Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Gearing Up For The Madness Of March

SALT LAKE CITY – Big 12 basketball is turning the page to the greatest month in the sport, March.

The Bracket Matrix has eight teams from the Big 12 in the NCAA Tournament. That would be the third most from a conference behind the SEC and Big Ten.

For the second time in as many years in the league, Houston has won the outright Big 12 regular season championship.

Since joining the league last year, Kelvin Sampson’s Houston program is 34-5 in games against Big 12 teams. They are the clear-cut top program in this conference. What’s scary is that Houston is starting to land blue-chip recruits going forward.

The only team to earn a victory over Houston this year is Texas Tech. Houston avenged that loss with a win in Lubbock last week, but the Red Raiders were without Chance McMillan and Darrion Williams. That setback doesn’t take away from how good Tech has been this year, and they showed that with their second win ever in Allen Fieldhouse at Kansas.

Iowa State had a terrible loss at Oklahoma State, but it was still without Keshon Gilbert. The Cyclones returned to full strength against Arizona in Hilton Coliseum and they cruised by the Wildcats with a 17-point win.

BYU continues to be one of the hottest teams in the country. The Cougars scored 91 points at shorthanded Arizona State, then dropped West Virginia at home. That was the most points West Virginia has allowed in Big 12 play this season.

BYU and Iowa State square off on Tuesday for the chance to earn a double-bye in next week’s Big 12 Tournament.

Utah continues to show pride after the firing of head coach Craig Smith. The Utes were hammered at Arizona but bounced back against ASU, who were again without Jayden Quaintance and Adam Miller. Utah dropped 99 points in the win.

Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week 18 Edition

Take a look at the week 18 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 | Week 16 | Week 17 |

1. Houston (25-4, 17-1 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 1

Last week

• Houston 69, Texas Tech 61 (Road win)
• Houston 73, Cincinnati 64

This week

• Monday, March 3: vs. Kansas
• Saturday, March 8: at Baylor

2. Texas Tech (22-7, 13-5 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 2

Last week

• Houston 69, Texas Tech 61 (Home loss)
• Texas Tech 78, Kansas 73 (Road win)

This week

• Wednesday, March 5: vs. Colorado
• Saturday, March 8: at Arizona State

3. Iowa State (22-7, 12-6 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 3

Last week

• Oklahoma State 74, Iowa State 68
• Iowa State 84, Arizona 67

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: vs. BYU
• Saturday, March 8: at Kansas State

4. BYU (21-8, 12-6 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 4

Last week

• BYU 91, Arizona State 81 (Road win)
• BYU 77, West Virginia 56

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: at Iowa State
• Saturday, March 8: vs. Utah

5. Arizona (19-10, 13-5 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 5

Last week

• Arizona 83, Utah 66
• Iowa State 84, Arizona 67

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: vs. Arizona State
• Saturday, March 8: at Kansas

6. Kansas (19-10, 10-8 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 6

Last week

• Kansas 71, Colorado 64 (Road win)
• Texas Tech 78, Kansas 73 (Home loss)

This week

• Monday, March 3: at Houston
• Saturday, March 8: vs. Arizona

7. West Virginia (17-12, 8-10 Big 12)

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

Last week

• West Virginia 73, TCU 55
• BYU 77, West Virginia 56

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: at Utah
• Saturday, March 8: vs. UCF

8. TCU (16-13, 9-9 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 8 (Up 1)

Last week

• West Virginia 73, TCU 55
• TCU 89, UCF 78

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: vs. Baylor
• Saturday, March 8: at Colorado

9. Cincinnati (17-12, 7-11 Big 12)

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

Last week

• Cincinnati 69, Baylor 67
• Houston 73, Cincinnati 64

This week

• Wednesday, March 5: vs. Kansas State
• Saturday, March 8: at Oklahoma State

10. Baylor (17-12, 9-9 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 7 (Up 3)

Last week

• Cincinnati 69, Baylor 67
• Baylor 71, Oklahoma State 61

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: at TCU
• Saturday, March 8: vs. Houston

11. Kansas State (14-15, 8-10 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 11

Last week

• UCF 80, Kansas State 76
• Kansas State 65, Colorado 56

This week

• Wednesday, March 5: at Cincinnati
• Saturday, March 8: vs. Iowa State

12. Oklahoma State (14-15, 6-12 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 16 (Up 4)

Last week

• Oklahoma State 74, Iowa State 68
• Baylor 71, Oklahoma State 61

This week

• Wednesday, March 5: at UCF
• Saturday, March 8: vs. Cincinnati

13. UCF (15-14, 6-12 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 13

Last week

• UCF 80, Kansas State 76
• TCU 89, UCF 78

This week

• Wednesday, March 5: vs. Oklahoma State
• Saturday, March 8: at West Virginia

14. Utah (16-13, 8-10 Big 12)

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

Last week

• Arizona 83, Utah 66
• Utah 99, Arizona State 73

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: vs. West Virginia
• Saturday, March 8: at BYU

15. Arizona State (13-16, 4-14 Big 12)

Last week’s power ranking: No. 12 (Down 3)

Last week

• BYU 91, Arizona State 81 (Home loss)
• Utah 99, Arizona State 73

This week

• Tuesday, March 4: at Arizona
• Saturday, March 8: vs. Texas Tech

16. Colorado (11-18, 2-16 Big 12)

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

Last week

• Kansas 71, Colorado 64 (Home loss)
• Kansas State 65, Colorado 56

This week

• Wednesday, March 5: at Texas Tech
• Saturday, March 8: vs. TCU

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.

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