Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: BYU, Baylor Shine During Opening Week

PROVO, Utah – Big 12 basketball is underway for the 2023-24 season. One week of action has already been completed.

Every week throughout the Big 12 basketball season, here at KSL Sports, we will be releasing a power ranking assessing where the teams are at in the conference.

It’s the first-ever year where the Big 12 has 14 teams. Newcomers, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, and Houston join a league that has prided itself on being the top conference in the nation. So far, the advanced metrics continue to view the Big 12 as the top league.

Heading into the season, we released the preseason power rankings. After one week, there’s already some movement.

Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week Two Edition

Take a look at the week two Big 12 basketball power rankings.

1. Kansas (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 1

Last Week

• Kansas 99, NC Central 56
• Kansas 99, Manhattan 61

This Week

• Tuesday, November 14: vs. Kentucky (United Center, Chicago)

The Jayhawks might not be the deepest team in the league, but they definitely have the offensive firepower. Hunter Dickinson, as expected, has fit perfectly with Bill Self. The Champions Classic against Kentucky will be a great barometer for the nation’s No. 1 team.

2. Baylor (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 4 (Up 2)

Last Week

• Baylor 88, Auburn 82 (in South Dakota)
• Baylor 96, John Brown 70
• Baylor 77, Gardner Webb 62

This Week

• Tuesday, November 14: vs. UMKC

The first freshman in program history to win @Big12Conference Player of the Week 👀

📰 https://t.co/cG801ZkIzk#SicEm | #CultureofJOY pic.twitter.com/ezaSj9x0fl

— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) November 13, 2023

Baylor’s freshman tandem of Ja’Kobe Walter and 7-footer Yves Missi came in with high expectations. But they are further ahead than anyone expected through week one. Missi might be the best rim protector in the league already.

3. Houston (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 2 (Down 1)

Last Week

• Houston 84, ULM 31
• Houston 82, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

This Week

• Monday, November 13: vs. Stetson
• Thursday, November 16: vs. Towson (Charleston Classic)
• Friday, November 17: Charleston Classic
• Sunday, November 19: Charleston Classic

This week will be a good test for Houston as they go into a Charleston Classic field, and they should come away with a title. Veteran frontcourt player Ja’Vier Francis appears to have taken a jump in his game as he’s now a key piece in Houston’s starting five after two years coming off the bench.

4. Texas (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 3 (Down 1)

Last Week

• Texas 88, Incarnate Word 56
• Texas 86, Delaware State 59

This Week

• Wednesday, November 15: vs. Rice
• Sunday, November 19: vs. Louisville (Empire Classic – Madison Square Garden)

The defending Big 12 Tournament Champions are one of the nation’s top three-point shooting teams through the first week at 45.8% per game.

5. Iowa State (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 8 (Up 3)

Last Week

• Iowa State 85, Green Bay 44
• Iowa State 102, Lindenwood 47
• Iowa State 86, Idaho State 55

This Week

• Sunday, November 19: vs. Grambling State

3-0#Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/o0mAc7TKA7

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) November 12, 2023

Iowa State’s defense is already shining through week one and heralded freshman Milan Mocilovic is already a bucket-getter on the offensive end.

6. TCU (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 6

Last Week

• TCU 108, Southern 75
• TCU 82, Nebraska Omaha 60

This Week

• Tuesday, November 14: vs. UT Rio Grande Valley
• Friday, November 17: vs. Mississippi Valley State

TCU shot 43.5% from three in their opener against Southern. In game two, back down to 20%.

7. Texas Tech (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 7

Last Week

• Texas Tech 73, Texas A&M-Commerce 46
• Texas Tech 56, San Jose State 42

This Week

• Thursday, November 16: vs. Texas A&M Corpus Christi

Grant McCasland era is underway in Lubbock. It’s noticeable already as the Red Raiders tempo reflects McClasland’s North Texas teams. The Red Raiders are 301st in adjusted tempo through the first week.

8. BYU (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 11 (Up 3)

Last Week

• BYU 110, Houston Christian 63
• BYU 74, No. 17 San Diego State 65

This Week

• Wednesday, November 15: vs. Southeastern Louisiana
• Saturday, November 18: vs. Morgan State

Great night to be a Coug😎 pic.twitter.com/x1GemafFaH

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) November 11, 2023

BYU pulled off one of the best wins in the league last week by taking down rival San Diego State on its home floor. Mark Pope’s group is going to rely heavily on three-point shooting this season.

9. Kansas State (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 5 (Down 4)

Last Week

• No. 21 USC 82, Kansas State 69 (Las Vegas)
• Kansas State 83, Bellarmine 75

This Week

• Monday, November 13: vs. South Dakota State
• Friday, November 17: vs. Providence (Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas)
• Sunday, November 19: Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas

The Wildcats have stumbled out of the gate in the early part of the season with a loss to USC in Las Vegas and the injury to transfer Ques Glover for six to eight weeks.

10. Oklahoma (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 10

Last Week

• Oklahoma 89, Central Michigan 59
• Oklahoma 82, Mississippi Valley State 43

This Week

• Tuesday, November 14: vs. Texas State
• Friday, November 17: vs. UT Rio Grande Valley

Many felt the Oklahoma player who would take the biggest jump this year was guard Milos Uzan. Through the opening week, the returning player for Porter Moser’s squad taking a jump is sophomore Otega Oweh. He’s averaging 19 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

11. Cincinnati (3-0, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 9 (Down 2)

Last Week

• Cincinnati 69, UIC 58
• Cincinnati 93, Detroit Mercy 61
• Cincinnati 85, Eastern Washington 73

This Week

• Sunday, November 19: vs. Northern Kentucky

The NCAA denying UVU transfer Aziz Bandaogo’s waiver request was a big hit to Cincinnati this season.

12. UCF (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 12 (Up 2)

Last Week

• UCF 85, FIU 62
• No. 13 Miami 88, UCF 72

This Week

• Thursday, November 16: vs. Cal State Fullerton
• Sunday, November 19: vs. South Dakota State (Jacksonville Classic)

No one is going to knock a road loss to a Final Four team. The good news for UCF was dominating an inferior opponent on its home court.

13. Oklahoma State (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 13

Last Week

• Abilene Christian 64, Oklahoma State 59
• Oklahoma State 85, Sam Houston 70

This Week

• Thursday, November 16: vs. St. Bonaventure (Legends Classic – Barclays Center)
• Friday, November 17: Legends Classic – Barclays Center

Oklahoma State was without two scholarship guards in the loss to Abilene Christian. Pair that with a reset in the offseason, made for a tough opening night. But they did bounce back with a nice win over Sam Houston.

14. West Virginia (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Preseason power ranking: No. 12 (Down 1)

Last Week

• West Virginia 67, Missouri State 59
• Monmouth 73, West Virginia 65

This Week

• Tuesday, November 14: vs. Jacksonville State

Kerr Kriisa being suspended for nine games is going to leave this team in flux until he gets back into the lineup.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X and Threads: @Mitch_Harper.

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