Big 12 Men’s Basketball Power Rankings: Jayhawks Stay at the Top

Looking at where each team sits in the Big 12 Conference.

Disclaimer: The rankings below are for the games played through Saturday, February 11. Midweek games played since Saturday will be reflected on next week’s Power Rankings.

Big 12 men’s basketball is a gauntlet. Every game can be crazy. Recent results have shown that any team can beat any other team on any given day. Currently, six of the league’s ten teams are ranked in the Top 25. That means chances are every game each week has at least one ranked team playing, and many times, both teams will be ranked.

But which team is the best? How do the ten teams rank among themselves? We have brought together a group from across the league to vote each week during the season on the Big 12 Power Rankings. There are 21 participants in this group, which consists of the KillerFrogs editorial staff plus one or two fans from each of the other schools in the league. Each week, each participant provides their rankings 1-10. Those rankings are compiled, and the average rank is then listed below.

This week, there was little movement. Six of the teams remain at the same ranking they had last week. TCU and Iowa State flipped spots at No. 5 and No. 6. And Texas Tech and West Virginia also flipped spots, this time at No. 8 and No. 9.

Here's where our panel of voters ranked the teams this week:

(Team records and AP Top 25 rank are as of 2/18/23; games since then were not considered when voters made their selection)

Big 12 Men’s Basketball Power Rankings

10. Oklahoma (13-14, 3-11)

Last week # 10

Is it football season yet? Oh, wait, that didn’t go so well either. At least softball season has arrived to give the Sooners some hope. Oh, wait on that one too. Baylor has already given that team a blemish. Are the Sooners in for a long spring too?

9. West Virginia (15-12, 4-10)

Last week # 8

West Virginia went 0-2 last week, while Texas Tech went 2-0. And one of those games was between the two teams, with Tech winning. So, with those numbers, WVU moved down a notch in our weekly rankings.

8. Texas Tech (15-12, 4-10)

Last week # 9

Don’t look now, but Tech seems to be making a late surge and hoping for a tournament invite. The Red Raiders went 2-0 last week, including a 74-67 win over then-No. 6 Texas. Tech has also won three straight home games against ranked opponents, with an opportunity to add to that streak when TCU comes to town on Saturday.

7. Oklahoma State (16-11, 7-7)

Last week # 7

After going on that five-game win streak to start the month, the Pokes went 0-2 last week, both over ranked teams (at home to No. 5 Kansas, then on the road to No. 22 TCU). OSU took a whooping in Fort Worth, losing 100-75. OSU has been the only team that has yet to budge in seven weeks of these Power Rankings. They started at No. 7 and will likely end at No. 7.

6. #19 Iowa State (17-9, 8-6)

Last week # 5

The Cyclones have not had back-to-back wins since they opened up conference play 4-0 in early January. Last week, they got a home win over No. 22 TCU but then lost on the road to No. 12 Kansas State. They should still go dancing but must figure out how to win again.

5. #22 TCU (18-9, 7-7)

Last week # 6

The Frogs are a completely different team when Mike Miles Jr is in the lineup. Miles returned on Saturday and allowed the Frogs to have one of their best games in program history – 100 points scored while shooting 68.4% from the field. The win ended the four-game slide for the Frogs. Can Miles help get them to a 20-win season?

4. #12 Kansas State (20-7, 8-6)

Last week # 4

The Cats went 1-1 last week, just as they had done the week before. They lost on the road to a struggling Oklahoma team but pulled out the win at home in the Manhattan version of Farmageddon. K-State will go dancing this year, and with a strong finish, could possibly win the regular season (but there’s a LOT that has to happen first before this is realistic.).

3. #9 Baylor (20-7, 9-5)

Last week # 3

After starting 0-3 in conference play, the Bears are once again in contention for a league title. In Saturday's game in Lawrence, it looked like Baylor was about to destroy Kansas, giving the Jayhawks their second loss this season in the Phog. Baylor led by 17 points in the 1st half. But KU got it together and beat the Bears by 16 points, a 33-point swing.

2. #6 Texas (21-6, 10-4)

Last week # 2

What Texas has done this season with an interim coach for all conference play is impressive. They did go 1-1 last week, with an overtime win over the struggling Sooners and a loss on the road to Tech. The Longhorns’ remaining schedule is all against ranked teams, two of which are on the road. Stay tuned. It could be a photo finish this season.

1. #5 Kansas (22-5, 10-4)

Last week # 1

After that three-game slide back in January, the Jayhawks have only lost once. Last week they got wins over Baylor and Oklahoma State. Last year’s national champion is back to looking like a championship team.

Other FanNation Power Rankings

How do other FanNations rank the Big 12? Check them out here:

Kansas – Blue Wings Rising

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Note: Power Rankings are determined by fans representing most of the ten schools currently in the Big 12 Conference.

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