photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) slams into Baylor forward Johnathan Motley (5) during the first half, Friday, March 11, 2016 at Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo.

The Big 12 is shaping up as a much tougher basketball conference than predicted and even Kansas coach Bill Self, a relentless advocate for the league who talked up the league before the season started, acknowledged being surprised when I asked him about it.

“Everybody in our league right now has a legitimate chance to go to the NCAA tournament,” Self said. “Think about it: Everybody in our league has a legitimate chance to go to the NCAA tournament.”

Amazing, although it won’t happen because teams will beat up on each other.

“Now certain teams are going to have to play well in league, and they may have to go 9-9 or something like that,” Self said. “But there are 10 teams vying for an NCAA tournament spot, and I don’t think there is any other league in the country that could say that.”

Texas (4-4), off to by far the worst start of any Big 12 team, and Baylor (8-0, four victories vs. top 25 foes) have been among the biggest surprises in the nation.

The Bears knocked off Oregon, Michigan State, Louisville and Xavier by an average margin of 12.5 points.

“The young guy sitting out at Baylor, nobody knew he was that good and he’s arguably playing to a first-team or second-team all-league level already,” Self said of 5-foot-11 point guard Manu Lecomte, a Miami transfer from Belgium. “Then we knew (Johnathan) Motley was good, but we didn’t know that he would be this good, but we knew he was good. And then they have other great pieces, great pieces.”

Such as 7-footer Jo Lual-Acuil Jr., a native of Melbourne, Australia and transfer from Neosho Community College averaging 9.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.4 blocked shots.

“Nobody knew they were going to have a newcomer come in and block five shots a game,” Self said.

And it’s not as if Lual-Acuil is swatting shrimps’ shots. He averaged five blocks in the victories over Oregon, Michigan State, Louisville and Xavier.

Lecomte’s averaging 13.9 points, 5.3 assists and is shooting .395 from three and Motley’s averaging 16.3 points and 8.1 rebounds.

Four Big 12 teams appear in the top 25 and a fifth, TCU, might have busted in next week but for a loss to SMU on Wednesday: 3 – Kansas, 4 – Baylor, 15 – West Virginia, 25.

This will be the fifth basketball season with the current 10 members making up the Big 12. Their records in the first four seasons:

1 – Kansas………………..56-16
2 – Oklahoma……………47-25
3 – Iowa State……………44-28
4 (tie) – Baylor…………….39-33
4 (tie) – West Virginia……39-33
6 (tie) – Kansas State…..37-35
6 (tie) – Texas……………..37-35
8 – Oklahoma State…….31-41
9 – Texas Tech……………21-51
10 – TCU……………………..8-64

Talented Sooner kills more than a volleyball

Had such a blast at Horejsi Center this fall covering so many talented athletes from Kansas and visiting schools.

Enjoyed watching Oklahoma’s Madison Ryann Ward enough to read her bio and that piqued my curiosity enough to send me to Youtube. She’s an impressive volleyball player, all right, but that’s not her greatest talent. A native of Lawton, Okla., Ward makes you feel as she’s singing just for you with that beautiful, soulful voice of hers.

Here she is covering Amy Grant’s “Baby, Baby.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3mywDFqj4c

And give this powerful version of Tennessee Whiskey that Ward, 22, sings with Clark Beckham a listen.

No. 22 for the Sooners, Ward will reach higher than that on the music charts some day.

Such a smooth, sweet, warm voice. Future superstar. Bank on it. Her agent will.

You can follow Madison on Twitter @madisonryann22.