Here’s what you need to know as the Big 12 Tournament really gets rolling

Welcome to the 2017 Big 12 men’s basketball tournament at the Sprint Center in downtown Kansas City.

The tournament really kicks into high gear on Thursday as four games tip off, starting at 11:30 a.m. Here are your bracket, schedule and TV information.

Two games are already in the books. TCU beat Oklahoma on Wednesday and will face top-seeded Kansas. Texas rallied past Texas Tech and will face No. 2 seed West Virginia.

Kansas Citians share some ideas for where to go to eat, drink, shop and dance while you’re in town, but watch out for the downtown street closures. Or you can take the bus.

The Star’s Blair Kerkhoff has 10 storylines for the 10 teams in the tournament, which will show off the league’s elite point guards.

The Jayhawks will open the tournament without freshman star Josh Jackson, who was suspended for one game for a traffic incident.

Kansas State will try to boost its NCAA Tournament prospects as the Wildcats face Baylor in Thursday’s late game. Baylor’s Ish Wainright, a former Raytown South star, makes his final trip home for the tournament.

We hope you enjoy the tournament as much as the Iowa State fans who kicked off the festivities at Kelly’s in Westport and who are hoping for some Hilton (South) Magic as the Cyclone seniors seek a third Big 12 Tournament title in KC.

Cheers!

This story was originally published March 9, 2017 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Here’s what you need to know as the Big 12 Tournament really gets rolling."