Cyclones in a stunner? Missouri cruising? Big 12 men’s basketball tournament predictions: Day 1

The Big 12 men’s basketball tournament tips off this morning, and I have a TV on my desk ready to watch all of the first-round action. Kansas and Kansas State fans get to take the day off and, I’m hoping, are going to sell their first-round passes to schleps like me without tickets.

We’re still a week away from filling out our office pools, but that doesn’t mean we can’t throw out some bold (homerish) predictions about the tourney at the Sprint Center. Here are my picks (as required by the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association):