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1. Louisville coach Rick Pitino said in a text Tuesday night that Indiana and Louisville couldn’t get a date set to schedule a game next season. Indiana coach Tom Crean wasn’t ready to close the door in his response, saying he wasn’t sure. But Pitino said he’s now trying to start the home-and-home series in 2013-14, which is a shame considering that the two teams could be ranked 1-2 to start next season. Indiana still has a few more games to schedule.

2. Missouri still might have landed Jordan Clarkson without restrictions put on his transfer from Tulsa. In a statement, the Golden Hurricane wouldn’t detail why there were restricted schools like Texas. Somehow, Tulsa escaped national criticism for the way it handled Clarkson. Mizzou coach Frank Haith has five transfers eligible next season, then Clarkson in 2013-14; the use of transfers is helping the Tigers avoid a rebuilding phase. The schools that get these transfers, though, shouldn’t ever block one of their own from seeking a new home.

3. Denver’s plan, according to a source, is to try to convince the remaining WAC members (Idaho, New Mexico State, Boise State and Seattle) that they should stay together to keep the league’s automatic NCAA tournament berth. The WAC could then add available Utah Valley and Cal State Bakersfield. The problem is that NMSU and Idaho will need a home for football and Boise State now would rather be in the Big West or, if the Big East were to fail, head back to the Mountain West. And, according to a source, if Denver had its choice, the Pioneers would go to the stable and all-private WCC.

Editor’s note: Each week, ESPN.com writers will debate a topic of interest in the college basketball landscape. Today’s topic: Which teams are garnering too much (and possibly unwarranted) preseason buzz? Which teams aren’t receiving enough? For the former, click here to see the selections of Eamonn Brennan and Dana O'Neill.

Jason King: Missouri

I’ve seen a few preseason college basketball polls that have Missouri somewhere between No. 20 and 25. But in the majority of them, the Tigers aren’t ranked at all.

I don’t understand it.

This is a team that returns a Cousy Award finalist (Phil Pressey), the national sixth man of the year (Michael Dixon) and a forward (Laurence Bowers) who averaged 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds two seasons ago before missing 2011-12 with a knee injury. That’s a solid trio -- and those guys may not even be the best players on the team.

Since Frank Haith’s arrival last offseason, Missouri has become a home for transfers seeking a fresh start after things didn’t work out at their initial stop. Some folks are referring to Mizzou as Transfer U. The label is fair. As many as four transfers are expected to either start or play major roles for the Tigers.

What’s interesting is that these aren’t your average, run-of-the-mill transfers. Forward Alex Oriakhi started on Connecticut’s 2011 NCAA championship team. And the other three were the best players on their respective rosters before deciding to take their talents elsewhere.

Guard Earnest Ross averaged a team-high 13.1 points for Auburn two years ago. Keion Bell, who is also a guard, scored 18.9 points per game for Pepperdine in 2010-11 before electing to leave. Sharpshooter Jabari Brown -- a consensus top-20 recruit -- earned a starting spot in Oregon’s lineup last season but quit the team after two games.

Bottom line: We know all of these guys can play because they’ve all proven it. The one exception is Brown, but he’s the most highly touted of the four. Brown, Bell and Ross practiced with the Tigers throughout last season, so it’s not as if they won’t be used to Haith’s schemes and coaching style. Oriakhi doesn’t arrive on campus until this summer, but the senior veteran should adapt quickly.

Along with its speed, quickness and prowess from long range, Missouri’s biggest attribute last season was its chemistry. Not many teams in the country operated as a unit quite like Mizzou. That cohesion will be hard to match in 2012-13.

Still, to me, this team is too talented -- and its players are too proven -- to leave the Tigers out of the top 15.

Myron Medcalf: Arizona

Where’s the love for Arizona?

If we’re going to hype Kentucky and UCLA based on their impressive fleets of incoming freshmen, then we should boost Arizona, too.

The Wildcats will depend on highly touted freshmen next season. Just like Kentucky. Just like UCLA.

But Sean Miller’s program hasn’t received a comparable slice of buzz, even though he had the top-ranked recruiting class in 2012 prior to signing day. And the Wildcats could end up with the Pac-12 crown next season.

