Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Expected Team Resurfaces in Top Spot

The Big 12 men’s basketball season has six more games to go and there is so much on the line when it comes to the Big 12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.  

The next three weeks are going to be a gauntlet for some of these teams. Houston would really have to stumble to lose its second straight Big 12 regular season title and the No. 1 seed in Kansas City. Iowa State has a two-game lead on the field for a double-bye, so the Cyclones can’t relax if they want that extra rest.

 

Meanwhile, the bubble is getting really tricky for teams like BYU, Kansas State and perhaps even TCU, if the Horned Frogs can make a late surge.

Our Heartland College Sports men’s power rankings will come out every Monday until we get to the conference tournament in Kansas City.

This week, it’s a line or two on each team.

Let’s dig in.

No. 1 Houston (21-4, 13-1; Last Ranking: 3)

If Houston can hang on, they would be the third straight Big 12 teams to win back-to-back regular season titles. Kansas and Baylor both did it recently. Baylor won in 2021, shared the title with Kansas in 2022 and then the Jayhawks won it in 2023. Houston apparently doesn’t like sharing.

No. 2 Texas Tech (20-5, 11-3; Last Ranking: No. 2)

Texas Tech hasn’t won the Big 12 regular-season title since 2019, when it shared the crown with Kansas State. JT Toppin is a Big 12 player of the year candidate by any measure.

No. 3 Iowa State (20-5, 10-4; Last Ranking: 4)

Guard Curtis Jones isn’t just going to be the Big 12 sixth man of the year. He’s probably going to be the national sixth man of the year.

 

No. 4 Arizona (17-8, 11-3; Last Ranking: No. 1)

Arizona lost both games last week, its first back-to-back losses since losing to Oklahoma and West Virginia in November.

No. 5 Baylor (16-9, 8-6; Last Ranking: 5)

Depending upon how far the Bears get in March, this could end up being Scott Drew’s best coaching job. With a decimated front line, he’s going to have to get creative to win games.

No. 6 Kansas (17-8, 8-6, Last Ranking: 6)

Metrically, this is one of Bill Self’s best defensive teams. The Jayhawks are fifth in Ken Pom defensive efficiency. Which makes this season all the more baffling because great defense can usually cover up stretches of sub-par offense.

No. 7 BYU (17-8, 8-6; Last Ranking: No. 9)

I’m banking on the Cougars making it to the Dance. Kevin Young is coaching up a resilient group that I could see making some real noise next month.

No. 8 Kansas State (13-12, 7-7; Last Ranking: No. 8)

I love the guts this team has shown the last three weeks. But did that BYU loss stunt the Wildcats’ momentum? The Utah game will show us a lot.

No. 9 TCU (14-11, 7-7; Last Ranking: No. 10)

I don’t see how the Horned Frogs play their way in, unless they get hot now. They need to finish better than .500 in league action to have any chance.

 

No. 10 West Virginia (15-10, 6-8; Last Ranking: No. 7)

I’m worried about the Mountaineers. They’re 2-6 since that massive Iowa State win and squandering the cushion their great start to the season afforded them.

No. 11 Utah (14-11, 6-8; Last Ranking: No. 12)

Beating Kansas at home was a signature win for the Utes and coach Craig Smith. I wouldn’t want to play this group in the NIT.

No. 12 Cincinnati (15-10, 5-9; Last Ranking: No. 11)

Easily the most disappointing team in the Big 12. Great talent, huge expectations and practically nothing has worked. Wes Miller is the right coach. Sometimes it just goes south.

No. 13 UCF (13-12, 4-10; Last Ranking: No. 13)

The Knights now have the longest losing streak in the Big 12 at six games. At one time this team was in the NCAA Tournament field. Now they’re not even on the bubble. Might be time to start a Johnny Dawkins watch.

No. 14 Oklahoma State (12-13, 4-10; Last Ranking: No. 14)

Steve Lutz has done good work here. He’s taken the reins off Bryce Thompson offensively. The Cowboys are in most games. This could be a rising program next year.

No. 15 Arizona State (12-13, 3-11; Last Ranking: No. 15)

Athletic director Graham Rossini gave coach Bobby Hurley the dreaded vote of confidence over the weekend. He has one year left on his deal. If I’m ASU, I’m OK letting him coach on the final year and making him prove it.

No. 16 Colorado (10-15, 1-13; Last Ranking: No. 16)

Colorado finally won a Big 12 game on Saturday. It was their first Big 12 victory since March 5, 2011, when they beat Nebraska, 67-57, in Boulder. Colorado’s head coach then is the head coach now, Tad Boyle. History is weird.