By Wendell Barnhouse
Big12Sports.com Correspondent
KANSAS CITY – From here on, it’s time to make the numbers meaningful.
The Phillips 66 Big 12 Men’s Championship starts Wednesday at the Sprint Center. The Conference has spent the season atop the RPI, the computer ranking that’s a tool used to select the NCAA Tournament. For much of the season, over half of the league’s teams were ranked which led to 30 of the 90 Big 12 games matching ranked teams against each other.
The Big 12 Championship is just the prelude to March Madness. To prove it is the nation’s best conference in college basketball, the Big 12 needs the teams that are placed in the NCAA Tournament to make deep runs in the bracket.
“I think this year, nationally, the perception is that it’s great,” Kansas coach Bill Self said of the Big 12. “I think the perception is it’s not a top-heavy league, it’s a parity league, which I think is fair. … You could make a case that there are seven or eight teams that could win the tournament if they get hot. I don't think there are any other tournaments in America with that type of competitive balance.''
That parity is evident in the fact that Kansas, while winning its 11th consecutive regular-season title, did so with the smallest margin of victory in any of those seasons. It’s also the first time the Jayhawks won the title with five losses.
Kansas State, the No. 8 seed, has victories over the top four seeds - Kansas, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Baylor – and losses to TCU and Texas Tech, the No. 9 and 10 seeds. Texas Tech upset second-seeded Iowa State in Lubbock, costing the Cyclones a share of the regular-season title.
“To get the two (seed) in this league, the way everybody beats up on each other that’s pretty darn good at the end of the day,” said Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg, whose team is the defending champion. “You’re going to play three games against three heavy hitters. It doesn’t matter who you play in this league.”
Kansas, the No. 1 seed, has split its last six games. The Jayhawks lost their regular-season finale with a makeshift lineup but they’re hopeful that junior Perry Ellis will return after missing the loss at Oklahoma with a sprained knee.
Ellis, who will wear a brace on his right knee the rest of the season, returned to practice Tuesday. A decision as to if he plays in Thursday’s quarterfinal won’t be made until Wednesday. Kansas plays the winner of the Kansas State-TCU first-round game.
The Big 12 hopes to place seven teams in the NCAA Tournament. No. 6 seed Oklahoma State and No. 7 Texas each finished with 8-10 league records and both are considered on the bubble.
Leave it to Iowa State's Georges Niang to sum things up: "It's a one game season from here on out."
No. 1 Kansas
Game info: The Jayhawks will play the winner of the Kansas State-TCU game at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game.
Thus far: 24-7 overall, 13-5 Big 12.
Coach: Bill Self.
Big 12 Championship history: 36-9; championships in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013.
Probable starters: Frank Mason III, 5-11 Soph. G; Wayne Selden, Jr., 6-5 Soph. G; Kelly Oubre, Jr., 6-7 Fr. F; Perry Ellis, 6-8 Jr. F; Jamari Traylor, 6-8 Jr. F.
You need to know: Kansas has trailed at halftime in four consecutive games, the first time that's happened in coach Bill Self's tenure. … Sophomore Brannen Greene has made just two of his last 19 attempts from 3-point range. … In its last four games, Kansas is 8-for-51 (15.6 percent) on 3-pointers. … Kansas lost three consecutive Big 12 road games – the first time that had happened since the 2004-05 season. … Kansas is second in the Big 12 in 3-point field goal shooting at 38.3 percent … Junior forward Perry Ellis is the only Big 12 player to rank sixth or higher in scoring (sixth) and rebounding (fourth).
No. 2 Iowa State
Game info: The Cyclones will play the winner of the Texas-Texas Tech game at 6 p.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game.
Thus far: 22-8 overall, 12-6 Big 12.
Coach: Fred Hoiberg.
Big 12 Championship history: 11-16; championships in 2000, 2014.
Probable starters: Georges Niang, 6-8 Jr. F; Dustin Hogue, 6-6 Sr. F; Monte' Morris, 6-2 Soph. G; Naz Long, 6-4 Jr. G; Jameel McKay, 6-9 Jr. F.
You need to know: Iowa State won five road games this season, the most the most for the school since the 2000-01 season. … Junior Jameel McKay was named the Big 12 defensive player of the year. He has 50 blocked shots; before he became eligible, Iowa State had 26 blocks in nine games. … The Cyclones are the only team in the nation with six players scoring in double figures. … Iowa State leads the Big 12 in scoring at 79.3 points a game, 5.2 better than the next team. … Over the last seven games, Monte' Morris and Matt Thomas have combined to make 23-of-42 3-pointers (54.8 percent).
