Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: New No. 1 Team

SALT LAKE CITY – Big 12 basketball won the Big 12-BIG EAST Battle last week, 6-5. However, despite the win over the Big East, the Big 12 has slipped in some advanced metrics in conference standing.

KenPom currently has the Big 12 ranked as the third-best league behind the SEC and Big Ten.

When the season began, the Big 12 had five teams in the Top 10 of the AP Top 25. Entering week six of the season, the league only has four teams in the AP Top 25.

The Big 12 has suffered some tough losses in non-conference play.

Kansas lost two games last week, both on the road against Creighton and Missouri, respectively.

Those losses from the Jayhawks create a new No. 1 in this week’s power rankings. Iowa State catapults to the top spot after an impressive home victory over Marquette.

Houston has suffered three close losses during non-conference action, but they showed last week in a blowout over Butler that they are still an excellent team and will have a lot to say in the Big 12 race.

BYU and Utah suffered tough losses over the past week. The Cougars were blown out on the road against Providence in Rhode Island.

Meanwhile, Utah dropped a home game against Saint Mary’s.

Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week Six Edition

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

Previous Power Rankings

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 |

1. Iowa State (7-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 2 (Up 1)

Last Week

• Iowa State 81, Marquette 70 (Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)
• Iowa State 100, Jackson State 58

This Week

• Thursday, December 12: at Iowa
• Sunday, December 15: vs. Nebraska Omaha

2. Kansas (7-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 1 (Down 1)

Last Week

• Creighton 76, Kansas 63 (Away Game; Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)
• Missouri 76, Kansas 67 (Away Game)

This Week

• Saturday, December 14: vs. N.C. State

3. Houston (5-3, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 5 (Up 2)

Last Week

• Houston 79, Butler 51 (Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)

This Week

• Tuesday, December 10: vs. Troy
• Wednesday, December 18: vs. Toledo

4. Baylor (5-3, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 4

Last Week

• UConn 76, Baylor 72 (Away Game; Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)

This Week

• Monday, December 9: vs. Abilene Christian
• Wednesday, December 11: vs. Norfolk State

5. West Virginia (6-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 6 (Up 1)

Last Week

• West Virginia 73, Georgetown 60 (Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)

This Week

• Tuesday, December 10: vs. NC Central
• Saturday, December 14: vs. Bethune Cookman

6. Cincinnati (7-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 3 (Down 3)

Last Week

• Villanova 68, Cincinnati 60 (Away Game; Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)
• Cincinnati 84, Howard 67

This Week

• Saturday, December 14: vs. Xavier

7. Arizona State (8-1, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 7

Last Week

• Arizona State 90, San Diego 53

This Week

• Saturday, December 14: vs. Florida (Atlanta, Georgia)

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

Last week’s power ranking: No. 8

Last Week

• Texas Tech 76, DePaul 62 (Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)
• Texas A&M 72, Texas Tech 67 (Ft. Worth, Texas)

This Week

• Monday, December 16: vs. Oral Roberts
• Saturday, December 21: vs. Lamar

9. Arizona (4-4, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 10 (Up 1)

Last Week

• Arizona 102, Southern Utah 66

This Week

• Saturday, December 14: vs. UCLA (Phoenix, Arizona)

10. Colorado (7-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 11 (Up 1)

Last Week

• Colorado 75, Pacific 66
• Colorado 72, Colorado State 55

This Week

• Friday, December 13: vs. South Dakota State

11. BYU (6-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 9 (Down 2)

Last Week

• Providence 83, BYU 64 (Away Game; Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)

This Week

• Wednesday, December 11: vs. Fresno State
• Saturday, December 14: vs. Wyoming (Salt Lake City; Delta Center)

12. Oklahoma State (6-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 15 (Up 3)

Last Week

• Oklahoma State 76, Tulsa 55 (Road Win)
• Oklahoma State 85, Seton Hall 76 (Away Game; Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)

This Week

• Saturday, December 14: vs. Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

13. UCF (7-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 13

Last Week

• UCF 66, Tarleton State 51

This Week

• Saturday, December 14: vs. Tulsa (Sunrise, Florida)

14. Utah (6-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Down 2)

Last Week

• Saint Mary’s 72, Utah 63 (Home Loss)

This Week

• Saturday, December 14: vs. Radford

15. TCU (5-4, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 16 (Up 1)

Last Week

• TCU 76, Xavier 72 (Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)
• Vanderbilt 83, TCU 74

This Week

• No games this week

16. Kansas State (6-3, 0-0 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 14 (Down 2)

Last Week

• St. John’s 88, Kansas State 71 (Away Game; Big 12-BIG EAST Battle)

This Week

• No games this week

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.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.

Take us with you wherever you go.

Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. It allows you to stream live radio and video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.

Follow @Mitch_Harper