Big 12's final week figures to be wild

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With one week in the regular season and the conference tournament still to go, the Big 12 already has four locks to make the NCAA tournament.

What it doesn't have yet is a clear-cut champion -- and with several of the top teams meeting head-to-head this week, things could get really interesting down the stretch.

No. 7 Kansas might have the toughest schedule of all.

The Jayhawks beat No. 16 Oklahoma State 79-61 on Saturday to hold onto sole possession of first place at 12-2 in the Big 12 and 22-6 overall. But they close out their season with two road games, tonight at Texas Tech -- a former Top 25 team -- and Saturday at Missouri, which hasn't lost at home all season.

"We control our own destiny," Kansas guard Keith Langford said. "We can't let it slip away. We have to do whatever it takes to win, and we're going to do that. We can't afford to have any slippage."

Neither can Texas Tech, a surprise third-place finisher and NCAA qualifier last season in the Red Raiders' first year under Bob Knight. This year, they're 16-9 overall, but seventh in the conference with a 6-8 mark.

No. 5 Texas and No. 3 Oklahoma are each a game behind Kansas at 11-3 in Big 12 play and 20-5 overall. Both are heavy favorites in their home games on Tuesday -- Texas against Kansas State and Oklahoma against Nebraska -- before meeting on Saturday in Norman.

Oklahoma State, tied for fourth with Missouri at 9-5 in conference play, is also assured of an NCAA bid with a 20-7 overall record. The Cowboys are far from assured of closing out their regular season with two wins, though.

They will be favored for Saturday's home game against Texas A&M, but on Wednesday they travel to Colorado -- where the Buffaloes are 6-0 in conference play with wins over Kansas, Texas and Missouri.

Colorado, the conference's sixth-place team, won their first league road game Saturday, 72-59 at Baylor. The Buffaloes are in the running for an NCAA bid.

Missouri improved its NCAA chances by beating Kansas State 77-70 on Saturday for only its third win in nine road games. The Tigers travel to Iowa State on Wednesday before hosting Kansas on Saturday.