Yes, Josiah Turner is gone. But Solomon Hill and Nick Johnson are back. A healthy Kevin Parrom should help, too.

But the veterans will be the backstory for next season’s talented bunch.

Miller has brought in the No. 3 recruiting class in America, according to ESPN.com. He has three five-star post players that could make an immediate impact -- not to mention recent transfer Mark Lyons, who is available to play right away after graduating from Xavier. He averaged 15.1 ppg last season and can be a major contributor if he keeps his head on straight.

As for the freshmen, Kaleb Tarczewski, a skilled 7-footer, and power forward Grant Jerrett are top-10 prospects. Brandon Ashley is a 6-8 forward with finesse. He’s top-20.

I watched Ashley ball on the summer circuit last year. Hard to imagine he’s the third-rated prospect in any class. Gabe York is also a talented young wing.

The Bruins’ youngsters will snatch the preseason headlines that precede the 2012-13 campaign. But by the end of the year, we’ll be talking about Arizona’s freshman leaders, too.

I just think Zona is a stacked young team, and that obviously carries weight following Kentucky’s run to the national title.

The greatest concern for a UA squad that imploded last season will be chemistry. Will the first-year guys blend with the veterans? That will be the most crucial component of the 2012-13 season for the Wildcats.

But again, John Calipari and Ben Howland will have the same challenge next season.

They’re all going to rely on skilled freshmen.

And if that’s the formula, then the Wildcats deserve far more buzz for their potential to disrupt the national scene next year.

He’s still trying to work out the logistics, knowing full well it will be about as popular as a summertime homework assignment.

But if Frank Haith has his way, when Missouri travels to Europe this summer, his players will leave their cell phones behind.

“We want them to be able to get to know one another, to really have a bonding experience,’’ Haith said.

With good reason. Stealing a page from the Fred Hoiberg handbook, Haith this season will add four transfers to his lineup, hoping that the express route to experience will help the Tigers' transition from the graduation of their three-headed heart (Kim English, Marcus Denmon and Ricardo Ratliffe).

Transfers are rampant right now in college basketball, with more players switching allegiances every year. Geography, playing time, coaching changes or stylistic loggerheads are just some of the reasons fewer and fewer people are being true to their school choice.

It doesn’t necessarily look good for the game, but the choices aren’t always for the worse. Hoiberg took his recollected talent to the NCAA tournament this season, ending a seven-year drought for Iowa State.

It can work.

At least that’s what Haith half hopes and expects when he adds Keion Bell (from Pepperdine), Jabari Brown (from Oregon), Alex Oriakhi (from Connecticut), and Earnest Ross (from Auburn) to the fold this year. All but Oriakhi spent this past season on campus, able to practice and watch the Tigers up close.

“I think it can be tricky, but the thing that was good for us, these guys got to see how last year’s team won,’’ Haith said. “They saw how chemistry played such an important role to our success.’’

Haith felt like he had little choice but to look for players unhappy with their current circumstances. Hired in April of last year, the class of 2012 was either spoken for or knee deep in its final choices. He knew he’d be losing the bulk of his team -- only a season-ending knee injury allowed Laurence Bowers to return in 2012-13.

So he rolled the dice, welcoming in two seniors (Bell and Oriakhi), a junior (Ross), and a freshman that lasted just one semester at his first stop (Brown).

All come to Mizzou for different reasons. Bell, who led Pepperdine in scoring the past three seasons, wanted a chance to showcase his game at a higher level; Oriakhi left because the Huskies are no longer eligible for the postseason thanks to an APR ban; Ross, Auburn’s leading scorer and rebounder, denied Tony Barbee’s assertion that theirs was a mutual separation, instead insisting he wanted to move on. Brown, a one-time top 30 talent, left after playing just two games for Dana Altman at Oregon.

It’s a unique blend of talent (Bell and Ross led their respective teams in scoring last season) and experience that most agree will help Haith keep things going at Missouri.

If, that is, he can get all the personalities to coalesce.

“We want all of our guys to have leadership skills, but obviously these new guys have to earn respect because they haven’t done it here,’’ Haith said. “Phil Pressey, he wants the role that Kimmie had last year -- to be the vocal leader. Laurence is more like Marcus, a guy who will lead by example. I think it is our job to help them find the right way to lead.’’

