Texas Looks to Clinch the Conference Title This Week; Big 12 Update (Nov. 13)

Just two weeks remain in the 2017 Big 12 regular season and once again Texas has distanced itself as the top team in the conference. Surprisingly though, the team behind them isn’t Kansas, as the Baylor Bears upended the Jayhawks in Lawrence this past weekend. That allows Texas to clinch the Big 12 this week with a pair of wins while one victory will get them at least a Big 12 split.

Outside of the race for the Big 12 title, the three teams behind Texas all have aspirations of hosting in the first/second round of the NCAA Tournament, making their regular season finishes extremely important as none are locks to do so at this point. Beyond that, will anyone else join the quartet in making the NCAA Tournament?

More analysis after the Big 12 table:

Big 12 Volleyball Standings (As of November 13, 2017):

Close to Clinching: Texas (13-0 Conference Record)

The Longhorns earned another perfect week of play as they have a bit of a gauntlet to close their regular season – a match at Iowa State, vs. Kansas and at Baylor for all ranked contests. They handled the first of the three in four sets, avenging last year’s lost in Ames. Now, they can clinch a share of the Big 12 with a win or a Baylor loss and the conference outright with two wins, two Baylor losses or a win and a Baylor loss.

Had Kansas beaten Baylor on Saturday though, they would have had a chance to knock off the Jayhawks for the title outright, but regardless the match will still mean plenty for them as they can earn a share against last year’s Big 12 champs. Beyond that, Texas is in a tight race for a top four seed from the NCAA Tournament committee, but if they can win out it would be difficult not to have them as part of the quartet.

Remaining schedule:

• vs. #13 Kansas (10-3)
• vs. Oklahoma (4-8)
• at #14 Baylor (11-2)

Close to Clinching: Texas (13-0 Conference Record)

The Longhorns earned another perfect week of play as they have a bit of a gauntlet to close their regular season – a match at Iowa State, vs. Kansas and at Baylor for all ranked contests. They handled the first of the three in four sets, avenging last year’s lost in Ames. Now, they can clinch a share of the Big 12 with a win or a Baylor loss and the conference outright with two wins, two Baylor losses or a win and a Baylor loss.

Had Kansas beaten Baylor on Saturday though, they would have had a chance to knock off the Jayhawks for the title outright, but regardless the match will still mean plenty for them as they can earn a share against last year’s Big 12 champs. Beyond that, Texas is in a tight race for a top four seed from the NCAA Tournament committee, but if they can win out it would be difficult not to have them as part of the quartet.

Remaining schedule:

• vs. #13 Kansas (10-3)
• vs. Oklahoma (4-8)
• at #14 Baylor (11-2)

Still Got a Puncher’s Shot: Baylor (11-2 Conference Record)

Baylor has the inside track for second in the Big 12, which at the worst would be considered quite the accomplishment with Texas, Kansas and Iowa State all in the conference. However, they still have a slim chance at winning the Big 12 crown but it would take help from the outside. It all starts with Texas losing once this week as it would likely need to be against the Longhorns’ tougher opponent in Kansas. If that happens and Baylor wins both of its matches this week, they will have a shot to earn the conference title split at the end of the season.

From a NCAA Tournament perspective, Baylor is essentially a lock to make it, but with an RPI rating of 17 and a team that’s won 15 straight sets and is on fire, the Bears could earn a first/second round hosting distinction as well. At the very least they need to win two of their three matches to stay alive for that opportunity, while three wins would likely secure a top 16 seed.

Remaining schedule:

• vs. Kansas State (2-11)
• at West Virginia (4-9)
• vs. #4 Texas (13-0)

More Than Just the Big 12: Kansas (10-3 Conference Record)

Playing without All-Big 12 outside hitter Madison Rigdon, Kansas has struggled with the high point coming on Saturday in a three-set loss at home to Baylor. They aren’t mathematically eliminated from earning a share of the Big 12 title, but they would need to win out and for Texas to lose all three of its matches and Baylor to lose to either Kansas State or West Virginia – so it’s unlikely. Still, they will be looking for a big win at Texas this week to turn things around and ride some momentum into the postseason.

Speaking of that postseason, Kansas has plenty on the line in their final three matches as their late slip makes hosting in the first/second round more of an uncertain status. At they moment they should be good with an RPI of 12 and some strong non-conference victories. Even a loss to Texas shouldn’t change their hosting capabilities, but if they were to lose two of their final three, it might become more murky.

Remaining schedule:

• at #4 Texas (13-0)
• at Texas Tech (3-10)
• vs. West Virginia (4-9)

Outside looking in: Iowa State (8-5 Conference Record)

Iowa State had their final stand with Texas on Saturday to give them a better shot at a top three finish in the conference and collect a huge victory. They should coast to the finish from here though with their opponents owning a combined 10-28 Big 12 record in the final three.

The Cyclones actually have a better RPI than Baylor at 15 – although this final stretch won’t help much. They still have a chance at hosting in the NCAA Tournament’s first/second round, so even if it doesn’t change a fourth place conference finish, winning out is of extreme importance.

Remaining schedule:

• at Oklahoma (4-8)
• at TCU (3-10)
• vs. Texas Tech (3-10)

Beyond those four teams, West Virginia’s bubble was likely popped this week as they needed a big win over Iowa State. The next highest rated RPI team in the Big 12 outside the top four is TCU at 66, so it seems as if the Big 12 will be a four-bid league in 2017.