Ariel Puterman gives his Big 12 basketball power rankings heading into week 15 of the 2024-25 season.
Matchup of the week: Houston at Arizona (Feb. 15 – 2 p.m.)
Sneaky good matchup of the week: Kansas State at BYU (Feb. 15 – 9 p.m.)
All games listed are EST
1) Houston Cougars
Last week’s ranking: 2 (+1)
Record: 19-4 (11-1)
Last week: W vs. Oklahoma State (72-63), W at Colorado (69-59)
Next week: vs. Baylor (Feb 10 – 9:00 p.m), at #13 Arizona (Feb 15 – 2:00 p.m)
Quality wins: at #17 Kansas, West Virginia (2x), at UCF, BYU
Bad losses: None
Seed projection: 2 seed (Making the Madness, ESPN, CBS Sports)
Pretty uninspiring week for Houston, who should have won both games by 20+, and instead beat them by a combined 19 points. This team is pretty hurt and might have taken the foot of the gas before this week, but two wins are two wins.
This week is the most important of the season. They’ll face Baylor at home before going on the road to Arizona, where the winner could potentially run away with the Big 12. Houston obviously passes the eye test, but they’ll need more signature wins if they want to be a one or two-seed, which they can pick up now.
2) Arizona Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 3 (+1)
Record: 17-6 (11-1)
Last week: W at BYU (85-74), W vs. #13 Texas Tech (82-73)
Next week: at Kansas State (Feb 11 – 8:00 p.m), vs. #6 Houston (Feb 15 – 2:00 p.m)
Quality wins: Baylor, at Cincinnati, at West Virginia, UCF, #10 Iowa State, #12 Texas Tech, BYU
Bad losses: None
Seed projection: 3 seed (CBS Sports, Making the Madness), 4 seed (ESPN)
Every game Arizona wins, the non-conference record makes less sense. Whatever happened after that is working though, as they now sit at 11-1 in conference play after a big win against Texas Tech, who handed them their only loss. They’ve won six in a row, and Caleb Love has been great, leading the team in scoring in four straight games. The offense has also scored over 80 points in four straight games and five of the last six.
Like Houston, this could be the most important week of the season for Arizona. They’ll face the hottest team in the Big 12, before welcoming Houston. It’s a shame Alabama is playing Auburn on Saturday, or that would be by far the game of the day.
3) Texas Tech Red Raiders
Last week’s ranking: 4 (+1)
Record: 18-5 (9-3)
Last week: W vs. Baylor (73-59), L at #20 Arizona (73-82)
Next week: vs. Arizona State (Feb 12 – 9:00 p.m), at Oklahoma State (Feb 15 – 3:00 p.m)
Quality wins: #13 Arizona, at BYU, at #6 Houston, Baylor
Bad losses: None
Seed projection: 3 seed (ESPN), 4 seed (Making the Madness), 5 seed (CBS Sports)
The hottest team in the country finally cooled down, losing to Arizona on the road, but not before picking up another big win against Baylor. McMillan, Toppin, and Hawkins continue to be an elite big 3, and with games against Arizona State and Oklahoma State, they should clinch a winning record in conference play.
4) Iowa State Cyclones
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-2)
Record: 18-5 (8-4)
Last week: L at #16 Kansas (52-69), W vs. TCU (82-52)
Next week: at UCF (Feb 11 – 7:00 p.m), vs. Cincinnati (Feb 15 – 4:00 p.m)
Quality wins: #18 Marquette, #17 Kansas, Baylor, at #12 Texas Tech, Dayton (Neutral), at Iowa, UCF
Bad losses: Kansas State
Seed projection: 3 seed (ESPN, Making the Madness, CBS Sports)
Up and down week for Iowa State. First, they got blown out at Allen Fieldhouse in their worst offensive performance of the season. Then, they demolished TCU at home on College Gameday. Milan Momcilovic is back, and that is a huge difference-maker for this team. They play two bubble teams, so hopefully for Iowa State, they can add to quality wins this week as they look to remain a three-seed or better.
5) Kansas State Wildcats
Last week’s ranking: 9 (+4)
Record: 12-11 (6-6)
Last week: W at Arizona State (71-70), W vs. #16 Kansas (81-73)
Next week: vs. #13 Arizona (Feb 11 – 8:00 p.m), at BYU (Feb 15 – 9:00 p.m)
Quality wins: West Virginia, at #10 Iowa State, #17 Kansas
Bad losses: Liberty, Wichita State
Seed projection: OUT (ESPN, CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
Talk about a turnaround! After starting 1-6 in conference play, they’ve ripped off five straight wins to get back to .500 and keep their season alive. They beat their rivals Kansas at home once again, and don’t look to slow down anytime soon. Coleman Hawkins is playing at the level they expected, Dug McDaniel has become an elite-level passer, and David N’Guessan is scoring 20 points easily.