As you may have seen by now, ESPN.com resident Bracketologist and all-around awesome dude Joe Lunardi released his customary "way-too-early-but-nonetheless-really-fun" April edition of the 2012 bracket Monday. As you may have seen by now -- or likely guessed, based on our poll last week -- the Indiana Hoosiers are the early pick to receive the top spot in the field, with a Pittsburgh-Ohio Nos. 8/9 matchup looming in the second round.

Can Indiana survive to the second weekend? I don't know! This is just a snapshot. It's just for fun. The chances it resembles the actual bracket are obviously always minimal at best. (Though preseason rankings are more telling than you'd think. Seriously!)

But I did notice one seeding that intrigued me in a genuine "oh, that feels maybe a little bit low" kind of way, because that is the absolute ceiling for disagreement with a 2012-13 bracket chosen in April 2012. That team is Missouri; that seeding is No. 5. Why? Because I wonder if Missouri won't be a good deal better than we think at this point in the offseason.

The latest news out of Columbia, Mo. came Saturday, when UConn transfer Alex Oriakhi revealed he would play his final year of college hoops -- which he can participate in right away, thanks to a transfer exemption caused by Connecticut's APR-related tournament ban -- for the Tigers. ""Missouri needs a center, and I'm going to be the center. It's a perfect match," Oriakhi told the Kansas City Star, and he's right. With senior forwards Ricardo Ratliffe and Steve Moore both gone, the Tigers desperately needed some legitimate Division-I size, and Oriakhi is definitely that.

The rest of the lineup is looking pretty intriguing, too. Missouri has serious personnel losses to contend with -- in addition to Ratliffe and Moore, guards Marcus Denmon, Matt Pressey and Kim English were all seniors, too -- but their returners are more than capable of excelling in those players' absence. One is Flip Pressey, who emerged as one of the nation's best point guards as a sophomore in 2012. The other is Michael Dixon, a reserve who played starter minutes. The fact that Missouri coach Frank Haith can lose Denmon, English and the elder Pressey and still have a backcourt this promising is a testament to how incredibly deep Missouri was at the position last season.

They won't have that depth in 2012-13, but they may be far more balanced in the trade. Oriakhi will play alongside power forward Laurence Bowers, who -- remember him? -- tore his ACL in the preseason and missed the entire 2012 campaign. Bowers' return should add to a beefier, more conventional front line, but still one capable of contending at the highest levels of the Big 12 SEC next season. And if Haith can find a worthy reserve or two stashed on his bench -- or among a 2012 recruiting class that hauled in seven new players -- his lineup may be a difficult one to contend with. (Update: Other than the Big 12/SEC fix above, Twitter follower @mikemoreau85 reminds me that Oregon transfer Jabari Brown, a talented 6-foot-5 guard, could join the team as soon as December. So factor that in as well.)

It may also have some glaring holes. Frankly, it could go either way. So while I see Joe's slotting of Missouri at No. 5 as entirely reasonable, I could also see the Tigers' major personnel losses obscuring what could remain a really dynamic, albeit more "normal" (i.e., less guard-dominated) team in 2012-13. Fortunately, we've got about six months to figure this all out, so we don't have to commit to any predictions just yet.

But it's safe to say this much: The 2012-13 Missouri Tigers are going to look vastly different from last year's version, and they are going to be fascinating to watch, even if for entirely different reasons. Frankly, I can't wait.*

*It is around this time every year that I begin soliciting readers' ideas for one truly important quest: A time-travel device that will take us to October 15 -- Midnight Madness -- without having to deal with the rest of the offseason. Any and all designs to this effect should be submitted in the comments below. Together, we can break the space-time continuum and watch college basketball year-round. It's what Einstein would have wanted, you guys.

1. Bryce Drew made the right choice to withdraw from the Mississippi State coaching search. The first-year Valparaiso coach wouldn’t have been a fit in the deep South. He is perfect for the next Big Ten opening that may occur in the coming years. Drew has name recognition that is still strong in the Midwest. He won the Horizon League (over Butler and Detroit) in his first season and should be in contention again next season. He played in the NBA. He doesn’t need to rush to the first high-major stop that shows an interest. He’ll be fine.

