Big 12 Men’s Basketball Power Rankings for Week 1
The Big 12 men’ basketball season is now a week old and we already have some separation between the top and the bottom of the standings.
With 14 teams in the league now, we present our first Big 12 men’s basketball power rankings for the 2023-24 season.
This early in the season, feel free to take these with as few grains of salt as you like. Separation will come as we get closer to Big 12 play in January.
1. Kansas (2-0)
2. Baylor (3-0)
3. Houston (2-0)
Call this the top tier. Kansas did nothing to dissuade me from believing they’re the best team in the league (and perhaps the country). DaJuan Harris Jr. has attempted four field goals but has 15 assists. That’s wild. Baylor had the best win of the week, defeating Auburn and going 3-0 for the whole week. Their talented freshmen, JaKobe Walter and Yves Missi, looked great and blended perfectly with the holdovers. Houston played a couple of cupcakes, but they dominated, as they should have.
4. TCU (2-0)
5. Texas (2-0)
6. Iowa State (3-0)
7. Cincinnati (3-0)
8. BYU (2-0)
TCU lost a quad four game early last season. So, dominating these early-season buy games is important, if for no other reason than to avoid a slip-up that might hurt you come NCAA Tournament selection time. Cincinnati is worth pointing out for winning three games. But with two transfers failing to get waivers and another freshman that could be redshirted, one wonders if they’ll have the depth to compete come January. BYU had the second-best win of the week beating San Diego State at home.
9. Texas Tech (2-0)
10. Oklahoma (2-0)
OU avoided losing to a mid-major at home the first week, so that’s progress from a year ago. But there are still plenty of questions about their talent. I have fewer questions about Tech’s talent, but more about how it will all fit together. Pop Isaacs had a good week.
11. Kansas State (1-1)
The Wildcats get a tier to themselves. They had the “best” loss of the week, falling to ranked USC on the first night of the season. They’re better than what they showed that night and I expect them to move up fast. But, this early in the season, if you have a loss, you’re going to the back of the line.
12. UCF (1-1)
13. Oklahoma State (1-1)
14. West Virginia (1-1)
UCF sets at the top of this final group because at least the Knights’ loss is to a Final Four team in Miami (FL). Oklahoma State shouldn’t have lost to Abilene Christian in their opener, but the Wildcats are a solid mid-major. West Virginia’s loss to Monmouth was a Quad 4 loss and counts as the worst loss of the week.
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