LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – The students are already lining up at Allen Fieldhouse for Saturday’s showdown between third-ranked Missouri and No. 4 Kansas, the finale of a bitter rivalry and one that could ultimately decide the regular-season Big 12 champion.

There’s only one problem: Both teams still have a game before the big showdown.

The Tigers host surging Kansas State on Tuesday night before thecJayhawks visit Texas A&M on Wednesday. Both are dangerous opponentscwho could take a bit of the pizzazz out of what could be thecbiggest regular-season game since the Big 12’s inception.

Kansas coach Bill Self jokingly said that he won’t mention Missouri to his team except to tell them that he won’t mention Missouri.