2. John Groce may get the Frank Haith treatment at Illinois from those critical of the hiring. But he shouldn’t. Fans and Chicago high schools should give Groce a chance. Haith’s hiring was mocked at first by Mizzou loyalists because he wasn’t the first choice and Miami wasn’t a consistent NCAA team. Groce didn’t top the list at Illinois after the Illini lost out on Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens. But Groce has proven he is tremendous late-season coach more than anything else. His teams improve and are a tough out in the postseason. Groce has strong Midwest ties and an infectious energy that should be celebrated upon arrival.

3. The SEC confirmed that it does have a rule that a player must have two years of eligibility left in order to transfer to a member school. That would mean Florida, Kentucky and Missouri couldn’t stay in the Alex Oriakhi sweepstakes. A waiver could be sought since this is an unusual circumstance. Another interesting curveball: Would Oriakhi be able to play immediately if UConn were to win its appeal and earn back the right to play in the 2013 NCAA tournament? Oriakhi might be given a special circumstance since he is transferring at a point when the Huskies are currently ineligible to play in the postseason during his senior year.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- They were all on the Sprint Center podium, each member of the Missouri basketball team, sporting the commemorative hats and T-shirts given only to Big 12 champions.

Confetti fell from the rafters after the Tigers’ 90-75 beatdown of Baylor. Girlfriends and parents took pictures from the stands and players bobbed their heads as “All I Do is Win” boomed through the arena’s speaker system. The whole scene was surreal -- storybook, even -- for a school just months away from joining the SEC.

This was Missouri’s last moment in the Big 12.

And also its finest.

Then suddenly, the Tigers realized something was missing. Just as league commissioner Chuck Neinas was about to hand over the Big 12 tournament trophy, guard Kim English looked down from his perch and shouted toward the court.

“Hey Coach,” the senior said, “get up here.”

Frank Haith grinned and walked toward the steps. There was a reason he’d been hiding out, a reason he’d waited to join his team on the stage. While the Tigers had been celebrating, Haith was busy wiping away tears.

“I was reflecting,” Haith said. “It’s been a special run, man.”

Indeed, the players who everyone said were too small are 30-4. The team with no depth may earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The man whose hire was ridiculed last spring is the toast not just of Columbia, but of college basketball.

You could argue that a few coaches -- a very small few -- have done as good a job as Haith this season. But there’s certainly no one that has done any better. That’s why English and his teammates wanted to make sure Haith was the first Tiger to touch that Big 12 tournament trophy Saturday. Haith always likes the spotlight to shine on his players.

But during those emotional postgame moments at the Sprint Center, he deserved it, too.

“You did this,” English said he whispered into his coach’s ear. “You constructed this. You’re the reason we played the way we played.”

Just as they have all season, the Tigers treated fans to a beautiful brand of basketball in dismantling a Baylor squad that had looked dominant in its previous two wins against Kansas State and Kansas.

The Tigers shot 53 percent from the field because they passed up good shots for great ones. Their jerseys were dotted with blood because they clawed for rebounds and dove for loose balls. The crowd of 19,006 -- about 18,500 of them were Missouri fans -- got behind them because of the toughness of players such as English and Marcus Denmon, each of whom received pregame cortisone shots so they could play through nagging injuries.

“You just can’t measure this team’s heart and toughness,” guard Michael Dixon said. “I don’t really think too many people outside of ourselves and our fans thought we could do this.”

It’s not as if the Tigers haven’t tasted success before. English and Denmon were freshmen on a 2008-09 squad that reached the Elite Eight, and each of Missouri’s top seven players were key components of a team that won 23 games last season under Mike Anderson, who left in March to take the Arkansas job.

After attempts to lure Matt Painter from Purdue failed, Missouri hired Haith and spent the ensuing spring and summer being mocked nationally. Haith had led Miami to just one NCAA tournament appearance in seven seasons. And last summer, his name surfaced in a Yahoo! Sports report involving impermissible payments to Hurricanes athletes, including one basketball player. Although the NCAA is still investigating, Haith hasn’t been charged with any wrongdoing.

The cherry on top of Haith’s tumultuous offseason occurred when standout forward Laurence Bowers suffered a season-ending knee injury before the start of fall workouts.

