The 1978 Big Eight Conference men's basketball tournament was held February 28–March 4 at a combination of on-campus gymnasiums and Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
[2] Seventh-seeded Missouri upset defending champions Kansas State in the championship game, 71–68 (in double overtime), to capture their first Big Eight men's basketball tournament.
They were joined in the tournament by the Big 8's regular season champion, Kansas, who earned at-large bid.
They were seeded based on regular season conference records, with all teams beginning play in the initial quarterfinal round.
The semifinals and championship game, in turn, were played at a neutral site at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.