Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: BYU Soars Entering Final Week

PROVO, Utah – Big 12 basketball enters the final week of the regular season.

It’s been a wild season in America’s toughest conference. The penultimate week highlighted the craziness as Kansas lost twice, one coming at home against Big 12 newcomer BYU at Allen Fieldhouse and the other setback at Baylor.

Kansas is up to seven losses in Big 12 play. It’s the most losses in a conference season for the Jayhawks since Bill Self became the head coach—the most league setbacks since 1989.

BYU did the unthinkable … won at Allen Fieldhouse

BYU 76, Kansas 68 pic.twitter.com/Vec5NkYbGA

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) February 28, 2024

Kansas still has a trip to Houston this Saturday to close out the regular season.

While Kansas struggled, BYU thrived over the past week. The Cougars faced double-digit deficits at Kansas and home against TCU. They pulled off second-half rallies to complete a perfect week.

For most of the season, the national conversation around BYU has been that they “gamed the system” with a weak nonconference schedule. With one week left, BYU looks like the team that predictive metrics have been telling us they are all year.

Houston’s Jamal Shead, with his play, continues to tell the nation that he is the best point guard in college basketball.

Shead hit a game-winner on Saturday to lift the No. 1-ranked Cougars over Oklahoma in Norman.

Houston is on a seven-game win streak and is in control of its destiny to win the Big 12 regular season title in its first year in the league.

The Texas Longhorns have had an up-and-down season. But maybe the Longhorns are finally playing their best basketball as we inch closer to the postseason.

Texas won in Lubbock to get revenge against Texas Tech. Then, the Longhorns cruised to a blowout victory over Oklahoma State.

Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week 18 Edition

Take a look at the Week 18 Big 12 basketball power rankings.

1. Houston (26-3, 13-3 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 1

Goodnight from Norman.@Thejshead x #ForTheCity pic.twitter.com/kuI6VkfzLC

— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Houston 67, Cincinnati 59
• Houston 87, Oklahoma 85 (Road Win)

This Week

• Wednesday, March 6: at UCF
• Saturday, March 9: vs. Kansas

2. Iowa State (23-6, 12-4 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 2

𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙅𝙖𝙢!#Cyclones | #C5C pic.twitter.com/8xjHAJsY9r

— Iowa State Men’s Basketball (@CycloneMBB) March 2, 2024

Last Week

• Iowa State 58, Oklahoma 45
• Iowa State 60, UCF 52 (Road Win)

This Week

• Wednesday, March 6: vs. BYU
• Saturday, March 9: at Kansas State

3. Baylor (21-8, 10-6 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 4 (Up 1)

Highlights from yesterday's win over No. 7 Kansas 📺#SicEm | #CultureofJOY pic.twitter.com/bs73gYVjHh

— Baylor Men’s Basketball (@BaylorMBB) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Baylor 62, TCU 54 (Road Win)
• Baylor 82, Kansas 74

This Week

• Monday, March 4: vs. Texas
• Saturday, March 9: at Texas Tech

4. BYU (21-8, 9-7 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 7 (Up 3)

this was only the beginning🫣 pic.twitter.com/3fqgB8I98M

— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• BYU 76, Kansas 68 (Road Win)
• BYU 87, TCU 75

This Week

• Wednesday, March 6: at Iowa State
• Saturday, March 9: vs. Oklahoma State

5. Texas Tech (20-9, 9-7 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 6 (Up 1)

𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄.
𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐄.
𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄.
🗣 #TTW pic.twitter.com/SqwuuxpSoB

— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Texas 81, Texas Tech 69 (Home Loss)
• Texas Tech 81, West Virginia 70 (Road Win)

This Week

• Tuesday, March 5: at Oklahoma State
• Saturday, March 9: vs. Baylor

6. Kansas (21-8, 9-7 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 3 (Down 3)

 

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Last Week

• BYU 76, Kansas 68 (Home Loss)
• Baylor 82, Kansas 74

This Week

• Tuesday, March 5: vs. Kansas State
• Saturday, March 9: at Houston

7. Texas (19-10, 8-8 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 9 (Up 2)

season high 16 points yesterday for the kid @Ch3ndalll 💪🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/bXAI3Hvs3v

— Texas Men’s Basketball (@TexasMBB) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Texas 81, Texas Tech 69 (Road Win)
• Texas 81, Oklahoma State 65

This Week

• Monday, March 4: at Baylor
• Saturday, March 9: vs. Oklahoma

8. TCU (19-10, 8-8 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 5 (Down 3)

FINAL: BYU 87 – TCU 75

The season continues Wednesday at West Virginia.#GoFrogs

— TCU Men's Basketball (@TCUBasketball) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Baylor 62, TCU 54 (Home Loss)
• BYU 87, TCU 75

This Week

• Wednesday, March 6: at West Virginia
• Saturday, March 9: vs. UCF

9. Oklahoma (19-10, 7-9 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 8 (Down 1)

Final: No. 1 Houston 87, Oklahoma 85

— Oklahoma Basketball (@OU_MBBall) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Iowa State 58, Oklahoma 45
• Houston 87, Oklahoma 85

This Week

• Tuesday, March 5: vs. Cincinnati
• Saturday, March 9: at Texas

10. Cincinnati (17-12, 6-10 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 12 (Up 2)

SHOWTIME 🤩

Nobody does it like @DayDayThomas24. pic.twitter.com/Pn1ZIUQ3Al

— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Houston 67, Cincinnati 59
• Cincinnati 74, Kansas State 72

This Week

• Tuesday, March 5: at Oklahoma
• Saturday, March 9: vs. West Virginia

11. Kansas State (17-12, 7-9 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 10 (Down 1)

Final#KStateMBB pic.twitter.com/wet3lnj74D

— K-State Men's Basketball (@KStateMBB) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• K-State 94, West Virginia 90 (Overtime)
• Cincinnati 74, K-State 72

This Week

• Tuesday, March 5: at Kansas
• Saturday, March 9: vs. Iowa State

12. UCF (15-13, 6-10 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 13 (Up 1)

Back at home for #1 Houston on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/DUSPCm55sV

— UCF Men’s Hoops 🌴 (@UCF_MBB) March 2, 2024

Last Week

• UCF 77, Oklahoma State 71 (Road Win)
• Iowa State 60, UCF 52 (Home Loss)

This Week

• Wednesday, March 6: vs. Houston
• Saturday, March 9: at TCU

13. Oklahoma State (12-17, 4-12 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 11 (Down 2)

Final

UT – 81
OSU – 65

— OSU Cowboy Basketball (@OSUMBB) March 2, 2024

Last Week

• UCF 77, Oklahoma State 71 (Home Loss)
• Texas 81, Oklahoma State 65

This Week

• Tuesday, March 5: vs. Texas Tech
• Saturday, March 9: at BYU

14. West Virginia (9-20, 4-12 Big 12)

Last week’s ranking: No. 14

Final: TTU 81, WVU 70.#HailWV

— WVU Men's Basketball (@WVUhoops) March 3, 2024

Last Week

• Kansas State 94, West Virginia 90 (Overtime)
• Texas Tech 81, West Virginia 70 (Home Loss)

This Week

• Wednesday, March 6: vs. TCU
• Saturday, March 9: at Cincinnati

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

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