“It’s been a difficult process with all things we’ve had to go through,” Haith said. “I’ve been very humbled by the whole process. The Laurence Bowers injury, the NCAA stuff ... all that stuff. This team and our staff stayed on the course and stayed focused.”

Haith talks all the time about how his players have matured.

But he has grown, too.

Haith brought structure and discipline to an erratic offense. Missouri’s 50.3 field-goal percentage ranks third in the nation. Anderson’s “Forty Minutes of Hell” defense was scrapped, but the Tigers’ quickness and intensity pesters opposing offenses and helps make up for their lack of size.

Missouri starts just one player (6-8 forward Ricardo Ratliffe) who stands taller than 6-foot-5. But instead of that being a detriment, the Tigers see their four-guard offense as a strength. Rare is the power forward who can keep up with the speedy, sinewy English. And there aren’t many small forwards who can stay in front of players such as Denmon and Dixon.

“People like to talk about what this team is not,” Haith said. “That’s what’s motivated this group. I’ve told them, ‘Let’s focus on who we are and what we can do. We can’t change. We’re not going to add any more players. We’re not going to grow any taller. We are who we are.’”

After this weekend, no one should question Missouri’s identity any further.

The Tigers are the best team in the Big 12. Maybe they weren’t during the regular season, when Kansas won the conference title by two games over their archrival. But right now, just days away from the NCAA tournament, Missouri is the best the league has to offer.

Partly because their seven-man rotation is mainly comprised of juniors and seniors, the Tigers were hungrier, more cohesive and mentally tougher than any team in the Big 12 tournament, and there’s no reason to think that won’t carry over into the games that matter most.

Missouri will almost certainly open NCAA tournament play in Omaha on Friday, but the question is whether they’ll be a No. 1 or a No. 2 seed. No school from a Big Six conference has ever not been awarded a No. 1 seed after winning 30 or more regular season games.

Most prognostications, however, suggest that the Tigers will be a No. 2.

“We definitely deserve (a No. 1 seed),” Dixon said. “We’ve got 30 wins and four losses with seven guys. But it’s not really in our control. We’ll take whoever we play head-on. We don’t care who we get.”

As forward as he’s looking to the NCAA tournament, Haith wanted to make sure to enjoy Saturday’s accomplishment, too.

Cameras rolled and light bulbs flashed as Haith climbed the ladder to snip away the Sprint Center net. The crowd erupted in cheers. Just before Haith lifted his scissors toward the cotton, he clutched both sides of the ladder, stared at the ground and closed his eyes. There were no tears this time when Haith raised his head, only a large gulp.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to act, I guess,” Haith said. “I’m just going to be who I am.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - About 30 minutes before their tilt with Texas, the Missouri Tigers stood in the Sprint Center tunnel and loosened their legs.

A black curtain hanging from the ceiling kept them from watching the Kansas-Baylor game that was taking place on the court, but the Tigers didn’t need to see a scoreboard to tell who was ahead.

“Everyone always cheers when Kansas scores,” Missouri guard Phil Pressey said. “But when we were standing there, we didn’t hear any cheers for a long, long time. We knew they must be losing.”

Indeed, the game a whole city -- no, a whole nation -- wanted to see on Saturday will never take place. Kansas was upset in the Big 12 tournament semifinals, so instead of one last rendition of the Border War, Missouri will face Baylor for the title. Mizzou, who is making its last appearance in Kansas City as a member of the Big 12, shellacked Texas 81-67 in Friday’s other semifinal.

“I was a little shocked (that KU lost),” Missouri guard Michael Dixon. “But we weren’t too worried about who we were going to play. The only thing we care about is winning a championship. We’ll play whoever we have to play to do it.”

As good as Saturday’s title game could be - the Tigers and Bears both look like Final-Four contenders - the matchup certainly isn’t as sexy as the one that would’ve pitted Missouri against archrival Kansas.

All week long, the buzz in KC has revolved around the potential of the two teams meeting in the title game. Tickets purchased through scalpers would’ve cost in excess of $1,000. The Jayhawks and Tigers split the regular-season series, so Saturday’s rubber match might have been for eternal bragging rights. Missouri is leaving the Big 12 after this season for the SEC, and Kansas has indicated it has no interest in continuing the series.

