Here are five storylines to watch during conference play for the No. 12 Sooners:

• 1. How well can Trae Young hold up in conference play?

It will be hard for Young to maintain his current pace, but he seems on track for sustained success after a stretch of fantastic performances through the first two months of the season. But will teams change how they defend Young? And will he be able to hold up during an 18-game conference season when the familiarity level, especially over the back half of the schedule, gives teams a better idea of how to attack the freshman point guard?

• 2. How quickly will Kristian Doolittle’s role expand?

Doolittle had a solid freshman season, but when he was suspended for the first semester, freshman Brady Manek came through in a big way. Manek has come along quicker than many predicted, making it easier to work Doolittle back in slowly. But Doolittle’s minutes figure to expand moving forward. Sooners coach Lon Kruger said this week that having a few days of practice was extremely beneficial for Doolittle after they had two quick games upon his return that made it difficult for Doolittle to get fully immersed in catching up with the system.

• 3. The Big 12 race

Every year, there are questions regarding Kansas’ stranglehold on the regular-season title and if this is the year the Jayhawks can be taken down. Kansas’ depth has been an issue, especially in a pair of losses to this point, but the Jayhawks are getting some reinforcements heading into Big 12 play and are still the favorites. For yet another season, the conference looks like the nation’s strongest — at least in terms of depth. Heading into Big 12 play, the conference’s teams are 102-16. The conference had six teams in last season’s NCAA Tournament after getting seven in each of the three previous seasons. Though the league’s teams figure to beat up on each other, the conference still figures to get six or seven bids again this season, with an outside chance at eight depending on how things go.

• 4. How will defensive looks change?

Even with Manek, Christian James and Kameron McGusty hitting shots more regularly now than they were for the first part of the season, teams figure to continue to put as much pressure on Young as they can. But if that continues, something will have to give. Young’s range and his ability to get through traffic and find open teammates forces defenses to give up something. Right now, that means a lot of open looks for those teammates, but that figures to continue to evolve if those four in particular stay on a positive track.

• 5. Record watch

Young already has a share of the NCAA record for assists in a game and has already cracked the top 10 for OU’s freshman assist mark. He figures to quickly move into the top 10 in OU freshman points, needing just 21 points to tie Kameron McGusty for 10th as he pursues Wayman Tisdale’s school freshman scoring mark. It’s not only Young pursuing school records, though. Forward Khadeem Lattin is 37 blocks behind Al Beal’s school record of 230 career blocks. Lattin has 19 blocks this season.

RYAN ABER,

STAFF WRITER