BUFFALO, N.Y. - The great debate was in full force Saturday, the day before Missouri and West Virginia meet in an NCAA Tournament second-round game: Big East or Big 12. Which is better?

After three days of this, the players from both West Virginia and Missouri had to give their opinions - again.

But at least they did it with humor.

''How many of the Big 12 got in (the Tournament)?'' West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler asked.

Seven, he was told.

''One short,'' Butler said, as the Big East had eight. ''I still think we are the best conference by far. We have a very good select talent in our conference as far as players and different teams that are probably ranked eighth in our conference at the time. But they could probably finish in the top 2 in any other conference. That's how tough I think our league is.''

Missouri guard Zaire Taylor says there's a reason the Big East always gets so many teams in the tourney.

''The Big East has a lot of talented teams - some elite teams,'' Taylor said. ''But at the same time, they've got about 30 to 40 teams in the conference. So you have got to measure. The Big East brings eight of the 20 teams into the tournament, and then the Big 12 brings seven of the 12, so we're going over 50 percent. They're still around 30.''

At that point, the NCAA moderator chimed in: ''Numbers may vary depending on where you are.''

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins has coached in both leagues, having spent a year at Kansas State. What's his take? He's often been outspoken on this subject, going so far as to call ESPN's Skip Bayless a fool earlier this season for suggesting the Big East wasn't the best.

''When I was in it, I probably would have said that, too,'' Huggins said Saturday of the notion the Big 12 was better. ''We (Big East) have had four in the Top 10. Other leagues don't do that. If other leagues did that, they'd hail themselves as the greatest league of all time. We were in a down year, allegedly a down year. It's brutal. And it's 18 games. It takes a toll.''

Zaire's Tale

Taylor, who has already graduated from Mizzou - he reportedly had them read his name as Zaire ''Big Shot'' Taylor at commencement - has some story.

He's a transfer from Delaware, where he experienced some dark days while in summer school trying to complete some classes in an effort to transfer to Missouri. As the story goes, his mother had given him some cash to rent an off-campus apartment with a friend. But the friend moved out and the money wasn't enough. He was evicted from the place and bounced around for a couple of weeks staying at friend's houses and in computer lab rooms at the school.

All the while, he reportedly had broken his phone charger - with no money to buy a new one - and his battery was dead, thus no one could get ahold of him. He didn't want to tell his mother, saying sometimes your parents protect you, and sometimes you protect them.

Once he arrived at Mizzou, an engagement to be married was broken off, a teammate who was to be his best man left the team, and his grandmother passed away.

Today, he's clearly back on his feet. And, he's one of the most engaging and well-spoken athletes in the tournament.

And he won't be duped, that's for sure.

He was asked about when team's have success against his team's pressure defense, what did they do?

''I mean, I don't know if that's a question I really want to answer right now, if I do know the answer,'' he said. ''I think I'll just leave that one alone.''

It was re-phrased: If you were playing against your press, what would you do?

''I think that's the same question,'' Taylor said.

More laughs from the news conference

Huggins sent five players - Wellington Smith, Devin Ebanks, Butler, Truck Bryant, and Kevin Jones - to the WVU news conference.

Eleven questions were asked before anyone got to Smith.

''Didn't know if my mic was on or not,'' Smith said.

One veteran reporter said he told Huggins, who was not present with the student-athletes, he'd never seen so many giggles out of one team.

''I want them to have fun and enjoy the experience,'' said Huggins, who added that he sent seven of his Cincinnati players to the 1992 Final Four press conference.

''They were hilarious,'' he said. ''Everybody had the biggest time in the world. They were entertaining and engaging and funny and everything you can think about. I want these guys to enjoy themselves. I want them to have a good time. They will be very quick to tell you now when it's time to do business, we do business. But what's wrong with enjoying the experience and soaking it all up and having some fun? There isn't any doubt when it comes time to do business, they will do business.''