Missouri coach Frank Haith was asked if he hoped to play KU in the title game.

“That’s a really tough question,” he said. “No, I don’t care who we play, all right? We’re happy to be in the championship game. That’s all we’re going to concern ourselves with. It’s a great opportunity.”

And it’s one Missouri certainly deserves after one of the best seasons in school history. Friday’s victory over Texas improved the Tigers’ record to 29-4. Kim English and Phil Pressey scored 23 points each and combined to make 17 of their 23 field goal attempts. Ricardo Ratliffe added 18 points and 14 rebounds.

How good was Mizzou? The Tigers won on a night when leading scorer Marcus Denmon went 0-for-10 from the field.

“That’s a great example,” Haith said, “of a ballclub that’s a team.”

Kansas had been projected as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament before losing to Baylor. Now the possibility exists that the Tigers could become a No. 1 seed.

“That’s out of our control,” English said. “I’m not Joe Lunardi. I don’t know (what will happen). I have no clue. We’re just trying to win this Big 12 championship.”

To do that, Missouri will have to defeat Baylor for the third time this season. The Tigers escaped Waco, Texas, with a 1-point victory on Jan. 21 before throttling the Bears 72-57 last month in Columbia.

Missouri’s players said Baylor’s performance in its past two games has definitely caught their attention.

“They’re playing their best basketball,” English said, “at just the right time."

So, too, are the Tigers, who are hoping their final Big 12 tournament game in history is also their best.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Outside Allen Fieldhouse, nearly an hour after the most memorable game in the venue's storied history, a black chartered bus with gold stripes and a Show-Me-State license plate idled in the parking lot.

One by one, each member of the Missouri Tigers basketball team walked past armed security guards and made his way toward the door. Matt Pressey stopped and signed items for autograph seekers, Michael Dixon hid his face beneath a gray hoodie and Marcus Denmon slouched in his seat as he peered through a tinted window.

Outside, first-year coach Frank Haith paced back and forth across the sidewalk, staring at the ground as he talked on his cell phone following his team's 87-86 overtime loss to Kansas. Eventually, the luggage compartment was shut. The bus engine gurgled and Haith climbed aboard.

At 6:27 p.m. central time, the Border War was over.

The driver's foot pressed a pedal and the Missouri Tigers were whisked away from Allen Fieldhouse and Lawrence, Kansas.

Forever.

For Jason King's full column, click here.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Here are some quick thoughts from Kansas' classic 87-86 overtime victory over Missouri on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Overview: Tyshawn Taylor made a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining in overtime to lift No. 5 Kansas over archival and third-ranked Missouri. Mizzou had a chance to win the game at the buzzer, but Michael Dixon took too much time and Marcus Denmon couldn't get off a shot as time expired. The game was one of the greatest in the history of the Jayhawks' historic venue, as KU came back from a 19-point second-half deficit to defeat its nemesis in what might have been the final regular-season meeting ever between the two teams. Missouri is moving to the SEC next season and Kansas has indicated it has no interest in continuing the series.

National-player-of-the-year candidate Thomas Robinson had 28 points, while Taylor added 24 for Kansas, which clinched at least a share of the Big 12 title for the eighth consecutive season. The Jayhawks, who have a two-game lead over the second-place Tigers, can claim the championship outright with a victory over Oklahoma State on Monday in Stillwater.

Denmon scored 28 points for MU and Ricardo Ratliffe added 22. Denmon's baseline jumper with 12 seconds left in overtime gave the Tigers an 86-85 lead before Taylor raced down the court and was fouled by Dixon, which led to the game-deciding free throws.

A three-point play by Robinson with 16 seconds left in regulation forced a 75-75 tie and sent the game into overtime.

"It wouldn't have been a disgrace to lose to a good team," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "But it's Missouri. You've got to win that game."

Star the game: Robinson took a huge step toward winning national POY honors with his 28-point, 12-rebound performance. Along with his clutch baskets down the stretch, Robinson also blocked a shot by Missouri's Phil Pressey as time expired in regulation.

