2022-23 Big-12 preview: How about a national title three-peat?

If a conference was ever balanced at the top, it's this year's Big 12. Defending champion Kansas and 2021 national champ Baylor are tied at No. 5 in the AP's preseason poll. Both look poised to reach the Final Four.

Then again, the Big 12 season has already opened in surprising fashion with the news that Kansas head coach Bill Self is suspended for the first four games. The penalty was imposed by the university amid continuing fallout from the FBI's 2017 investigation into college basketball.

Before and after Self's return, the Jayhawks will rely on Jalen Wilson, Dajuan Harris Jr., Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar Jr. and highly anticipated recruits like Gradey Dick, Ernest Udeh and M.J.…