Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: BYU, Cincy, TCU Suffer First Losses
Dec 11, 2023, 2:32 PM
BYU stayed put in the Big 12 Basketball power rankings despite losing to Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The past week was an eventful one for Big 12 basketball. Rivalry games took place, the conclusion of the Big 12-Big East Battle, and some undefeated teams went down for the first time.
The Big 12 locked up the “Battle” with the Big East, claiming a 7-4 victory. Three of the four teams that lost are near the bottom of this week’s power rankings.
just another week with the most @AP_Top25 men's basketball teams in the country nbd… pic.twitter.com/ezHukqNhrK
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) December 11, 2023
Three undefeated teams remain in the conference (Houston, Baylor, Oklahoma). There were another three that suffered their first setbacks of the season (BYU, Cincinnati, and TCU).
Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week Six Edition
Take a look at the week six Big 12 basketball power rankings.
1. Kansas (9-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last Week
- Kansas 88, UMKC 69
- Kansas 73, Missouri 64
This Week
- Saturday, December 16: at Indiana
It’s hard not to get nostalgic for the old Big 12/8 when you watched Kansas take on Missouri over the weekend. And like the old days, Kansas came away with another victory.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark was in attendance for the game at Allen Fieldhouse.
Starting guard Elmarko Jackson had his best performance of the season against the Tigers, highlighted by a four-point play. Hunter Dickinson continues to shine, putting up 13 points and 16 rebounds.
2. Houston (10-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last Week
- Houston 75, Rice 39
- Houston 89, Jackson State 55
This Week
- Saturday, December 16: vs. Texas A&M (Toyota Center in Houston)
Kelvin Sampson’s teams are always great on the defensive end. But this 2024 squad might be his best. The Coogs suffocated Rice and Jackson State this past week. Now the toughest test of Houston’s non-conference schedule awaits on Saturday as they take on Texas A&M.
3. Baylor (9-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last Week
- Baylor 78, Seton Hall 60 (Big 12-Big East Battle)
This Week
- Saturday, December 16: at Michigan State (Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit)
4. Oklahoma (9-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 6 (Up 2)
Last Week
- Oklahoma 72, Providence 51 (Big 12-Big East Battle)
- Oklahoma 79, Arkansas 70 (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
This Week
- Saturday, December 16: vs. Green Bay
5. BYU (8-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last Week
- BYU, Evansville
- Utah 73, BYU 69
This Week
- Wednesday, December 13: vs. Denver
- Saturday, December 16: vs. Georgia State
6. Iowa State (8-2, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 7 (Up 1)
Last Week
- Iowa State 90, Iowa 65
- Iowa State 107, Prairie View A&M 56
This Week
- Sunday, December 17: vs. Florida A&M
7. Texas (7-2, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 4 (Down 3)
Last Week
- Marquette 86, Texas 65
- Texas 77, Houston Christian 50
This Week
- Saturday, December 16: vs. LSU (Toyota Center in Houston, Texas)
8. Cincinnati (7-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last Week
- Xavier 84, Cincinnati 79
This Week
- Tuesday, December 12: vs. Bryant
- Saturday, December 16: vs. Dayton (Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati)
9. Kansas State (8-2, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 11 (Up 2)
Last Week
- Kansas State 72, Villanova 71 (Overtime, Big 12-Big East Battle)
- Kansas State 75, LSU 60 (Road game)
This Week
- Sunday, December 17: vs. Nebraska
10. TCU (7-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 9 (Down 1)
Last Week
- Clemson 74, TCU 66 (Toronto)
This Week
- Saturday, December 16: vs. Arizona State (Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth)
11. Texas Tech (6-2, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 10 (Down 1)
Last Week
- Texas Tech 87, Nebraska Omaha 58
This Week
- Tuesday, December 12: vs. Oral Roberts
- Saturday, December 16: vs. Vanderbilt (Dickies Arena in Ft. Worth)
12. UCF (6-3, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 13 (Up 1)
Last Week
- UCF 94, Jacksonville 52
- Ole Miss 70, UCF 68
This Week
- No Games
13. Oklahoma State (4-5, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 12 (Down 1)
Last Week
- Southern Illinois 70, Oklahoma State 68 (Road game)
- Oklahoma State 72, Tulsa 57 (Oklahoma City)
This Week
- Sunday, December 17: vs. Oral Roberts
14. West Virginia (4-5, 0-0 Big 12)
Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last Week
- Pitt 80, West Virginia 63
- West Virginia 66, Drexel 60
This Week
- Saturday, December 16: vs. UMass (Springfield, Massachusetts)
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.
