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Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Texas Tech beats out Kansas for No. 1

By Jason Kinander

<> at United Spirit Arena on January 8, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas.
<> at United Spirit Arena on January 8, 2019 in Lubbock, Texas. /
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LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 08: Jamal Bieniemy #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to shoot the ball against Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half of the game on January 8, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 66-59. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX – JANUARY 08: Jamal Bieniemy #24 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to shoot the ball against Davide Moretti #25 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half of the game on January 8, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Oklahoma 66-59. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

3. Oklahoma Sooners (13-3, 2-2 Conference Play)

Previous Ranking: No. 3

Ranked in the Top-25, Oklahoma has handled a tough opening two weeks of conference play pretty well, splitting their first four games.

The Sooners defeated Oklahoma State and TCU, while losing to Kansas and Texas Tech. Both the Kansas and Texas Tech losses were on the road, which isn’t much of a surprise against the top two teams in the league.

Additionally, the Sooners played Texas Tech pretty close, leading at times in the second half. In the TCU win, the Sooners stormed back from a first half deficit, winning on a running floater by Kristian Doolittle with three seconds left.

Oklahoma’s non-conference season was defined by the huge play of senior guard Christian James. While James has played well in conference play, it has been the play of Doolittle and others that has carried the Sooners to a pretty solid start, and likely a second week in the top-25.

Oklahoma has a fairly easy stretch coming up, taking on Kansas State, Texas, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State and Baylor in the next three weeks.

It would be pretty surprising if the Sooners didn’t win at least five of those six games. Oklahoma has established itself as one of the top teams in the league in the first few weeks of the season, and I would fully expect them to play to that caliber against lesser teams throughout the next three weeks.

Oklahoma is in real contention for a three or four seed in the NCAA tournament, which is pretty amazing considering that they were on the outside looking in heading into the season.

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