KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Oklahoma’s wild ride to the Final Four last spring was fueled by Buddy Hield’s shooting, Isaiah Cousins’ court vision and Ryan Spangler’s power in the post. All of them are gone this season. The turnover isn’t limited to the Sooners, either. Of all the leagues playing major college basketball, perhaps none will have a fresher look this season than the Big 12. The old guard that became household names — Georges Niang at Iowa State, Devin Williams at West Virginia and Perry Ellis at Kansas — either graduated or left school early, leaving in their wake dozens of starting jobs at schools across the league.

“Given the number of seniors we had graduate last year, a lot of new roles and minutes available,” Sooners coach Lon Kruger said. “It’s not great to be young in any league, the Big 12 especially.” Indeed, looking at the All-Big 12 teams of a year ago is likely to make some fans feel nostalgic, especially when you consider that the entire first team and 11 of the 15 players overall have departed.

That includes Hield, Niang and Ellis, who were joined on the first team by Texas guard Isaiah Taylor and Baylor forward Taurean Prince. Williams and Kansas guard Wayne Selden Jr. left school after their junior years, while the Cousins and Spangler joined the Mountaineers’ Jaysean Paige and big man Rico Gathers of Baylor in exhausting their eligibility.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby bristled at the suggestion that without Oklahoma and Texas the league is akin to the Mountain West. Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard made that assertion during a radio interview last week, shortly after the Big 12 decided against expansion . Pollard also said the only difference between Iowa State and schools that wanted into the 10-member league is that the Cyclones are already in. Asked about Pollard’s comments at the conference’s annual basketball media day Tuesday, Bowlsby tersely replied: “I don’t share that vantage point.”

Some league athletic directors have been critical of the Big 12’s expansion process, arguing they should have had a bigger role in the deliberations, while others wonder if the league is built to last . Discussions were conducted at the level of university presidents and chancellors, in some cases career academicians with little background or knowledge of college sports.

“Our composition process was like every other one I’ve been around. It was managed at the presidential and chancellor level,” Bowlsby said. “We shared as much information with the athletic directors in as timely a manner as we could, but the board was clear that this was going to be managed at their level. They run this league and (boards) run every league.”

The league spent three months analyzing, vetting and interviewing possible members before deciding last week to take expansion off their agenda. Bowlsby said it was not a decision “not to expand,” but rather an “endorsement and reinvestment in the 10 that we had.”

Oklahoma President David Boren said the decision was unanimous and that no school was discussed or voted on during roughly five hours of deliberations. Among the 11 schools that sought to join the league were Cincinnati, UConn, Houston, BYU and Colorado State.

The expansion discussions were driven primarily by football, because of the massive revenue that comes with the sport. But the Big 12 also generates significant revenue in men’s basketball with marquee programs such as Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas often on the national stage.

Several league coaches said Tuesday that they support the decision to remain at 10 schools. The smaller number allows them to play a double-round robin schedule, and with few weak schools, that means strong RPI numbers when the NCAA Tournament rolls around.

“Being very, very new to the conference, I’ll be honest, I’ve just kind of taken a back seat,” Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood said. “I’m excited about our members and I think we have a great, great league, and we don’t have to play second fiddle to anybody.”