Kansas-Oklahoma preview

• WHEN/WHERE: 8 p.m. at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence

• TV/RADIO: ESPN2; KCSP (610 AM)

• ABOUT OKLAHOMA (20-7, 9-5 Big 12): The Sooners should be brimming with confidence after winning at Oklahoma State (without Marcus Smart) and handling Kansas State 86-73 at home on Saturday. The Sooners are a near lock to head back to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year under third-year coach Lon Kruger. But they now can jockey for a potential second-place finish in the Big 12 and a better seed in the NCAA Tourney. Oklahoma is currently in a three-way tie for second with Texas and Iowa State.

• ABOUT KANSAS (21-6, 12-2): Kansas opened Big 12 play with a 90-83 victory over Oklahoma in Norman on Jan. 8. The Jayhawks can now clinch at least a share of a 10th straight Big 12 title on Monday at Allen Fieldhouse. Officially, it would be Kansas’ 57th conference title in program history, the most in NCAA history. The Jayhawks have defeated the Sooners 12 straight times in Allen Fieldhouse, a stretch that began in 1994. KU is 51-17 all-time on ESPN Big Monday, including 32-9 under coach Bill Self. After this quick turnaround for Big Monday, KU will have four days to rest before traveling to Oklahoma State.

• BOTTOM LINE: Last year, Kansas clinched the Big 12 title on the last day of the conference season. This year, they can do it with more than a week left to play.

This story was originally published February 23, 2014 at 11:07 PM with the headline "Kansas-Oklahoma preview."