Big 12 Basketball Takes Subtle Jab At Pac-12 Conference
Jan 12, 2024, 2:21 PM
Big 12 Basketball ranks as the nation's number one conference in the country. (Mitch Harper, KSL Sports)
(Mitch Harper, KSL Sports)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Big 12 basketball is the top conference in college hoops.
For eight of the past 10 seasons, the Big 12 has been rated No. 1 in the country. They are well on their way toward making it a ninth season in 11 years.
Out of the 14 teams in this year’s Big 12, 12 already have at least 10 victories or more this season.
Winning in the Best Conference in College Basketball feels like…pic.twitter.com/sRLysP9HxV
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) January 11, 2024
The predictive metrics love the Big 12. KenPom rates the Big 12 as the nation’s No. 1 league, with 12 of the 14 teams in the Top 100.
Then there’s the NCAA’s NET rankings—the primary sorting tool for the NCAA Selection Committee in piecing together the NCAA Tournament field.
Big 12 boasts 10 teams in the Top 50 of the NET rankings as of Friday, January 12, 2024.
That’s by far the most for one conference in the Top 50.
The Big 12 Conference made sure to post that stat and take a jab at the Pac-12 Conference in the process.
On Friday, the Big 12 shared a social media graphic on X featuring the conferences with teams in the Top 50 of the NET.
The Big 12 leads the way with 10, followed by the SEC with six.
📈 *️⃣ #Big12MBB 😀❗️❕ pic.twitter.com/ffWfCo1Jaa
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) January 12, 2024
Farther down the list is the Pac-12, with three teams in the Top 50. Next to that number three, the Big 12 placed an asterisk with a note.
“All three joining the Big 12 next season,” the Big 12 wrote on the asterisk.
Those three teams are Arizona at No. 2, Utah at No. 22, and Colorado at No. 48.
The rest of the Pac-12 is below No. 50 in the NET.
To keep it fair, two of the 10 Big 12 teams are moving on to the SEC next year. That’s Oklahoma (No. 24) and Texas (No. 44).
But still, even without the Sooners and Longhorns, when adding three of the four corner schools, the Big 12 looks like there won’t be a change anytime soon as the top basketball league in America.
The “Four Corner” schools officially join the Big 12 on August 2, 2024.
After this season, the Pac-12 as we know it will be done. The Four Corner schools are off to the Big 12. Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington will be in the Big Ten, then Cal and Stanford will be in the ACC.
Oregon State and Washington State will remain in the Pac-12 but have an affiliate member status in the West Coast Conference for the next two years.
Big 12 Basketball teams in the NET rankings
As of January 12, 2024
1. Houston
4. BYU
10. Iowa State
14. Baylor
17. Kansas
24. Oklahoma
31. Texas Tech
32. Cincinnati
36. TCU
44. Texas
74. Kansas State
76. UCF
123. Oklahoma State
194. West Virginia
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.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.
