TCU can enhance Big 12 tourney seed with win over K-State

With a victory in Wednesday’s game, the TCU men’s basketball team would take a big step toward securing the No. 6 seed in the Big 12 conference tournament, March 8-11 in Kansas City, Mo.

The Horned Frogs (17-12, 6-10 in Big 12) meet Kansas State (17-12, 6-10) at 8 p.m. in Schollmaier Arena in a matchup of teams tied for sixth place in the league standings. Because the Frogs defeated the Wildcats, 86-80, in a Feb. 1 meeting in Manhattan, Kan., a win in Fort Worth would allow TCU to sweep the season series and would give the Frogs the tiebreaker over the Wildcats if both teams conclude the season with identical records in conference play.

The difference between the No. 6 and No. 7 seed in the conference tournament is significant. Teams seeded No. 7 through No. 10 play on the first night while teams seeded No. 6 and higher get a bye into Thursday’s second-round matchups.

The higher placement in the conference pecking order also should prove beneficial in regard to at-large bid consideration from the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

“Year in and year out, the Big 12 has been getting seven teams in the tournament, regardless,” TCU guard Brandon Parrish said. “Even if the say this isn’t a year where we get seven (bids), if we put ourselves in a position where we finish sixth, … that should put momentum on our back. And once we get some momentum, we can do anything.”

In regard to securing the extra day of rest that goes with the No. 6 seed in the conference tournament, coach Jamie Dixon said: “We want to finish sixth. In every way, you would think getting a bye is a better position to be in and a better position to advance.”

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 3:26 PM with the headline "TCU can enhance Big 12 tourney seed with win over K-State."