Well, Bill Self may have just given the quote of the year, and it’s only been 2026 for like two weeks.
After Kansas‘ 86-75 loss to West Virginia on Saturday, Self was asked about his struggles the last few seasons in conference play. He paused for a second, reflected on the question, and simply said, “Our league is a b****.”
He didn’t follow up with any other comments, or defend his take, he just let it stand. Honestly, he’s right! The Big 12 has been the best basketball conference in America for years now, regardless of how hard the mouth breathers at ESPN try to ram SEC bias down our throats. Through the start of the year, the Big 12 has dominated other conferences in the non-conference, and when you take a closer look at the league standings, every single team has a winning percentage above .500.
Not only that, but the teams at the top of the league have been borderline unbeatable. The league has a total of seven teams ranked inside the AP Top 25, with many more knocking at the door. Arizona has been the best team in America this season, sitting at No. 1, followed by Iowa State at No. 3, Houston at No. 7, BYU at No. 9, Texas Tech at No. 14, No. 22 Kansas, and lastly, No. 25 UCF.
If that lineup of hitters doesn’t constitute Self calling the league a “b****”, I don’t know what would. Life in the Big 12 is brutal for coaches, players, and teams, but for the fans, we’re greeted with must-see TV on a nightly basis.
