frequency | Annual |
| Location | Kansas City, Missouri (most frequently); other locations include Dallas, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Tournament duration | Typically held in early March |
| Sponsorship | Phillips 66 |
| Conference | Big 12 Conference |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Participating teams | Arizona, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah, West Virginia |
| Recent winners | Texas (2023), Iowa State (2024) |
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Tournament structure
The Big 12 men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament consisting of four rounds. The seeding is based on regular-season records, with the top six seeds receiving byes in the first round. The winner of the tournament is awarded the Big 12 Conference automatic bid to the NCAA Championship tournament.
The tournament has been held annually since the conclusion of the first full basketball season in 1997. From its inception until 2002, the tournament was hosted in Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, with the exception of 2003-2006 when it was held in Texas and Oklahoma. In 2007, it returned to Kansas City, this time at the Sprint Center (now known as the T-Mobile Center). The tournament has since been held primarily in Kansas City, with occasional appearances in other cities such as Oklahoma City and Dallas. Kansas City is set to host the tournament until at least 2025.
The Big 12 Championship Game is a college football game organised by the Big 12 Conference, which pits the best and second-best teams in the conference against each other. From 1996 to 2010, the championship game was contested between the champions of the Big 12 North and South Divisions. Following the departure of two schools in 2010, the conference discontinued the use of divisions and adopted a round-robin format to determine the championship participants. The legislation passed in 2016 allowed conferences with fewer than twelve teams to hold a championship game between the top two teams, provided they played a round-robin schedule.
The Big 12 Championship Game has been played at various venues within the Big 12 states, with Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, serving as the most frequent host. The game was scheduled to be played at Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium) in Arlington, Texas, from 2009 to 2013. The Big 12 is currently contracted to play the game at AT&T Stadium until 2030.
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Past winners
The Big 12 men's basketball tournament has been held annually since the first full basketball season was completed in 1997. The championship game was eliminated when Nebraska and Colorado left the conference after the 2010 season, reducing the number of teams to 10. From 2011 to 2016, the winner was decided by regular-season play, with the team with the best conference record winning the title.
- 2025: Houston
- 2024: Iowa State
- 2021: Texas Longhorns
- 2005-2019: Iowa State or Kansas (18 out of 27 titles)
- 1999: Kansas State (North Co-Champions)
- 2000, 2001, 2008: Nebraska (North Co-Champions)
- 2004: Iowa State (North Co-Champions)
- 2007: Kansas (North Co-Champions)
- 2010: Missouri (North Co-Champions)
- 2002, 2008: Texas (South Co-Champions)
- 2008: Texas Tech (South Co-Champions)
- 2010: Oklahoma State (South Co-Champions)
- 2010: Texas A&M (South Co-Champions)
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Hosting locations
The Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship has been held in several locations since its inception in 1997. Here is a detailed breakdown of the hosting locations:
Kemper Arena, Kansas City, Missouri:
This venue hosted the tournament every year from 1997 to 2002, as well as in 2005. It is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and was the first home of the championship.
American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas:
The American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, took over hosting duties in 2003, 2004, and 2006. This venue provided a temporary change of location for the tournament.
Ford Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:
In 2007, the tournament was held at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This marked the first time the championship was hosted in this city.
Sprint Center, Kansas City:
The championship returned to Kansas City in 2008, this time at the Sprint Center (now known as the T-Mobile Center). This venue has become the most frequent host of the tournament.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:
In 2009, the championship game returned to Oklahoma City, without a specified venue in the source.
Kansas City, Missouri:
From 2010 through 2025, the tournament is scheduled to be held in Kansas City, Missouri. This extended stay in Kansas City ensures stability and a consistent home for the championship.
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas:
The Big 12 is under contract to play some of its games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, until 2030. This stadium has been a long-term partner for the Big 12 Championship, hosting games since at least 2009.
Overall, Kansas City has been the most frequent host of the Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship, with the tournament being held there over 20 times. Other host cities include Dallas, Oklahoma City, and games at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
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Qualification
From 1996 to 2010, the Big 12 was divided into two divisions, North and South, with the championship game pitting the champions of these two divisions against each other. During this period, the North and South champions alternated winning the championship game each year.
In 2010, two schools departed the Big 12, leading to the discontinuation of the championship game. Instead, a round-robin format was adopted to determine the champion.
In 2016, legislation passed allowing a conference with fewer than twelve teams to stage a championship game between the top two teams, as long as they play a round-robin schedule. As a result, the Big 12 Conference brought back the championship game in 2017 after a seven-year hiatus.
Since 2017, the game has featured the two teams with the best conference records. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship tournament.
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Seeding
The Big 12 men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament consisting of four rounds. Seeding is based on regular-season records, with the top six seeds getting byes in the first round.
The winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship tournament. The seeding process is crucial in determining the matchups and byes in the tournament bracket. The top six seeds are guaranteed a spot in the second round, while the lower-ranked teams start their tournament journey in the first round.
In the past, the Big 12 Conference had two divisions: the North Division and the South Division. From 1996 to 2010, the championship game would pit the winners of these two divisions against each other. This format changed after the departure of Nebraska and Colorado from the Big 12 Conference in 2011, leaving the conference with fewer than twelve teams.
Following the 2010 season, the conference discontinued the divisional format and adopted a round-robin schedule to determine the top two teams for the championship game. This change was made possible by legislation developed by the ACC and Big 12, which deregulated conference championship games and allowed conferences with fewer than twelve teams to stage a championship between their top two teams.
The seeding for the Big 12 men's basketball tournament is based on the regular-season performance of the teams within the conference. The teams with the best conference records are typically seeded higher and receive byes or more favourable matchups in the early rounds of the tournament. The specific seeding criteria and tie-breaking procedures may vary and are determined by the conference organizers.
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Frequently asked questions
The Big 12 Championship Game is a college football game held by the Big 12 Conference between the best and the second-best Big 12 teams. From 1996 to 2010, the championship game pitted the Big 12 North Division champion against the South Division champion. From 2017 onwards, the game features the two teams with the best conference records.
The Big 12 men's basketball tournament is a single-elimination tournament of four rounds. The top six seeds get byes in the first round.
The Big 12 Championship has been held in various cities, including Kansas City, Dallas, and Oklahoma City. Kansas City has hosted the most, with 2025 marking the 24th time the city has hosted the event.











































