Title talk

Three teams remain in contention for the Big 12 regular-season men’s basketball title entering tonight’s Kansas University-Oklahoma game, set for an 8 p.m. tipoff at Noble Center.

KU and OU are 11-1, Missouri 10-2. MU plays at KU on March 1; OU is at Missouri on March 4.

“We are enthused about that,” KU coach Bill Self said Sunday, referring to fighting for first place in the league tonight.

“This is not for the title, (but) the winner will have the inside track. This is not for anything. We are certainly excited to be playing for first place tomorrow.”

KU has won or shared the last four Big 12 crowns. KU won six league titles in a row from 1921 to 27.

“I stress to them (young players) I want to keep it going,” KU junior Sherron Collins said. “We have won four in a row. We are trying to make it five. The guys are getting it. Practice has been good. Coach doesn’t have to coach effort anymore.”

“I may be a little surprised, but not really,” sophomore center Cole Aldrich said. “We didn’t have too high expectations. Everybody thought this was a rebuilding year. We’ve got so many new guys everybody was saying, ‘How much can they do?’ We all believed in ourselves and said, ‘Hey you know what? We can win.”’

Griffin covets ring

KU’s Aldrich, who is a buddy of OU’s Blake Griffin, showed Griffin his NCAA title ring at Big 12 Media Day last October in Oklahoma City.

“Blake said he was going to get one himself this year,” Aldrich said. “I said, ‘Well, you’ve got a chance. It’s going to take a lot.”’

Warren excels as frosh

OU freshman guard Willie Warren, who was recruited by KU, takes a 15.4 scoring average off 49.3 percent shooting into today’s game. He has made 49.3 percent of his shots, including 38.2 percent of his threes (50 of 131).

“Willie Warren … some person had him, and I think it’s pretty accurate, the second best freshman in America (behind Memphis’ Tyreke Evans) and 12th best shooting guard overall. That’s pretty good for a freshman,” Self said. “Austin Johnson (8.7 ppg) is having a great year. Taylor (Griffin, 8.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg) is having a great year. Patillo (Juan, 6.9 ppg) is an ingredient they didn’t have before. They are playing well.”

Facts

The Sooners are 15-0 at home. OU has the country’s third-longest home court winning streak (19 games). … KU leads the overall series, 133-64. KU has won the last four meetings and five of the last six matchups. In Norman, KU holds a 46-40 series edge, yet the Sooners lead 15-14 in games played in Noble Center. … Last season, Griffin was injured in the first four minutes as Kansas defeated OU 85-55 in Lawrence. Collins (nine points), Aldrich (six points, three rebounds), Tyrel Reed (two minutes) and Conner Teahan (one minute) played against OU.