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Tuesday’s Three Things to Know: Kansas, the SEC’s weird and the Big Ten’s back

Florida State v Florida

GAINESVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 04: Head coach Mike White of the Florida Gators looks on during a NCAA basketball game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Stephen C. O’ Connell Center on December 4, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images)

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Just another crazy night in college hoops.

Kansas goes down, the SEC gets even more convoluted and the Big Ten started ... again?

Here are the three things you need to know.

1. KANSAS ISN’T THE FOREGONE FAVORITE IN THE BIG 12 ANYMORE

After winning 13 consecutive Big 12 regular season championships, everyone just automatically pencils in Kansas as the favorite to win another title. After Tuesday night’s shocking home loss to Texas Tech, it might be time to reconsider.

While the Jayhawks are absolutely still in the mix for the Big 12 title, and likely will be until the end, the loss to the Red Raiders was stunning. Not only had Texas Tech never won in Lawrence before, but they led nearly the entire game and thoroughly outplayed Kansas for most of the contest.

Now with two losses during their last three home games, the Jayhawks suddenly don’t seem so invincible playing in Phog Allen Fieldhouse. Also, Texas Tech looks like they’re absolutely for real as they’ll be in the Big 12 title mix as well. Chris Beard has done a phenomenal job with that program.

CBT’s Rob Dauster has more on this one.

2. THE SEC IS DRUNK

The SEC is markedly better than last season from top to bottom. A league that was recently Kentucky, Florida and everyone else has now improved to the point where we’re seeing unusual results on a near-nightly basis.

Tuesday, in particular, was bonkers. No. 11 Texas A&M and No. 23 Tennessee both lost at home to unranked teams in Florida and Auburn, respectively. Mississippi State picked off No. 22 Arkansas with a tight home win. Struggling Vanderbilt nipped Alabama (fresh off a win over Texas A&M) for a one-point win.

In a nutshell: this league is drunk right now.

The SEC is completely unpredictable and it’s going to be fascinating to see how this all plays out.

3. THE BIG TEN IS BACK (AND NOBODY CARES)

In the midst of the chaos going on between the Big 12 and the SEC, the Big Ten also returned to conference play on Tuesday night. After the ridiculous two-game conference stretch from early December that barely anyone remembers, the Big Ten returned to even less fanfare on Tuesday night.

Since the Big Ten is so down this season, none of the close games from Tuesday night’s conference slate made a blip on college hoops Twitter.

Michigan outlasted Iowa like they were supposed to. Maryland held off Penn State at home. A struggling Wisconsin team beat an even worse Indiana team.

Yawn.

Wake us up when Michigan State plays Purdue.