If Bill Self could, he definitely would change the dates of the Big 12 men’s basketball tournament.

“I wish it was Wednesday through Saturday, absolutely,” Self, Kansas University’s coach, said of the 12-team event, which starts today and runs through Sunday at Kansas City’s Kemper Arena.

Sunday’s 2 p.m. final concludes perilously close to the start of the Selection Sunday show at 5 p.m. on CBS. The final also is played just two days before some schools must pack and leave for Thursday-Saturday first- and second-round NCAA Tournament contests.

“If you play Sunday, you have to travel back,” Self said, while recognizing the 40-minute trip from Lawrence to Kansas City is no big deal. “If your game is Thursday and you leave Tuesday, teams could be fatigued if they play three games in three days or four games in four.

“If it was over Saturday, it would make sure your final game matters. Sometimes you play the final on Sunday and they (the pairings) are done before you play the game.”

A realist, Self knows the system isn’t going to change, even though teams that play in Sunday’s Big 12 final could be at a disadvantage during the all-important NCAA Tourney.

“Television, money,” Self said. “If you take away Sunday tournament games, basically you eliminated one weekend day you can have tournaments viewed and advertising dollars because Friday doesn’t get near as much the attention as would Saturday and Sunday.”

He was coach at Illinois when the Big 10 tourney final was switched to Sunday.

“We went through the same thing. CBS wants that game leading into Selection Sunday,” Self said. “It’s a big, big deal (to CBS). No way with that contract with all they are paying to have the rights would they change that.”

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As far as the Big 12 men’s tourney, which starts with four first-round games today, Self believes in the old cliche that just about anybody could win it.

“I think so,” Self said. “I think Oklahoma has an advantage of being a No. 1 seed in attempting to advance to the final. But it is wide open.”

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Langford status unchanged: KU senior Keith Langford continues to be listed as doubtful for Friday’s Big 12 quarterfinal against the winner of tonight’s Texas A&M-Kansas State game. Tipoff Friday will be 6 p.m. at Kemper Arena.

Langford, who has a severely bruised left ankle, was off crutches Tuesday and again Wednesday, but “still can’t do anything,” Self said of practicing. “He may feel better, but as of now he’s doubtful.”

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Wright on Summit: KU signee Julian Wright on Wednesday officially was named one of 10 players to compete for the U.S. Junior National Select Team at the Nike Hoop Summit on April 9 in Memphis, Tenn.

The Nike Hoop Summit features America’s top senior boys taking on a World Select Team comprised of the world’s top players who are 19 or younger. Tip is 6:30 p.m. at the FedExForum. It will be shown on Fox Sports.