Big 12 can back up claim as top basketball league

Missouri's Ryan Rosburg (44) puts up a shot under pressure from Oklahoma State's Le'Bryan Nash (2 during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Missouri's Ryan Rosburg (44) puts up a shot under pressure from Oklahoma State's Le'Bryan Nash (2 during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

By Associated Press December 31, 2014 4 min read

DALLAS (AP) – The Big 12 has plenty of positive statistics, and winning teams, to back up its claim as the nation’s top basketball conference.

This is a league with its only undefeated team unranked, having fallen out of the Top 25 this week despite a 44-point win.

Still, no other league can claim six Top 25 teams. There was a league-record seven before TCU (13-0) was replaced in this week’s poll by Georgetown.

After No. 13 Kansas and Oklahoma State won Tuesday night, the Big 12 has seven teams with at least 10 wins and an overall record of 101-20 (.835 winning percentage). That is the nation’s best. No. 11 Texas, No. 17 West Virginia, No. 22 Baylor and Texas Tech also have won 10 games or more, with No. 9 Iowa State possibly joining that group Wednesday.

The Big 12 is on track to win at least 80 percent of its non-conference games for the first time in league history, and there was a two-week stretch earlier in December when its teams won 28 consecutive games.