2022-23 Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings: Week 15

Ariel Puterman gives his week 15 Big 12 basketball power rankings.

Matchup of the week: Kansas vs. Baylor

Sneaky good matchup of the week: TCU vs. Oklahoma State

All game times are listed in EST.

1) Texas Longhorns

Texas ain’t playing pic.twitter.com/vb7Jdib0T9

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) February 11, 2023

Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)

Record: 20-5 (9-3)

Last week: @ #9 Kansas (L) 80-88, West Virginia (W) 94-60

Next week: @ Texas Tech (Feb. 13 – 9 p.m.), Oklahoma (Feb. 18 – 2 p.m.)

Best wins: @ Kansas State, TCU, Baylor, Gonzaga, Creighton, Oklahoma State (x2), West Virginia (x2)

Worst losses: N/A

Current Tournament Position: 1 seed (CBS Sports), 2 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN, Making the Madness)

Despite the loss to Kansas, Texas remains the team to beat in the Big 12 after their 30-point win against West Virginia. They have a one-game lead on the conference, but the coast isn’t clear as five times are within two games with six to go. Next week, they get the two worst teams in the Big 12 as a little break before closing off their season with four straight ranked matchups.

2) Baylor Bears

Baylor is ROLLING pic.twitter.com/XOGcUsgCuF

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) February 11, 2023

Last week’s ranking: 3 (+1)

Record: 19-6 (8-4)

Last week: Oklahoma (W) 82-72, @ #17 TCU (W) 72-68

Next week: West Virginia (Feb. 13 – 9 p.m.), @ #9 Kansas (Feb. 18 – 4 p.m.)

Best wins: Kansas, UCLA, @ TCU, Gonzaga, Arkansas, Oklahoma State

Worst losses: N/A

Current Tournament Position: 2 seed (CBS Sports, Making the Madness), 3 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets, ESPN)

Baylor has now won nine of their last ten and is one of the hottest teams in all of college basketball. They had a hard-fought win on the road against TCU and with JTT back, the defense gets even stronger. They probably have their hardest game in Big 12 basketball play coming up, a road game against Kansas on Saturday.

3) Kansas Jayhawks

Kansas at home is insane pic.twitter.com/4bmxBFjLjP

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) February 7, 2023

Last week’s ranking: 4 (+1)

Record: 20-5 (8-4)

Last week: #5 Texas (W) 88-80, @ Oklahoma (W) 78-55

Next week: @ Oklahoma State (Feb. 14 – 9 p.m.), #14 Baylor (Feb. 18 – 4 p.m.)

Best wins: Texas, Indiana, Kansas State, Iowa State, @ Missouri, NC State, Duke, Oklahoma State, Kentucky, Wisconsin

Worst losses: N/A

Current Tournament Position: 1 seed (Matty Brackets, CBS Sports, Making the Madness), 2 seed (ESPN), 3 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist)

Kansas took a step in the right direction after their rough January, going 2-0 on the week with a ranked home win and a blowout road win. The key piece? Dajuan Harris, who scored double digits in both games last week and was a key reason for the victory. Up next, the two hottest teams in Big 12 basketball; a road matchup against Oklahoma State followed by a home test against Baylor.

4) Iowa State Cyclones

Last week’s ranking: 2 (-2)

Record: 16-8 (7-5)

Last week: @ West Virginia (L) 71-76, Oklahoma State (L) 56-64

Next week: #17 TCU (Feb. 15 – 9 p.m.), @ #12 Kansas State (Feb. 18 – 2 p.m.)

Best wins: @ TCU, Texas, Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, North Carolina

Worst losses: @ Texas Tech

Current Tournament Position: 2 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist), 3 seed (Matty Brackets, ESPN), 4 seed (CBS Sports), 5 seed (Making the Madness)

Unlike the teams above them, Iowa State is going in the wrong direction losing three of their last hour with all losses being to the teams that aren’t ranked in the top 25. We know they struggle on the road, being 2-6 this season, but their dominance at home made up for it. They were unable to beat Oklahoma State in Ames, a slightly concerning result. They have three straight-ranked matchups ahead, and this will provide a great opportunity to learn about this team’s potential in March.

5) Kansas State Wildcats

The Wildcats dominated in this one pic.twitter.com/zw9H1u5lTm

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) February 8, 2023

Last week’s ranking: 5 (-)

Record: 19-6 (7-5)

Last week: #17 TCU (W) 82-61, @ Texas Tech (L) 63-71

Next week: @ Oklahoma (Feb. 14 – 9 p.m.), #11 Iowa State (Feb. 18 – 2 p.m.)