As the seed projection states, they not close to being comfortable yet, but if they can go 2-0 again, they’ll have quite the resume to make the field.
6) Baylor Bears
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-1)
Record: 15-8 (7-5)
Last week: L at #13 Texas Tech (59-73), W at UCF (91-76)
Next week: at #6 Houston (Feb 10 – 9:00 p.m), vs. West Virginia (Feb 15 – 2:00 p.m)
Quality wins: Arkansas (Neutral), #9 St. John’s (Neutral), #17 Kansas, at UCF
Bad losses: at Gonzaga
Seed projection: 9 seed (ESPN, Making the Madness), 10 seed (CBS Sports)
Second straight 1-1 week for Baylor, losing to Texas Tech, then beating UCF. Norchad Omier was the MVP this week, averaging 17.5 PPG and 12 RPG. They’ll most likely go 1-1 again this week, going on the road to Houston, then at home against West Virginia.
7) Kansas Jayhawks
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-1)
Record: 15-6 (6-4)
Last week: W vs. #8 Iowa State (69-52), L at Kansas State (73-81)
Next week: vs. Colorado (Feb 11 – 9:00 p.m), at Utah (Feb 15 – 10:00 p.m)
Quality wins: #3 Duke (Neutral), UNC, #11 Michigan State (Neutral), at UCF, #10 Iowa State
Bad losses: None
Seed projection: 3 seed (ESPN), 4 seed (Making the Madness), 5 seed (CBS Sports)
Like Iowa State, an up-and-down week for the Jayhawks. They looked like a championship-level team against Iowa State, then a team who shouldn’t make the tournament against Kansas State. The lack of consistency has plagued them all year and doesn’t look to stop anytime soon.
This is by far the easiest week of conference play for the Jayhawks. Anything but a 2-0 week would raise red flags for this team.
8) West Virginia Mountaineers
Last week’s ranking: 7 (-1)
Record: 15-8 (6-6)
Last week: L at TCU (60-65), W vs. Utah (72-61)
Next week: vs. BYU (Feb 11 – 7:00 p.m), at Baylor (Feb 15 – 2:00 p.m)
Quality wins: #10 Iowa State, at #17 Kansas, Gonzaga (Neutral), #13 Arizona (Neutral), Georgetown
Bad losses: None
Seed projection: 8 seed (CBS Sports), 9 seed (ESPN), 10 seed (Making the Madness)
We wrote last week that as long as West Virginia can stay .500 in Big 12 play, they should comfortably make the tournament, and they did just that this week. They should be able to do so again next week, taking on BYU at home and Baylor on the road. They’ll have to do it without Tucker DeVries, who’s out for the season, but as long as Javon Small is playing, they have a chance.
9) Cincinnati Bearcats
Last week’s ranking: 15 (+6)
Record: 14-9 (4-8)
Last week: W at UCF (93-83), W vs. BYU (84-66)
Next week: vs. Utah (Feb 11 – 7:00 p.m), at #10 Iowa State (Feb 15 – 4:00 p.m)
Quality wins: Xavier, Dayton (Neutral), BYU
Bad losses: None
Seed projection: OUT (ESPN, CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
It might be too little too late, but a much-needed 2-0 week for Cincinnati against two fellow bubble teams. Day Day Thomas and Jizzle James were phenomenal, and after failing to score 80 points in the first ten games in conference play, they did it twice.
Still a long way to go to get back on the bubble, but a win at Iowa State would go a long way. They’ll have to beat Utah first, who had their number earlier this season.
10) TCU Horned Frogs
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+1)
Record: 12-11 (5-7)
Last week: W vs. West Virginia (65-60), L at #8 Iowa State (52-82)
Next week: vs. Oklahoma State (Feb 12 – 8:00 p.m), at Arizona State (Feb 15 – 8:00 p.m)
Quality wins: at Baylor, Xavier, BYU, West Virginia
Bad losses: Santa Clara (Neutral), Colorado State (Neutral)
Seed projection: OUT (ESPN, CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
TCU picked up a home win, but they’ll need to find out how to win on the road if they want any chance. They’re 1-6 on the road, second worst in the conference and have lost the last three by 14 or more. They do have their easiest road game of conference play coming up, facing Arizona State. This could be a big week for them and a chance to go 7-7. Let’s see if they can execute.
