The Kansas men’s basketball team will play on ESPN’s Big Monday four times during the 2011-12 season, the Big 12 announced Thursday.

KU will play host to Baylor at 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 16 during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day doubleheader before hosting Texas A&M at 8 p.m. on Jan. 23.

The Jayhawks finish their Big Monday schedule with two road games. KU plays at Kansas State at 8 p.m. on Feb. 13, then at Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. on Feb. 27.

KU has the most Big Monday games with four, followed by Texas A&M and Texas, which both have three.

The full conference schedules for each team will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

2012 Big Monday schedule (All times Central)

Jan. 16 — Texas A&M at Missouri, 4:30 p.m.; Baylor at Kansas, 8:30 p.m.

Jan. 23 — Texas A&M at Kansas, 8 p.m.

Jan. 30 — Missouri at Texas, 8 p.m.

Feb. 6 — Texas at Texas A&M, 8 p.m.

Feb. 13 — Kansas at Kansas State, 8 p.m.

Feb. 20 — Baylor at Texas, 8 p.m.

Feb. 27 — Kansas at Oklahoma State, 8 p.m.

Big Monday facts

KU posted a 64-51 victory over A&M in College Station a year ago … A&M and Texas both have three Big Monday appearances this season … KU’s game against Baylor will be part of ESPN’s Martin Luther King Day doubleheader…. The Jayhawks have played OSU in a Big Monday contest five times in the past eight seasons. … KU has met Kansas State three times and Baylor twice during the Big 12 era. …KU’s full conference scheduled will be announced in August.

NBA players to flock to Lawrence?

Former KU forward Drew Gooden of the Milwaukee Bucks recently said he could envision various NBA players working out at KU this fall and winter in the event of a lengthy NBA lockout.

They’ll be welcome to do so, KU coach Bill Self said Wednesday.

“Based on what I’ve been told, there will be several that will spend quite a bit more time in Lawrence than they would normally because of the lockout,” Self said of the Jayhawks in the NBA.

“Sure it can (help KU’s current players), through pickup game situations, also being around some quality individuals,” Self added.

Jayhawks in the NBA are: Cole Aldrich (Oklahoma City), Darrell Arthur (Memphis), Mario Chalmers (Miami), Nick Collison (Oklahoma City), Gooden (Milwaukee), Xavier Henry (Memphis), Kirk Hinrich (Atlanta), Darnell Jackson (Sacramento), Paul Pierce (Boston), Brandon Rush (Indiana), Julian Wright (Toronto). Sherron Collins opened the 2010-11 season with Charlotte, but was cut. KU had three players selected in the 2011 NBA Draft — Marcus Morris (Houston), Markieff Morris (Phoenix) and Josh Selby (Memphis).

Numbers

Here are the jersey numbers for KU’s newcomers for the upcoming season as reported on kuathletics.com: Naadir Tharpe No. 1, Braeden Anderson No. 3, Christian Garrett No. 21, Merv Lindsay No. 22, Ben McLemore No. 23, Jamari Traylor No. 31 and Kevin Young No. 40. Senior Jordan Juenemann will switch from No. 40 to 25.