By the numbers: Saturday's effort tied the largest comeback victory the Jayhawks have ever had at home — KU also rallied from 19 down in December 1995 to defeat UCLA. It was just three points shy of the school's biggest rally ever (22 versus Texas in 2007). ... Kansas improved to 15-1 at home against Mizzou since the formation of the Big 12. ... This was just the second time in the past 34 meetings of this storied rivalry that the game went into overtime. ... This was the fourth time these two schools have met while each was in the top 10. It was the first of those matchups that KU has won. ... Mizzou came awfully close, but no team since 2001 Iowa State has beaten Kansas twice in the regular season.

What this means for Missouri: Considering the atmosphere and all that was at stake, Missouri played as well at Allen Fieldhouse as any opponent in recent memory. The Tigers' mental toughness was unbelievable against a team that has won 90 of its past 91 home games. Mizzou wasn't at all affected by KU's deafening crowd. The Tigers hit big shot after big shot to maintain the lead until the final seconds of regulation. Their performance is a credit to the senior leadership of veterans Dixon, Denmon, Ratliffe and Kim English -- and first-year coach Frank Haith. This is a Final Four-caliber team.

What this means for Kansas: KU has accomplished one of the most underrated feats in college sports by winning an eighth consecutive Big 12 title -- especially considering this was supposed to be Self's worst Kansas team. The Jayhawks lost four starters from last year's Elite Eight squad. In the waning minutes Saturday, the Jayhawks had a walk-on (Conner Teahan) on the court, along with a Loyola Marymount transfer (Kevin Young) who averaged about 8 points a game at his previous school. Kansas also won without much of a contribution from center Jeff Withey, who turned his ankle in the opening half and hardly played after intermission. More important to Kansas fans is that the Jayhawks will have bragging rights again -- and perhaps forever -- on their most hated rival. Kansas leads the all-time series 172-95.

What's next: Kansas plays at Oklahoma State on Big Monday, while Missouri hosts Iowa State on Wednesday.

1. Kansas is on the verge of a possible eighth-straight Big 12 title. That’s remarkable. The Big 12 has been one of the toughest conferences in the country during that stretch. Bill Self has done a tremendous job with this group, has managed a star in Thomas Robinson perfectly, developed a good complimentary player in the post in Jeff Withey and dealt with an enigmatic but effective Tyshawn Taylor. And remember, the Jayhawks lost their top recruit, Ben McLemore to academics in the nonconference. Self is right there for coach of the year nationally with Mizzou’s Frank Haith, Notre Dame’s Mike Brey, Kentucky’s John Calipari, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo.

2. The decision to bring Michigan State AD Mark Hollis (as well as Delaware AD and former Georgetown AD Bernard Muir) on the NCAA tournament selection committee was an intelligent decision. Hollis has been one of the best athletic directors in the country in understanding men’s basketball scheduling. Hollis has been a gambler and innovator (one of the creators of the Carrier Classic). He will know how to correctly judge nonconference scheduling. The committee improved in 2012-13 with the Hollis addition.

3. Interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas announced he will step down on July 1. The Big 12 should consider NCAA vice president Greg Shaheen for the position. Shaheen, who was responsible for coordinating the NCAA’s move from Overland Park, Kan., to Indianapolis, has been the glue for the NCAA tournament. Shaheen helped negotiate the latest television contract for the tournament with CBS and Turner and is as connected as anyone at the NCAA in college athletics. But he has to re-interview for his job after the Final Four and according to multiple sources the hierarchy at the NCAA wants him out for a change. Shaheen is too valuable in college athletics to be left idle. The Big 12 could use his vision going forward.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Alan White would like to make a small clarification to the Frank Haith story.

The former Elon athletic director, realizing his student was in a financial pinch, did in fact give Haith some living space inside the university's gymnasium.

It was not, however, a janitor's closet.

"It was actually an old ticket booth," White said.

And we thought this was an outhouse-to-the-penthouse story.

Plenty of head coaches can spin a tale about the old days, of long hours cramped in bad cars with worse food, traversing the country in search of players and, with a little luck, a better job, nicer car and healthier diet.

For all the glitter that surrounds the man in charge once he gets to the top, basketball lifers rarely dine from the silver spoon of ease menu. Haith's hardscrabble tale goes even a little deeper into the scrabble, from humble beginnings to an unwelcome party at Missouri, the coach has been counted out more than he's been counted in.

