On Feb. 2 the Big 12 gets seven

Projecting the NCAA Tournament bracket really isn’t a forecast. Nobody can tell you where Kansas, K-State, Missouri and the rest will be on Selection Sunday (March 14), so when I predict who’s in or out it’s based on what’s been accomplished to date _ as if the season ended today.

As the Big 12 approaches the midway point of conference play, seven teams have a solid NCAA Tournament profile.

*Kansas would be the overall No. 1 seed. The Jayhawks have the nation’s top RPI in addition to being an overwhelming No. 1 in the major polls. They would open play in the Midwest Regional at Oklahoma City, and two victories there would push them on to St. Louis.

*Kansas State and Texas likely would be No. 3 seeds. The Longhorns got off the schneid with the impressive victory at Oklahoma State _ did Jordan Hamilton really score 27 after playing two minutes (in an overtime game) in the home Baylor loss Saturday?

*Baylor would be the next team in, anywhere from a fourth to seventh seed. The Texas victory was huge.
*Missouri is next, anywhere from a sixth to ninth seed. The best non-conference victory for the Tigers? Not Illinois or Georgia but Old Dominion.

*Texas A&M and Oklahoma State are closest to the bubble but are in _ eighth-to-11th seed range. Both have solid records and RPIs.

The first two out are Texas Tech and Oklahoma.