The Big 12 is off to one of the strongest starts in the country. Arizona and Iowa State look like national title contenders, Houston remains a major threat, and the middle of the league has delivered plenty of early punches.
A Conference That Wastes No Time Showing Its Teeth
Three teams remain unbeaten, two sit firmly at the top, and one unbeaten program still carries some question marks. In case you missed, here are last weeks.
Now, here are the updated Big 12 power rankings as December moves forward.
1. Arizona Wildcats (9–0)
Arizona claims the top spot after a dominant win over Auburn. The Wildcats have not played a single-digit game in their last three outings, winning by 30, 37, and 29. Freshman standout Koa Peat leads the way with nearly 16 points per game. Arizona averages 88.5 points while allowing 67.1. A major test arrives Saturday against Alabama.
2. Iowa State Cyclones (9–0)
After scoring 132 points earlier in the week, Iowa State followed it by crushing top-ranked Purdue by 23 on the road. Now 9–0, the Cyclones move into a rivalry game with Iowa on Thursday before returning home for three games leading into Big 12 play on January 2.
3. Houston Cougars (8–1)
Houston remains elite despite sitting third. The Cougars' lone loss came to Tennessee. Since then, they beat Notre Dame and Florida State and already own wins over Auburn and Syracuse. They face Jackson State and New Orleans next, then Arkansas on December 20.
4. BYU Cougars (7–1)
AJ Dybantsa continues to shine with nearly 20 points per game on close to 55 percent shooting. BYU averages 85.3 points per game and has won four straight since a narrow loss to UConn. Wins over Wisconsin, Miami, Dayton, and California Baptist highlight their strong run. Clemson awaits on Tuesday.
5. Kansas Jayhawks (7–3)
Kansas has three losses, but all came against college basketball bluebloods: Duke, North Carolina, and UConn. The Jayhawks also have quality wins over Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Tennessee. Darryn Peterson returned for the blowout win over Missouri. NC State is up next on Saturday.
6. Texas Tech Red Raiders (7–2)
Texas Tech’s only losses came to Big Ten teams, including a heavy defeat to Purdue. The Red Raiders have since won three straight, including a 24 point win over LSU. JT Toppin looks like a major conference player of the year candidate with 22.1 points per game. Arkansas is next.
7. Baylor Bears (6–2)
Baylor dropped a game to Memphis, struggling to slow down Zach Davis, who scored 23. The Bears close December with winnable matchups against Norfolk State, Alcorn State, Southern, and Arlington Baptist.
8. Oklahoma State Cowboys (9–0)
Unbeaten Oklahoma State sits eighth due to a light early schedule. Their best wins came over Texas A&M, Northwestern, and Grand Canyon. They score 91.3 points per game while allowing just over 76. A major in-state test arrives Saturday against Oklahoma.
9. Colorado Buffaloes (8–1)
Colorado has won eight of nine, with the lone loss coming to Colorado State. Isaiah Johnson leads the team with 15.3 points per game. The Buffaloes score 88.4 per game and allow 78.4, making their games among the most entertaining in the league.
10. Central Florida Knights (8–1)
UCF has won seven straight since a loss to Vanderbilt. While none of the victories were signature wins, the Knights continue trending upward. They face Mercer, Florida Gulf Coast, and Florida Atlantic next. Riley Kugel leads with 15.5 points per game.
11. Arizona State Sun Devils (7–2)
The Sun Devils’ losses came against Gonzaga and USC. They responded well with a 16 point win over Oklahoma. Maurice Odom scored 17 in that game, while Anthony Johnson added 16 off the bench. Arizona State averages 81.4 points and allows 75.9.
12. TCU Horned Frogs (6–3)
TCU is coming off a 10 point win against North Texas. All three of their losses have been close, decided by a combined 11 points. David Punch leads the Frogs with 13.6 points per game, while Brock Harding adds 10.3 points and 6.4 assists.
13. Utah Utes (7–3)
Utah bounced back from losing three of four with a 91–85 win over California Baptist. Terrence Brown led the scoring with 27 points. A matchup with Mississippi State is their lone game this week.
14. Cincinnati Bearcats (6–3)
Cincinnati has dropped three of its last five, falling to Louisville, Eastern Michigan, and Xavier. Day Day Thomas leads with just under 14 points per game. They meet Georgia next, followed by Alabama State and Clemson.
15. West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia fell earlier this week after two wins over Mercyhurst and Coppin State. The Mountaineers score just 72.6 points per game but allow only 58.4. Little Rock and Ohio State await on the schedule.
16. Kansas State Wildcats (5–4)
Kansas State started 5–0 but has now dropped four straight. A one point loss to Nebraska spiraled into three double digit defeats. They should steady themselves Monday against Mississippi Valley State before visiting Creighton later in the week.
Closing Thoughts on a Wild Early December
That wraps up the latest Big 12 power rankings. With conference play approaching, expect even more movement in one of the strongest and deepest leagues in college basketball.
just tell me.