Everything you wanted to know about Big 12 Conference men’s basketball as the race heads for the homestretch …

Can Kansas University overtake Oklahoma State and capture at least a piece of a third straight league regular-season title?

Anything is possible, but it isn’t probable the Jayhawks will catch the resurgent Cowboys. In order to forge a tie, Kansas will have to win out and hope OSU loses two of its last five. Both OSU and KU have three home games and two road games remaining. Each must go to Missouri, but OSU’s other journey will be to Baylor, while KU has to go to Texas. Big difference.

What about Texas? Can the Longhorns snatch at least a piece of the title?

Sure. They’re just one game back of O-State and have another game remaining with the ‘Pokes. That game is in Stillwater, Okla., however. OSU already knocked off the ‘Horns in Austin.

How has Oklahoma State been able to come from the middle of the preseason pack and establish itself as the league’s best team?

John Lucas, the point guard who transferred from Baylor, has made an impact, but the bottom line is the Cowboys are dead-eyes. OSU is shooting 52.6 percent as a team, and nobody else in the league even is close. Nebraska is a distant second at 46.7 percent. Check this fact: The gulf in shooting percentages between OSU and Nebraska is wider than the gap between Nebraska and the league’s worst shooting team, Oklahoma at 40.9 percent.

Who are the leading candidates for All-Big 12?

Lucas is a lock, and so is Texas Tech’s Andre Emmett, the league’s leading scorer. Other strong possibilities are KU’s Wayne Simien and Colorado’s David Harrison. Simien is runner-up in league scoring and third in rebounding. Harrison is third in scoring and fourth in rebounding and might be higher if not for his Kansas meltdowns. The fifth slot is anybody’s guess. Take your pick from among Oklahoma State’s Tony Allen, KU’s Keith Langford, CU’s Michel Morandais … or even Missouri’s Rickey Paulding, if the Tigers finish strong.

What if Texas wins or shares the league title? Wouldn’t the Longhorns have to have someone on the all-league first team?

You would think so, but the ‘Horns’ leading scorer, Brandon Mouton, averages only 12.8 points a game. Point guard Royal Ivey has been dynamite in close games, but his stats are ordinary. And James Thomas hasn’t had a distinguished senior year. Freshman P.J. Tucker may be UT’s best all-around player.

Does KU have anyone other than Simien and Langford who deserve post-season recognition?

Aaron Miles has established himself as the best pure point guard in the league. He leads the league in assists by a bunch — 7.27 per game to Lucas’s 4.68 — and shares the league lead in steals with OSU’s Allen. But everybody looks at scoring stats, and scoring is the weakest aspect of Miles’s game. Miles deserves a second-team berth.

Who will make the Big 12’s all-freshman team?

Iowa State’s Curtis Stinson and Texas’ Tucker are shoo-ins. Oklahoma’s Drew Lavender and Texas Tech’s Jarrius Jackson, both point guards, are likely choices. The fifth spot probably will go to either Iowa State’s Will Blalock or KU’s J.R. Giddens.

Who are the league’s most underrated players?

Baylor’s Terrance Thomas tops my list. Thomas is averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds a game, and will be lucky to make the third team. Same for Iowa State’s Jackson Vroman who leads the league in rebounding (9.7 a game). Kansas State’s Jeremiah Massey fits the category, too, as do Colorado’s Lamar Harris and Oklahoma State’s Joey Graham.

Who are the league’s most overrated players?

Iowa State’s Jake Sullivan is an unconscious free-throw shooter and drills lots of three-pointers, but is so-so otherwise. Texas A&M’s Antoine Wright looked like Kobe Bryant against Kansas, but more often plays like Anita Bryant. Speaking of Bryants, Missouri’s Trevon Bryant hasn’t had a real noteworthy senior season.

Who’ll be voted Big 12 coach of the year?

That’s easy. Oklahoma State’s Eddie Sutton by a landslide over Baylor’s Scott Drew.