The Big 12 men’s basketball season has four more games to go and we’re starting to see some real separation at the top of the league.
A Big 12 regular season title race that some thought might go down to the wire looks like it could be decided this week. Houston is the team to beat. Realistically, only one team has a chance to catch them, and it’s only because Texas Tech plays the Cougars on Monday.
There is plenty else to decide, though.
Our Heartland College Sports men’s power rankings will come out every Monday until we get to the conference tournament in Kansas City.
Let’s dig in.
No. 1 Houston (23-4, 15-1; Last Ranking: 1)
I mean, if you’re not a believer at this point, I can’t help you. Houston is the Big 12’s best chance to win a national title for the second time in four years.
No. 2 Texas Tech (21-6, 12-4; Last Ranking: No. 2)
The Red Raiders split for the week. I can’t punish them too much for the loss to TCU. It’s a Big 12 road thing.
No. 3 Iowa State (21-6, 11-5; Last Ranking: 3)
The Iowa State Cyclones went 1-1 for the week and showed some real guts short-handed against Houston. They’ll hold steady.
No. 4 BYU (19-8, 10-6; Last Ranking: No. 7)
Outside of Houston, BYU is the hottest team in the conference. The Cougars should be ranked on Monday.
No. 5 Arizona (18-9, 12-4; Last Ranking: No. 4)
Arizona only drops one spot after a 1-1 week. That says a lot more about the teams behind them than the Wildcats.
Related: Five Biggest Takeaways From Saturday’s Big 12 Basketball Games
No. 6 Kansas (17-8, 8-6, Last Ranking: 6)
I guess? I mean, yeah beating Oklahoma State like a drum looked like fun, but one game doesn’t fix what ails this team.
No. 7 TCU (15-12, 8-8; Last Ranking: No. 9)
This is more about the win over Texas Tech than the loss to Cincinnati. The Horned Frogs make their last stand for the NCAA Tournament this week at West Virginia.
No. 8 Baylor (16-11, 8-8; Last Ranking: 5)
Losing at home to Arizona? Forgivable. Losing on the road to one-win Colorado? Absolutely not. Still, the Bears are better than everyone below them.
No. 9 West Virginia (16-11, 7-9; Last Ranking: No. 10)
I don’t think the Mountaineers really deserve to be this high, if we’re being honest. But they benefit from a week where only Houston and BYU were truly dominant.
No. 10 Utah (15-12, 7-9; Last Ranking: No. 11)
I’m not 100% sure Utah deserves to be here, either. But the cross-country loss to UCF is tempered by the recent wins over Kansas and Kansas State.
No. 11 Cincinnati (16-11, 6-10; Last Ranking: No. 12)
A little recency bias with the win over TCU. But the Bearcats still have their moments — and a small chance at a .500 league season.
No. 12 Kansas State (13-14, 7-9; Last Ranking: No. 8)
Remember when we thought these guys might be NCAA Tournament-bound? Good times. It’s been a stinky 10 days for the Wildcats.
No. 13 UCF (14-13, 5-11; Last Ranking: No. 13)
No. 14 Oklahoma State (13-14, 5-11; Last Ranking: No. 14)
No. 15 Arizona State (13-14, 4-12; Last Ranking: No. 15)
No. 16 Colorado (11-16, 2-14; Last Ranking: No. 16)
I didn’t move the final four spots because, if we’re being brutally honest, we could stick these four teams in a round-robin format and they would each go 2-2.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
