1. University of Houston (23-2, 11-1) 

Similar to last year, Houston continues to get more dominant each week. They took care of business this past week, defeating the University of Utah and Kansas State University by double digits in both matchups. Guard Emanuel Sharp led the way with two outstanding performances, scoring 27 and 23 points, respectively.

2. Iowa State University (22-3, 9-3)

Iowa State had an up and down week. They lost at TCU Tuesday, Feb. 10 and followed that up with an impressive 19 point win against No. 9 University of Kansas. The Cyclones combination of shooting and intense defense makes them a final four contender. 

3. Texas Tech University (19-6, 9-3)

Texas Tech picked up maybe the best win in the country Saturday, Feb. 14 when they beat Arizona on their home court. JT Toppin continued his wooden award campaign, scoring 31 points and adding 13 rebounds. Toppin proved his left handed hook shot is the best shot in all of college basketball, using it to score multiple clutch buckets against Arizona.  

4. University of Kansas (19-6, 9-3)

Kansas faced two of the top teams in the Big 12 this past week, delivering mixed results. Surprisingly, they defeated Arizona without Darryn Peterson, then followed it up with a loss to Iowa State with Peterson back in the lineup. The takeaway is clear: home-court advantage remains the biggest factor in the Big 12. However, the win over Arizona should not mask the larger reality that Kansas will need a fully healthy Peterson if they want to legitimately contend for a title in March.

5. University of Arizona (21-2, 9-2) 

Arizona drops five spots in this week’s power rankings after two straight losses. Wildcat fans should not worry though as their losses came against two of the best teams in the Big 12. After missing the second half against Texas Tech due to a lower-body injury, Koa Peat’s health moving forward has become a major storyline to monitor.

6. BYU (19-6, 7-5)

BYU won two straight games, but even then it wasn’t the best week for the Cougars. They barely escaped in wins against Baylor University and the University of Colorado, Boulder and to make matters worse they lost one of their best players for the year Richie Saunders. Saunders tore his ACL against Colorado and will miss the rest of the season. It would be a miracle if BYU makes any noise in March without their sharpshooter. 

7. TCU (16-9, 6-6)

TCU had their biggest week of the season, beating Iowa State and Oklahoma State University. The Horned Frogs are currently projected as one of the “Last Four In,” according to CBS Sports Bracketology. Securing wins in upcoming matchups against University of Central Florida and West Virginia University would go a long way toward strengthening TCU’s resume and moving them off the bubble. 

8. Baylor University (13-12, 3-9)

Although projected first round picks Cameron Carr and Tounde Yessoufou continue to get better each week, Baylor cannot translate their stellar play into wins. Favorable matchups this week against Kansas State and ASU they must win games for the Bears. 

9. University of Central Florida (17-7, 6-6)

After six days of rest, UCF lost at home to West Virginia in what felt like a must win game. The defense continues to give UCF problems as they have yet to hold a Big 12 opponent to under 72 points.

10. University of Cincinnati (14-12, 6-7)

Cincinnati went 2–0 this past week, but those wins came against Kansas State and Utah. If the Bearcats want any chance of playing in March, they must pick up wins against Kansas and Texas Tech this week. That will be a difficult task, especially with both games being played on the road. 

11. West Virginia University (16-9, 7-5)

West Virginia defeated UCF last Saturday, continuing their trend of taking care of business against the lower-tier teams in the Big 12. The concern for West Virginia is that their win over Kansas remains their only ranked victory this season. Matchups this week against Utah and TCU are critical, as the Mountaineers need both to keep their at-large tournament hopes alive.

12. Oklahoma State University (16-9, 4-8)

If Oklahoma State misses the tournament, which they likely will, the Cowboys will look back at last week as the reason why. They dropped two winnable games against Arizona State and TCU. Thursday’s game versus Kansas is now a must win game if they want any chances in the tournament.  

13. University of Colorado, Boulder (14-12, 4-9)

These late-season games have provided valuable experience for a young Colorado team. Guard Isaiah Johnson scored 27 points in an overtime loss to BYU, further proving he is one of the more underappreciated freshmen in college basketball. Colorado’s top priority moving forward is clear, securing enough NIL resources to retain its young core for next season.

14. Kansas State University (10-15, 1-11)

Jeron Teng was fired after two embarrassing losses against Cincinnati and Houston. Firing Teng early allows Kansas State to canvas hard for their next head coach. In the meantime, interim head coach Matthew Driscoll will try to keep his guys motivated and playing hard, a problem Teng could not fix. 

15. Arizona State University (13-12, 4-8)

If not for their win against Oklahoma State, it is likely Bobby Hurley would have been fired. It is only a matter of time for Hurley, as the Sun Devils have not been a serious contender in the Big 12 for years. 

16. University of Utah (9-16, 1-11)

Utah has now lost seven straight games, marking one of the program’s most disappointing seasons in recent memory. Utes fans are still waiting for the Otro Capital partnership with the university to begin delivering meaningful NIL impact and tangible on-court results.

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