No. 3 Oklahoma
Game info: The Sooners will play No. 6 seed Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game.
Thus far: 21-9 overall, 12-6 Big 12.
Coach: Lon Kruger.
Big 12 Championship history: 20-15; championships in 2001, 2002, 2003.
Probable starters: Ryan Spangler, 6-8 Jr. F; TaShawn Thomas, 6-8 Sr. F; Jordan Woodard, 6-0 Soph. G; Isaiah Cousins, 6-4 Jr. G; Buddy Hield, 6-4 Jr. G.
You need to know: Junior guard Buddy Hield is the third Sooner to be selected player of the year. Hollis Price was selected by The Associated Press in 2003 while Blake Griffin was the Big 12 coaches' choice in 2009. … Hield is also the third POY to also be a first-team academic All-Big 12 selection. … The Sooners set a school record with seven victories over teams ranked in the Associated Press top 25. … Oklahoma has won nine of its last 11. … The Sooners have yet to win a post-season game under Lon Kruger; they're 0-3 in the Big 12 Championship and 0-2 in the NCAA Tournament.
No. 4 Baylor
Game info: The Bears will face No. 5 seed West Virginia at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game.
Thus far: 23-8 overall, 11-7 Big 12.
Coach: Scott Drew.
Big 12 Championship history: 14-17.
Probable starters: Kenny Chery, 5-11 Sr. G; Lester Medford, 5-10 Jr. G; Royce O'Neale, 6-6 Sr. F; Rico Gathers, 6-8 Jr. F; Johnathan Motley, 6-9 Fr. F.
You need to know: Baylor's six victories over ranked teams is a school record. … The Bears have won 13 of their last 16 games in March. … Baylor is one of four teams to hold all opponents under 75 points this season (New Hampshire, Saint Peter's, ULM). … For the first time in school history, Baylor has three players with 100 or more assists – Royce O'Neale and Kenny Chery both have 105 while Lester Medford has 103. … The Bears, along with top-ranked Kentucky, are the only teams in Division I to lead by at least six in every game this season.
No. 5 West Virginia
Game info: The Mountaineers will play No. 4 seed Baylor at 11:30 a.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game.
Thus far: 23-8 overall, 11-7 Big 12.
Coach: Bob Huggins.
Big 12 Championship history: 0-2.
Probable starters: Jonathan Holton, 6-7 Jr. F; Devin Williams, 6-9 Soph. F; Nathan Adrian, 6-9 Soph. F; Daxter Miles 6-3 Fr. G; Jevon Carter, 6-2 Fr. G.
You need to know: Bob Huggins has been named conference coach of the year 11 times in 33 seasons. … Juwan Staten is the first player to be first-team all-conference in consecutive seasons since Greg Jones (1981-83). … The Mountaineers have won 11 games away from home, the most in the Big 12. … The 23 victories are the most for the program since the 2010 Final Four team won 31. … West Virginia has a 528 to 276 edge in offensive rebounds this season. … The Mountaineers lead the nation in steals and offensive rebounding. WVU has never finished No. 1 in an NCAA statistical category.
No. 6 Oklahoma State
Game info: The Cowboys will play No. 3 seed Oklahoma at 8 p.m. Thursday in a quarterfinal game.
Thus far: 18-12 overall, 8-10 Big 12.
Coach: Travis Ford.
Big 12 Championship history: 23-16; championships in 2004, 2005.
Probable starters: Le'Bryan Nash, 6-7 Sr. F; Michael Cobbins, 6-8 Sr. F; Jeff Newberry, 6-2 Jr. G; Phil Forte, 5-11 Jr. G; Anthony Hickey, 5-11 Sr. G.
You need to know: Oklahoma State's last five opponents have made more free throws (99) than the Cowboys have attempted (95). … Point guard Anthony Hickey has made 16 of his last 25 attempts from 3-point range (64 percent). … Le'Bryan Nash has made 21 of his last 23 free throw attempts. … Oklahoma State is 3-0 against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship. The schools last met in the first round in 2010. … In the Cowboys' two losses to Oklahoma, they were 44-of-115 from the field (38.2 percent) and 11-of-45 (24.4 percent) from 3-point range.
