After a strong week for both Kansas and Missouri, the two schools can separate themselves from the rest of the Big 12 on Saturday, with No. 5 Missouri traveling to No. 3 Baylor and No. 7 Kansas heading to Austin to play Texas.
The Tigers will have to play a fired-up Bears team, who are coming off their first loss of the season against the Jayhawks on Monday. The 1:00 PM game will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Baylor will try to press their advantage on the interior, where they play three NBA-caliber players who can control the paint against Ricardo Ratliffe. Missouri, meanwhile, will try to exploit the Bears' inconsistent guard play in the same way that Tyshawn Taylor did in the Allen Field House.
With the defeat of the Bears under the belts, Kansas will reach the top 5 for the first time this season if they can beat the Longhorns, who have struggled this season after losing three players to the first round of the NBA Draft.
Thomas Robinson could have a big game, as Texas has only scholarship player above 6'7 on their roster. The 3:00 PM game will be televised nationally on CBS.
Kansas State, meanwhile, will try to rebound from a 2-3 start to Big 12 play with a road game at Oklahoma State's Gallagher-Iba Arena, one of the toughest places to play in the country.
The Cowboys have underachieved for most of the season, and their small back-court could mean a big game for Rodney McGruder, the Wildcats leading scorer.
However, LeBryan Nash is one of the most talented players in the country, and if the mercurial freshman comes to play, Kansas State will be challenged Saturday. The 12:30 PM game will be televised regionally on the Big 12 Network.
For more Big 12 basketball coverage, head over to Rock Chalk Talk (Kansas), Rock M Nation (Missouri) and Bring On The Cats (Kansas State).