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As usual, the 2012 college basketball off-season features a never-ending parade of coaching changes. Some moves make sense, others are questionable, while others are simply head-scratchers. Thanks to collegesportsinfo.com, where a lot of this info was gleaned from. Also, apologies if all the colors give you a headache!

With most teams eliminated from competition, its time to start looking ahead to the 2012-13 season. Following up on yesterday's Early 2012-13 Top 15, here are teams 16 to 30.

 

(1) Syracuse vs. (8) Kansas State: East Region

 

Records

While you definitely need guards to win a national title big men are very important in their own right. Whether a team has projected lottery picks or guys who have been solid throughout their careers, a team has to be able to hold their own in the paint. If not a tournament experience that can last two or three weeks gets derailed far sooner. Here are some front courts you'll need to know this week.

South Region

With the Big 12 holding it's pre-tournament teleconference on Monday morning, CHN writer Jon Teitel took some notes of what a few coaches had to say about their teams and matchups. Below are Baylor's Scott Drew, Missouri's Frank Haith and Kansas State's Frank Martin. 

Baylor's Scott Drew (3-seed, South Region)

On the role league played in their preparation: "The Big 12 tournament helps us prepare for the NCAA tournament. I joke that the new uniforms are helping us win because now we know who we are passing to!"

While getting an 8 or 9 seed as compared to a 10 or 11 seems like an accomplishment, its actually a kiss of death. #1 seeds are usually head and shoulders above the rest of the field, and 8-9 winners get stuck playing them in the 2nd round.

 

In other action on Tuesday night both Connecticut and Xavier fell on the road, and it's now beyond danger time for both teams.

IOWA STATE (20-8, 10-5 Big 12) AT KANSAS STATE (19-8, 8-7 Big 12)

 

Time: 1:30 p.m.

 

In the recap of Tuesday's big game, Pierce Hornung led Colorado State to a key win over New Mexico. The rest of Tuesday's key happenings include:

While Mississippi State's (19-8, 6-6) NCAA tournament prospects won't boil down to just one game there's no mistaking the importance of their game against #1 Kentucky (26-1, 12-0) in light of their three-game losing streak. It's one thing to drop three straight games at this point in the season and another to have those defeats come against Georgia, LSU and Auburn. That's not going to get it done for Rick Stansbury's squad, and their inability to take care of the basketball in recent games has been a big reason why.