11) BYU Cougars
Last week’s ranking: 8 (-3)
Record: 15-8 (6-6)
Last week: L vs. #20 Arizona (74-85), L at Cincinnati (66-84)
Next week: at West Virginia (Feb 11 – 7:00 p.m), vs. Kansas State (Feb 15 – 9:00 p.m)
Quality wins: Baylor, at UCF, Arizona State
Bad losses: at Providence
Seed projection: Last Four in (ESPN), First Four Out (CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
Losing to Arizona is fine, losing to Cincinnati by 18 is unacceptable. They are now the last team in on ESPN, and just out on other bracketologies. BYU still has to play Arizona, Kansas, Iowa State, and West Virginia twice who are all projected tournament teams. This could mean that they have some opportunities to pick up big wins, but not a lot of free wins.
They’ll need to be better on defense if they want any chance. They’ve allowed 80+ points in three of the past four games.
12) Utah Utes
Last week’s ranking: 12 (-)
Record: 13-10 (5-7)
Last week: W vs. Colorado (72-59), L at West Virginia (61-72)
Next week: at Cincinnati (Feb 11 – 7:00 p.m), vs. #17 Kansas (Feb 15 – 10:00 p.m)
Quality wins: BYU
Bad losses: None
Seed Projection: OUT (ESPN, CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
Utah picked up the free win against Colorado, but couldn’t get it done against West Virginia. BYU being the only quality win this late in the second all but solidifies this team isn’t tournament quality, but they can prove people wrong if they get a win vs. Kansas.
13) UCF Knights
Last week’s ranking: 10 (-3)
Record: 13-10 (4-8)
Last week: L vs. Cincinnati (83-93), L at Baylor (76-91)
Next week: vs. #10 Iowa State (Feb 11 – 7:00 p.m), at Colorado (Feb 15 – 3:00 p.m)
Quality wins: vs. #8 Texas A&M, at #13 Texas Tech, at Arizona State
Bad losses: Kansas
Seed projection: First Four Out (ESPN), OUT (CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
What a shame this team has become. The same team with wins over Texas A&M and Texas Tech nows sits at 4-8 in conference play with four straight losses. They’ve allowed 90+(!!!) points in three of the last four games, and don’t have the offense to match that. It doesn’t get better, facing Iowa State on Tuesday. They do get Colorado after that, which should hopefully be enough to get back on track.
14) Oklahoma State Cowboys
Last week’s ranking: 14 (-)
Record: 12-11 (3-9)
Last week: L at #5 Houston (63-72), W vs. Arizona State (86-73)
Next week: at TCU (Feb 12 – 7:00 p.m), vs. #12 Texas Tech (Feb 15 – 3:00 p.m)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: FAU (Neutral)
Seed Projection: OUT (ESPN, CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
Oklahoma State would love to keep picking up wins, and winning the ones you should be is a great feeling. In all honestly, this was probably their best week of the season, holding the lead against Houston on the road for most of the first of the season, then beating Arizona State by double digits.
This week, they hope to continue that momentum on the road against TCU, before a tough matchup against Texas Tech.
15) Arizona State Sun Devils
Last week’s ranking: 13 (-2)
Record: 12-11 (3-9)
Last week: L vs. Kansas State (70-71), L at Oklahoma State (73-86)
Next week: at #12 Texas Tech (Feb 12 – 9:00 p.m), vs. TCU (Feb 15 – 8:00 p.m)
Quality wins: at West Virginia, Saint Mary’s (Neutral), Grand Canyon (Neutral), New Mexico (Neutral)
Bad losses: None
Seed Projection: OUT (ESPN, CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
Unfortunately for Arizona State, it seems like it’s a conference tournament championship or bust at this point. They had a chance to beat Kansas State, but Jayden Quaintance missed both free throws with seconds to go to lose by one. The non-conference wins can only take them so far, and they don’t look great on both sides of the ball.
If they want to make some noise, they’ll have to do it against Texas Tech on the road.
16) Colorado Buffaloes
Last week’s ranking: 16 (-)
Record: 9-14 (0-12)
Last week: L at Utah (59-72), L vs. #5 Houston (59-69)
Next week: at #17 Kansas (Feb 11 – 9:00 p.m), vs. UCF (Feb 15 – 3:00 p.m)
Quality wins: UConn (Neutral)
Bad losses: None
Seed Projection: OUT (ESPN, CBS Sports, Making the Madness)
The streak continues, now extending to 12 games. It’s truly impressive, and I think a little part of everyone wants to see if they can complete the winless season. This week won’t be easy, but UCF at home is definitely a team they can beat. If not, see you here again next week.
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