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A lot of early-season success has many Big 12 men's basketball teams sitting in pretty positions as we enter the crunch period before conference tournament time.
Every squad in the conference has a winning record.
Four teams are ranked in the Associated Press Top 10 (WVU, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech), with one more (TCU) also in the Top 25.
Not to mention, if the season ended today six teams would hear their names called out on Selection Sunday.
Yet, all the good feelings are unlikely to last.
Oh sure 鈥� Six teams may still make the NCAA tournament, but there is little chance each squad remains above .500 until the end of the year.
The conference is notorious for beating up on each other.
Something already well underway this past week.
WVU ascended to No. 2 in the nation only to take losses to No. 8 Texas Tech and No. 10 Kansas this past week.
The Mountaineers had double-digits leads in both games, but it just goes to show you how much talent is in the league.
Maybe Bob Huggins and company were still trying to work back into the fold Esa Ahmad, after his suspension. Or maybe they had two off shooting nights 鈥� It could be the grind of the schedule.
Then Oklahoma took one on the chin from a game Kansas State squad, 87-69, after big wins over Texas Tech and TCU.
Trae Young is amazing, but the Sooners still have to go to Allen Fieldhouse (where very few win) and host Kansas and WVU on their home floor.
Red Raider faithful aren't immune either. However, they did get one of the toughest out of the way early with an 85-73 win over Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse.
Still left on the Raiders' schedule is a trip to TCU, K-State, and WVU, in addition to visits from Oklahoma, Kansas, TCU and Texas.
Things are going to start getting very exciting for the conference in possession of four legitamate Final Four threats come March.
鈭� While we are talking about college basketball, I would like to send a shoutout to the West Liberty and Wheeling Jesuit men along with Gilmer County grad and Concord freshman Riley Fitzwater.
The Hilltoppers received 15 of 16 first-place votes to stand well 鈥� On top of the NABC Coaches NCAA Divison II poll.
Wheeling Jesuit climbed from 19th to 16th in the latest rankings as well.
Fitzwater has been a monster on the block all season long for the Mountain Lions.
Her efforts haven't gone unrecognized either.
The first-year player was named the NCAA Division II National Player of the Week last week after a pretty great two game stat-line.
The Lions' 6-foot-5 center averaged 18.5 points, 19.5 rebounds and 8.5 blocks in two wins.
She also made a bit of history last week after her 22-point, 26-rebound effort against Wheeling Jesuit.
Her second 20-20 game of the season, after recording 26 points and 21 rebounds against West Virginia State earlier in the year, marked her as the only Mountain East Conference player to ever have two such games in a season.
Oh 鈥� She also leads the nation in field goal percentage (68.3 percent), is third in blocks and fourth in rebounds.
Keep it up FitSWATer.
Contact Joe Albright at jalbright@newsandsentinel.com.