Best wins: @ Texas, @ Baylor, Kansas, TCU, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Florida

Worst losses: @ Butler, @ Texas Tech

Current Tournament Position: 2 seed (CBS Sports), 3 seed (ESPN, Making the Madness), 4 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, Matty Brackets)

Losing to Texas Tech is not ideal, especially this late into the season. Luckily, a blowout win against TCU covers that loss, but being 2-4 in the last six games is not what you want to see this late into the season. Luckily for them, they get the two “coldest” teams in the Big 12 this week, taking on Oklahoma and Iowa State.

6) Oklahoma State Cowboys

Oklahoma State gets a massive road win pic.twitter.com/xilLnLk2mT

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) February 12, 2023

Last week’s ranking: 7 (+1)

Record: 16-9 (7-5)

Last week: Texas Tech (W) 71-68, @ #11 Iowa State (W) 64-56

Next week: #9 Kansas (Feb. 14 – 9 p.m.), @ #17 TCU (Feb. 18 – 2 p.m.)

Best wins: Iowa State (2x), TCU, West Virginia

Worst losses: Southern Illinois

Current Tournament Position: 9 seed (Making the Madness) 10 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, ESPN), OUT (Matty Brackets, CBS Sports)

Here come the Cowboys! Oklahoma State has now won five in a row and seven of its last eight, an incredibly difficult feat in Big 12 basketball. They’re only two games out of first place and would love it if they could avoid playing in that first round and get an extra day of rest in the Big 12 Tournament. They’ll look to stay hot at home against Kansas, then a pivotal matchup for seeding against TCU.

7) TCU Horned Frogs

Last week’s ranking: 6 (-)

Record: 17-8 (6-6)

Last week: @ #12 Kansas State (L) 61-82, #14 Baylor (L) 68-72

Next week: @ #11 Iowa State (Feb. 15 – 9 p.m.), Oklahoma State (Feb. 18 – 2 p.m.)

Best wins: @ Kansas, @ Baylor, Kansas State, Providence, Iowa, West Virginia

Worst losses: Northwestern State

Current Tournament Position: 4 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist), 5 seed (Matty Brackets, ESPN, CBS Sports), 6 seed (Making the Madness)

Injuries suck, and unfortunately for TCU, they are suffering the consequences right now. While the team is still holding its own, not having Mike Miles and Eddie Lampkin has been the difference between wins and losses for this team. While it seems like both are close, they will have to prepare to try to win games at the most important time of the year without them, a big ask.

8) West Virginia Mountaineers

BIG. 12. BASKETBALL. pic.twitter.com/XvDs2myLJu

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) February 9, 2023

Last week’s ranking: 8 (-)

Record: 15-10 (4-8)

Last week: #11 Iowa State (W) 76-71, @ #5 Texas (L) 60-94

Next week: @ #14 Baylor (Feb 13. 13 – 9 p.m.), Texas Tech (Feb. 18 – Noon)

Best wins: Iowa State, TCU, Auburn, Pittsburgh, Florida, UAB

Worst losses: N/A

Current Tournament Position: 9 seed (ESPN), 11 seed (Waldo’s Watchlist, CBS Sports, Making the Madness), 12 seed (Matty Brackets)

West Virginia has locked itself in as the 8th-best team in the Big 12 with Oklahoma State’s recent rise and Oklahoma’s recent fall. Their number one focus right now is making the tournament, and at the moment they are in.

They have four more ranked matchups, and winning two of those can lock them in. They’ll have their first chance this week when they go on the road and take on Baylor, a tough place to play.

9) Oklahoma Sooners

Last week’s ranking: 9 (-)

Record: 12-13 (2-10)

Last week: @ #14 Baylor (L) 72-82, #9 Kansas (L) 55-78

Next week: #12 Kansas State (Feb. 14 – 9 p.m.), @ #5 Texas (Feb. 18 – 2 p.m.)

Best wins: Alabama, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Florida

Worst losses: Sam Houston State

Current Tournament Position: OUT

Oklahoma has now lost seven straight Big 12 basketball games, and will probably need to win out to have a shot of making the NCAA Tournament. Defensively, they haven’t been great, allowing 70 or more in their last four games. Oklahoma has two top-12 matchups ahead, and they’re hoping they can gain some momentum and knock out one or both of these teams.

10) Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech MASSIVE win! pic.twitter.com/toDuqRjkse

— College Basketball Review (@CbbReview) February 12, 2023

Last week’s ranking: 10 (-)

Record: 13-12 (2-10)

Last week: @ Oklahoma State (L) 68-71, #12 Kansas State (W) 71-63

Next week: #5 Texas (Feb. 13 – 9 p.m.), @ West Virginia (Feb. 18 – Noon)

Best wins: Iowa State, Kansas State, LSU

Worst losses: N/A

Current Tournament Position: OUT

The Red Raiders pulled off another upset win, taking down Kansas State at home. Devion Harmon played terrifically, scoring 20 points and combatting any run the Wildcats tried to make. We know they can’t win on the road, but with three home games left on the season, Texas Tech hopes it can add a few more wins to its total and develop its freshmen.