The Houston Cougars are the Big 12 regular season champions and the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 Tournament.
The Cougars are also at the top of our power ranking going into the final week of the season. There wasn’t much movement this week in the power rankings, frankly. Most teams are solidified where they are, with one exception, as the BYU Cougars are red-hot and playing above their conference record right now.
Our Heartland College Sports men’s power rankings will come out every Monday until we get to the conference tournament in Kansas City. We will do one final power rankings next Monday after the season concludes.
Let’s dig in.
No. 1 Houston (25-4, 17-1; Last Ranking: 1)
Houston just won its second straight Big 12 regular-season title and its fourth straight conference title. They’re the first team in more than 100 years to win back-to-back conference titles in their first two years in a conference.
No. 2 Texas Tech (22-7, 13-5; Last Ranking: No. 2)
It was a split week for the Red Raiders, but going into Lawrence and winning at Kansas for just the second time ever was impressive. Plus, both Darrion Williams and Chance McMillian are back.
No. 3 BYU (21-8, 12-6; Last Ranking: No. 4)
The Cougars are red-hot. They’ve won six straight they absolutely dismantled West Virginia on Saturday. They feel like that team that could stun some people and reach the Sweet 16.
Related: Five Biggest Takeaways From Saturday’s Big 12 Basketball Games
No. 4 Iowa State (22-7, 12-6; Last Ranking: 3)
This drop is more about BYU than about Iowa State. That performance against Arizona was impressive. Keshon Gilbert is back. All seems right with the Cyclones again. One more week to fine-tune things for Kansas City.
No. 5 Arizona (19-10, 13-5; Last Ranking: No. 5)
That loss to Iowa State was as gross as it gets from the perspective of a ranked team going to another ranked team and getting beat like a drum. But, you can’t convince me anyone below the Wildcats is better than them right now.
No. 6 Baylor (17-12, 9-9; Last Ranking: 8)
I know the Bears are short-handed, but man they’re short-handed in a way in which they’re downright dangerous to anyone.
Related: New Big 12 Basketball Team Drops to Bubble in Latest Bracketology Update
No. 7 Kansas (19-10, 10-8, Last Ranking: 6)
Kansas is unranked and, right now, the Jayhawks are just playing like another Big 12 team. I mean, we’re just not used to that in this conference.
No. 8 TCU (16-13, 9-9: Last Ranking: No. 7)
I think the Horned Frogs are going to be a lot of fun to watch … in the NIT or in the new tournament in Las Vegas.
No. 9 West Virginia (17-12, 8-10; Last Ranking: No. 9)
I’m not sold on WVU being an NCAA Tournament lock anymore. If the Mountaineers lose to Utah the way they lost to BYU on Saturday, their case gets more problematic.
No. 10 Utah (16-13, 8-10; Last Ranking: No. 10)
I still don’t understand the timing of Craig Smith’s firing. But interim coach Josh Eilert stabilized them on Saturday and the Utes could make a run in a non-NCAA Tournament event.
No. 11 Kansas State (14-15, 8-10; Last Ranking: No. 12)
A small nudge after the win over Colorado. But a berth in any postseason tournament is going to be hard for the Wildcats without a .500 record overall.
No. 12 Cincinnati (17-12, 7-11; Last Ranking: No. 11)
The Bearcats are going to be on the bubble right until the end. But, without a deep run in Kansas City I fear they are NIT-bound again.
No. 13 UCF (15-14, 6-12; Last Ranking: No. 13)
No. 14 Oklahoma State (14-15, 6-12; Last Ranking: No. 14)
No. 15 Arizona State (13-16, 4-14; Last Ranking: No. 15)
No. 16 Colorado (11-18, 2-16; Last Ranking: No. 16)
No movement here. These are the four worst teams in the conference. Or, least best. However you want to look at it.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
