BIG 12 SOUTH:
Women’s basketball in Oklahoma and Texas this year is going to be as competitive as ever with nationally ranked No. 1 Baylor, OU, Texas A&M and Texas Tech beginning conference play 3-0. Texas is, surprisingly, 0-3, but don’t expect them to stay in the hole for too long. The Big 12 South division has a real chance to snag four — if not five — of the six spots for the Big Dance in March.

Oklahoma
After two consecutive trips to the Final Four, expectations are high this season, especially with the return of redshirt sophomore Whitney Hand. The Sooners have struggled as of late with offensive production — scoring a mere 15 points in the first half against Kansas State — but they are still managing to win. All-American senior guard Danielle Robinson, averaging 19 points per game, has the ability to carry the Sooners through a tough game. If the trend continues, OU’s postseason prospects are promising.

Baylor
The Bears were one point away from ending Connecticut’s 90-game win streak in November, and that is the Bears’ only loss this season. The hype over No. 1 Baylor begins with sophomore center Brittany Griner, who has led Baylor in scoring in all but four games so far. The lesser-known factor is the healthy return of senior guard Melissa Jones, whose leadership and energy is often overlooked yet key to the Bears’ long-term success. The only thing that could trip up Baylor is the quality of teams they will face in the Big 12 South this season.

Texas A&M
Coach Gary Blair’s Aggies may be Baylor’s biggest threat this season, with senior Sydney Colson at point guard and All-Big 12 preseason pick senior Danielle Adams at the post. Adams is averaging 21.6 points, and Colson has 89 assists this season. The Aggies beat the Sooners in the regular and Big 12 postseason last year, and they have the talent to do it again.

Texas Tech
The Lady Raiders finished last season 5-11 in conference play and at the bottom of the Big 12 South. This season, the Lady Raiders have jumped out to 3-0 in the Big 12 and have only one overall loss to Penn State. In a double-overtime win over Kansas State, Texas Tech proved it has the gumption to take on the heavy hitters in the Big 12 South, especially with Kierra Mallard averaging 11.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in Big 12 play.

Oklahoma State
It is going to be a long season for the Cowgirls as they rebuild a team that rose to national prominence under standout guard Andrea Riley. They must now find the point production elsewhere, and they have struggled to do so, losing to Kansas State, Texas A&M and Baylor. In the Big 12, it is hard to count anybody out, but this may be a true rebuilding year for coach Kurt Budke and his signature orange blazer.

Texas
The Longhorns went into the Big 12 as one of the favorites, but Texas now faces an 0-3 hole after an 71-67 overtime loss to OU on Sunday afternoon. Coach Gail Goestenkors and crew may be down, but don’t count them out. Freshman guard Chassidy Fussell and senior guard Kathleen Nash are both averaging more than 15 points a game. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, the next roadblock is Texas A&M.

BIG 12 NORTH
Once known for its perennial powerhouses, such as Kansas State and Iowa State, the talent in the South will likely overshadow the North this season. Iowa State remains a top-25 team, but the rest of the conference may struggle after graduating team leaders like Andrea Riley of Oklahoma State, Allison Lacey of Iowa State and Kelsey Griffin of Nebraska.

Iowa State
The Cyclones, led by no-nonsense coach Bill Fennelly, are currently ranked No. 17 in the AP Poll, but they opened Big 12 play 1-2. The opening conference loss to No. 1 Baylor comes as no surprise, but the 66-60 upset by Colorado may be a result of a very young team with one senior, guard Kelsey Bolte. Iowa State may be learning as they go this season, but a typical Cyclone team can hurt you from 3-point range, with Bolte alone averaging almost seven attempts per game.

Kansas
When it comes to women’s basketball, Kansas has routinely played second fiddle to rival Kansas State, but this year the field is wide open. Norman High alum Sade Morris graduated, but sophomore forward Carolyn Davis leads the Jayhawks this season with 19.1 points per game, coupled with 8.5 rebounds per game. Just how good is Kansas? The Sooners will find out Saturday in Lawrence, Kan.

Kansas State
The Sooners have already met the Wildcats this year and won 52-45. Kansas State sits in the middle of the Big 12 early on and will likely remain there. Their assets this season will be the 3-point threat and their game management, although if the long ball is not going down for the Wildcats then they become an easy target for opponents. The other intangible is two former players on the Wildcats’ staff this year: former All-American Shalee Lehning and Marlies Gipson. Maybe having them around will give Kansas State that intangible.

Nebraska
Another early opponent for Oklahoma, and it was clear in the Sooner victory Jan. 8 that the Huskers will struggle this year after graduating Kelsey Griffin, who most recently averaged 4.4 ppg in the WNBA for the Connecticut Sun. Nebraska extended and upgraded coach Connie Yori’s contract within the past year, so there is some faith that the Cornhuskers will move into the Big Ten next season as an attractive option for recruits. Nebraska is 11-6 but has lost five of its last eight games.

Missouri
Missouri’s women’s basketball team usually gets lost amid the top contenders in the North, but with greater parity in the division, the Tigers may sneak up on people. They also stunned Texas in their season opener, beating the Longhorns on the road 85-80. Since the win, the Tigers are 0-2, but they take on Kansas State on Wednesday in Manhattan. If the Tigers can make it past the Wildcats, they may prove that their 9-8 record has a realistic chance for improvement.

Colorado
The Buffaloes, like most of the Big 12 North, are 1-2 to begin conference play, now under new coach Linda Lappe. A former player, Lappe returns to the Buffaloes after three years at Metropolitan State College in Denver. Colorado’s highlight of the season so far is an overtime upset of Iowa State, but their Big 12 fortunes soured against South teams Texas A&M and Texas Tech. Leading the Colorado offense is senior forward Brittany Spears, who averages 17.5 points per game, and sophomore guard Chucky Jeffery, who averages 15.3 ppg.

LINK:
• Five Big 12 women's basketball players to watch