Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: BYU, Utah Trending Up

SALT LAKE CITY – The Big 12 basketball race is taking shape, heading into the regular season’s stretch run.

Houston is once again emerging as the clear-cut title favorite. The Coogs won at Arizona and are 13-1 with only three weeks remaining in the season.

Houston is the defending regular season champion and is in a prime position for a second championship in as many years since joining the league.

Texas Tech avoided an upset in the Big 12 basketball game of the year as the Red Raiders took down Arizona State 111-106 in double overtime. The Red Raiders still have a home game against Houston in a few weeks.

Arizona had a winless week, losing at Kansas State and a home game against Houston. However, Arizona remains one of the top teams in the league.

BYU had a big week, earning a road victory at West Virginia and taking down red-hot Kansas State at home. The Cougars are trending up and appear on the bubble’s right side.

Utah earned a wire-to-wire victory over nationally-ranked Kansas at home. The Utes will now host Kansas State on Monday night before traveling to Orlando to take on UCF this Sunday.

BYU will get a chance to host Kansas at the Marriott Center before going on the road to take on Arizona in the McKale Center for the first time since 2009.

Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week 16 Edition

Take a look at the week 16 Big 12 basketball power rankings.

Previous Power Rankings

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 & 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 |

1. Houston (21-4, 13-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 1

Last week

• Houston 76, Baylor 65
• Houston 62, Arizona 58 (Road Win)

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: at Arizona State
• Saturday, February 22: vs. Iowa State

2. Texas Tech (20-5, 11-3 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 3 (Up 1)

Last week

• Texas Tech 111, Arizona State 106 (2OT)
• Texas Tech 93, Oklahoma State 55 (Road Win)

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: at TCU
• Saturday, February 22: vs. West Virginia

3. Arizona (17-8, 11-3 Big 12)

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

Last week

• Kansas State 73, Arizona 70
• Houston 62, Arizona 58 (Home Loss)

This week

• Monday, February 17: at Baylor
• Saturday, February 22: vs. BYU

4. Iowa State (20-5, 10-4 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 4

Last week

• Iowa State 77, UCF 65 (Road Win)
• Iowa State 81, Cincinnati 70

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: vs. Colorado
• Saturday, February 22: at Houston

5. BYU (17-8, 8-6 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Up 3)

Last week

• BYU 73, West Virginia 69 (Road Win)
• BYU 80, Kansas State 65

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: vs. Kansas
• Saturday, February 22: at Arizona

6. Baylor (16-9, 8-6 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 5 (Down 1)

Last week

• Houston 76, Baylor 65
• Baylor 74, West Virginia 71 (Overtime)

This week

• Monday, February 17: vs. Arizona
• Saturday, February 22: at Baylor

7. Kansas State (13-12, 7-7 Big 12)

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

Last week

• Kansas State 73, Arizona 70
• BYU 80, Kansas State 65

This week

• Monday, February 17: at Utah
• Sunday, February 23: vs. Arizona State

8. Kansas (17-8, 8-6 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 7 (Down 1)

Last week

• Kansas 71, Colorado 59
• Utah 74, Kansas 67

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: at BYU
• Saturday, February 22: vs. Oklahoma State

9. TCU (14-11, 7-7 Big 12)

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

Last week

• TCU 73, Oklahoma State 72
• TCU 74, Arizona State 70 (Road Win)

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: vs. Texas Tech
• Saturday, February 22: at Cincinnati

10. West Virginia (15-10, 6-8 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 9 (Down 1)

Last week

• BYU 73, West Virginia 69 (Home Loss)
• Baylor 74, West Virginia 71 (OT)

This week

• Wednesday, February 19: vs. Cincinnati
• Saturday, February 22: at Texas Tech

11. Cincinnati (15-10, 5-9 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 11

Last week

• Cincinnati 85, Utah 75
• Iowa State 81, Cincinnati 70

This week

• Wednesday, February 19: at West Virginia
• Saturday, February 22: vs. TCU

12. Utah (14-11, 6-8 Big 12)

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

Last week

• Cincinnati 85, Utah 75
• Utah 74, Kansas 67

This week

• Monday, February 17: vs. Kansas State
• Sunday, February 23: at UCF

13. Oklahoma State (12-13, 4-10 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 13

Last week

• TCU 73, Oklahoma State 72
• Texas Tech 93, Oklahoma State 55 (Home Loss)

This week

• Wednesday, February 19: vs. UCF
• Saturday, February 22: at Kansas

14. Arizona State (12-13, 3-11 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 15 (Up 1)

Last week

• Texas Tech 111, Arizona State 106 (2OT)
• TCU 84, Arizona State 80 (Home Loss)

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: vs. Houston
• Sunday, February 23: at Kansas State

15. Colorado (10-15, 1-13 Big 12)

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

Last week

• Kansas 71, Colorado 59
• Colorado 76, UCF 63

This week

• Tuesday, February 18: at Iowa State
• Saturday, February 22: vs. Baylor

16. UCF (13-12, 4-10 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Down 4)

Last week

• Iowa State 77, UCF 65 (Home Loss)
• Colorado 76, UCF 63

This week

• Wednesday, February 19: at Oklahoma State
• Sunday, February 23: vs. Utah

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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