Four teams could win the Big 12 regular season title and it is all very much still up in the air. Heading into the final two weeks of the regular season, Arizona and Houston are sitting at the top of the Big 12 standings with 11-2 records. Meanwhile, Iowa State and Kansas are tied for third place with 10-3 records.
Technically, Texas Tech could win out and get some help ahead of them to get the top spot, but that will be a tough task without their star player, JT Toppin, who is out for the season with an ACL injury. Tech is currently 9-4 coming off a loss. They have two tough road matchups down the stretch against Iowa State and BYU.
Speaking of BYU, it would be even more difficult for teams like BYU, UCF, or West Virginia to make a run at the top spot. They all have the same conference record at 7-6 and it would take a miracle for any of them to even get into the conversation for that top spot in the conference standings.
For the top four teams, things will likely sort themselves out as there are matchups still to be had between all of the teams. Here is the upcoming schedule where the top four teams will face each other:
Big 12 Games To Decide the Champion
Arizona at Houston on Saturday February 21st
Arizona vs Kansas on Saturday February 28th
Arizona vs Iowa State on Monday March 2nd
Houston vs Arizona on Saturday February 21st
Houston at Kansas on Monday February 23rd
Kansas vs Houston on Monday February 23rd
Kansas at Arizona on Saturday February 28th
Iowa State at Arizona on Monday March 2nd
How to Analyze the Big 12 Race
From the outside looking in, it seems Arizona has the toughest final stretch of all the top teams. They will face each of the top teams coming up in the next couple of weeks. Not only will the Wildcats face each team, but they will play the other team tied for first place in Houston. That is a tough ask for a team to go on the road and win that game. This will be the only time Arizona and Houston will play in the regular season, so the winner will hold a tie-breaker over the loser in that matchup and will likely be the favorite to win the conference at that point.
If Houston can beat Arizona, they will have a tough turnaround for a Big Monday matchup at Kansas. Bill Self is 40-0 in Big Monday games at Allen Fieldhouse. Since the Cougars just have one matchup with Arizona, a win against Arizona and a loss at Kansas would still give Houston the top spot in the Big 12 standings. There are no “easy” games in the Big 12, but the final three against Colorado, Baylor and Oklahoma State should be wins for Houston.
If Kansas can beat Houston, they will hold a tie-breaker over the Cougars as it is their only regular season matchup against each other. The Jayhawks should beat Cincinnati, Arizona State and Kansas State, the other games on their schedule down the stretch. First place in the Big 12 could very well come down to Kansas at Arizona on February 28th.
The Cyclones only have one more matchup against a top four opponent, but it will be a tough one in Tucson. A loss at Arizona likely ends Iowa State’s chances to finish at the top of the conference standings. They also have a tough road game at BYU this Saturday, February 21st.
The top of the Big 12 standings will be exciting to watch down the home stretch of the season. In this conference, anything can happen. Who do you think will finish the regular season with the 1 seed heading into the Big 12 tournament?