No. 7 Texas
Game info: The Longhorns will play No. 10 seed Texas Tech at 8 p.m. Wednesday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 19-12 overall, 8-10 Big 12.
Coach: Rick Barnes.
Big 12 Championship history: 23-18.
Probable starters: Kendal Yancy, 6-3 Soph. G; Isaiah Taylor, 6-1 Soph. G; Jonathan Holmes, 6-8 Sr. F; Connor Lammert, 6-9 Jr. F; Cameron Ridley, 6-9 Jr. C.
You need to know: Texas has yet to win the Big 12 Championship but has played in the title game six times - 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2011. … Junior guard Demarcus Holland has reached double figures in four straight games. During the stretch, Holland is averaging 13.3 points per game while hitting 62.1% from the floor (18-of-29), including a 57.1 percent mark from three-point range (8-of-14). … Myles Turner was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year, becoming the fifth UT player to earn the award. … Under coach Rick Barnes, the Longhorns are 148-22 against in-state foes including a 23-7 record against Texas Tech.
No. 8 Kansas State
Game info: The Wildcats will play No. 9 seed TCU at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 15-16 overall, 8-10 Big 12.
Coach: Bruce Weber.
Big 12 Championship history: 11-18.
Probable starters: Nigel Johnson, 6-1 Soph. G; Marcus Foster, 6-3 Soph. G; Wesley Iwundu, 6-7 Soph. F; Nino Williams, 6-5 Sr. G; Thomas Gipson, 6-7 Sr. F.
You need to know: Kansas State plays on the tournament's opening day for the first time since 2006, snapping a streak of eight consecutive seasons with a bye to the quarterfinals. … Kansas State is battling history as a No. 8 seed. Since 2007, the eighth seed is 1-7; the only victory came last season. … The Wildcats finished under .500 in Big 12 play for the first time since going 6-10 in 2005-06. … K-State was 2-12 in games played away from Manhattan. … Coach Bruce Weber has used 11 different starting lineups. … Kansas State is averaging 62.9 points. That's on pace to be the lowest team scoring average since the 1982-83 team averaged 57.4 per game.
No. 9 TCU
Game info: The Horned Frogs will play No. 8 seed Kansas State at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 17-14 overall, 4-14 Big 12.
Coach: Trent Johnson.
Big 12 Championship history: 0-2.
Probable starters: Kyan Anderson, 5-11 Sr. G; Trey Ziegler, 6-5 Sr. G; Kenrich Williams, 6-7 Soph. F; Chris Washburn, 6-8 Soph. F; Karviar Shepherd, 6-10 Soph. F.
You need to know: TCU ranks among the nation's Top 20 in three categories, including third in free throws attempted (797), 14th in offensive rebounds (13.6) and 15th in blocked shots (5.4). The Horned Frogs are second in the Big 12 in blocked shots, while ranking third in scoring defense and assist-to-turnover ratio and offensive rebounds. … Senior Kyan Anderson leads the team in scoring (13.6 per game), 3-point field goals (53), free throws (117), assists (132), steals (40) and minutes (32.0). … In the last five games, senior Trey Zeigler is averaging 15.0 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting 51.7 percent from the field. His father, Ernie, was an assistant coach at K-State from 1999-2000 under coach Tom Asbury.
No. 10 Texas Tech
Game info: The Red Raiders will play No. 7 Texas at 8 p.m. Wednesday in a first-round game.
Thus far: 13-18 overall, 3-15 Big 12.
Coach: Tubby Smith.
Big 12 Championship history: 13-18.
Probable starters: Devaugntah Williams, 6-4 Jr. G; Zach Smith, 6-8 Fr. F; Robert Turner, 6-3 Sr. G; Toddrick Gotcher, 6-4 Jr. G; Norense Odiase, 6-9 Fr. F.
You need to know: Texas Tech is 8-8 in first-round games of the Big 12 Championship. … Junior guard Devaugntah Williams scored a career-high 28 points in the Red Raiders' last game. … Freshman Keenan Evans has averaged 10.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists over the last four games. … In games played away from Lubbock, the Red Raiders are averaging just 50.8 points a game. … Texas Tech has used 10 different starting lineups this season ... Zach Smith's 44 blocked shots set a freshman record. The Red Raiders' 127 blocks are the sixth-most in school history.