A month before Selection Sunday, the Big 12 has done a pretty good job of sorting itself out.

The line of demarcation is fairly clean now in the conference men’s basketball race. Five teams are clearly in the Big Dance – well, depending on how Oklahoma handles an especially brutal upcoming schedule – and five teams are going nowhere fast, to various degrees.

Texas (14-10, 4-7 Big 12) was hit by another injury, losing big man Jericho Sims with a back injury maybe for the rest of the season. As job speculation continues to swirl around Shaka Smart, will the injuries be the final straw or will it provide a handy excuse?

And at TCU (13-11, 4-7), the Horned Frogs are coming off the worst loss of Jamie Dixon’s coaching career, a 46-point defeat at Texas Tech to extend their losing streak to six game.

For the teams at the top, life is good, pretty much, although some things remain unsettled.

Here’s a quick look at the key storylines:

Baylor: The top-ranked Bears (22-1, 11-0) will try to tie Kansas’ Big 12 record 22-game win streak Saturday at home against No. 14 West Virginia.

The Bears’ four-week run at AP No. 1 is the longest by a Texas school since Houston and Elvin Hayes in 1968. Here’s a stat: Baylor’s biggest deficit in 11 home games is … two points.

They’ve also found a way to win when not playing their best, like a Monday victory at Texas.

“We have a lot of moving parts and a lot of people who have come together from a lot of different places out there,” guard Jared Butler told reporters after the game. “That just shows how special it is. I think you can go 11-0 and 22-1 if you have the right group of guys.

“It’s not about talent, it’s not about special abilities, it’s just about being the people we are. That’s why things have been going so well.”

Texas Tech: Not long ago, Tech (16-8, 7-4) was looking at a potential 8/9 seed in the bracketology projections for March.

Now, a three-game winning streak headed into Saturday’s game at Oklahoma State has improved the outlook. ESPN’s latest from Joe Lunardi has Tech as a No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region. A strong finish – the Red Raiders close the regular season with Baylor and Kansas – and a move up to a No 4/5 seed is definitely a possibility.

Grad transfer TJ Holyfield, bothered much of the season by a shoulder injury, has provided an inside presence. In Tech’s last five games, he has averaged 12.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.8 blocks.

“He’s finding a level of consistency that we’re really pleased with,” Tech coach Chris Beard said. “It’s the time of year you want to play your best basketball, especially when you’re a senior. You want to go out on your own terms and in a lot of ways he’s doing that.

“The exciting thing is there still a much higher ceiling for his game.”

Oklahoma: The Sooners (16-8, 6-5) are solidly in the NCAA Tournament. Just check back in five games beginning Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse.The gauntlet facing OU -- at Kansas, Baylor, at Bedlam rival Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and at West Virginia.

Yikes.

By the end of the stretch, Oklahoma could have a great tournament resume or be back on the bubble. Forwards Kristian Doolittle (15.0 ppg) and Brady Manek (15.9 ppg) have lifted their games but will it be enough.