To read more from Dana O'Neil, click here.

1. Missouri’s road win at Oklahoma Monday night cannot be undersold. This was a huge moment for the Tigers as Missouri could have easily slipped after beating Kansas Saturday. "We played late Saturday night in an emotional game and then played early Monday," Mizzou coach Frank Haith said after the game. "This team won one road game last season. We’re 4-2 on the road now.’’ Mizzou has three road games left this season: at Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Kansas. “We had a quick turnaround,’’ Haith said. The Tigers essentially play seven players and Missouri is now 22-2, 9-2 in the Big 12.

2. It’s hard to explain how Connecticut can disintegrate over 48 hours after they much better during the second half Saturday against Seton Hall. The Huskies’ defensive effort and lack of offensive execution against Louisville was awful. The Huskies are under .500 in the Big East and looking like another Tuesday appearance in the Big East tournament. Coach Jim Calhoun is out with a back condition and may not return this season. The Huskies looked like they checked out Monday night.

3. First-year coach Bryce Drew has Valparaiso a half-game behind Cleveland State atop the Horizon League standings. Baylor, led by older brother Scott Drew, is a lock for the NCAAs as it challenges for a Big 12 title. If both Drews are in the NCAA tournament it would be a “a dream come true," Scott Drew said. “Hopefully we’re in the same region but not playing each other.’’ Dad, Homer Drew, said he would do what he could to get to both games if possible.

Andy Katz, Doug Gottlieb and Joe Lunardi share their thoughts on Kansas-Missouri and the biggest winners and losers of Saturday.

Jason King interviews Missouri coach Frank Haith following the Tigers' thrilling 74-71 victory over rival Kansas at Mizzou Arena.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Here are some quick thoughts from Missouri's classic 74-71 victory over Kansas at Mizzou Arena on Saturday, just the third time these two have ever met while both in the top 10.


Overview: Marcus Denmon scored 29 points, nine of which came in the final 2:05 as No. 4 Missouri rallied from eight down and ended the game on an 11-0 run to win in stunning fashion against bitter rival Kansas. KU led for most of the second half and the eight-point lead was the largest for either team the whole game, but Denmon swished a 3-pointer with 56 seconds remaining that gave his team a 72-71 cushion. The Jayhawks had three more chances to score but failed each time, as they turned it over four times in the final three minutes.

Tyshawn Taylor turned the ball over on one possession and was called for charging on another. A pair of free throws by Michael Dixon put Mizzou ahead 74-71 with 9.8 seconds left. Elijah Johnson attempted to tie the game at the buzzer, but his 3-point attempt from the top of the key didn't hit the rim.

Missouri's victory forces a three-way tie for first in the Big 12 standings, as Mizzou, Kansas and Baylor are all 8-2. Saturday's game may have been the last between the two rivals in Columbia -- the Tigers are leaving the Big 12 for the SEC after this season and Kansas has indicated it doesn't have any interest in continuing the series.

Star of the game: Denmon is the obvious choice, but Kim English (18 points) and Dixon (15 points, 5 assists) both scored in double figures for Missouri. Thomas Robinson had 25 points and 13 boards for Kansas, while Taylor added 21.

What the win means for Missouri: The Tigers, who are still very much alive in the Big 12 title race, proved they can use speed, athleticism and superior outside shooting to beat a bigger, taller, longer team such as Kansas. There's no reason to believe this team can't make a significant run in March. It also moves first-year coach Frank Haith one step closer to the national coach-of-the-year award. If the season ended today, he'd be the obvious choice. Oh, and there's the end of that five-game losing streak to their hated rival to the west. That's pretty big, too.

What the loss means for Kansas: The Jayhawks actually performed somewhat admirably considering the environment and the talent level of their opponent. It's been obvious all season that this is clearly Bill Self's worst KU squad. The Jayhawks have limitations and zero room for error. Taylor and Robinson played great but this program still needs a third person to step up on a consistent basis.

Up next: Missouri has a quick turnaround with a road game at Oklahoma on Monday (7 ET, ESPNU), while Kansas travels to Waco, Texas, on Wednesday to take on Baylor (7 ET, ESPN2).