Big 12 basketball power rankings: Is Houston's Jamal Shead the top player in conference?

Five games remain for each Big 12 team.

That means five chances for everything we think we know to blow up. Only fitting in the toughest conference across the country.

No team has gone unscathed this season.

Even Houston, which remains the frontrunner and a clear Final Four contender, has had its struggles. But it’s surviving and thriving in the gauntlet.

Others are not so lucky.

Here are this week’s Big 12 men’s basketball power rankings:

More: College basketball rankings: Big 12 teams in updated Coaches Poll, AP Top 25 on Feb. 19

1. Houston

Last week: 1

This week: at Baylor (Saturday); vs. Cincinnati (Tuesday)

What to know: If I had a vote, Jamal Shead would be atop my player of the year ballot at this point. He is arguably the best point guard in the country, as Iowa State recently found out. Shead scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half, willing the Cougars to the huge win.

2. Iowa State

Last week: 2

This week: vs. West Virginia (Saturday); vs. Oklahoma (Wednesday)

What to know: The Cyclones’ loss to Houston came in perhaps the game of the year in the conference. And it proved one thing: Iowa State’s defense will carry it deep into March.

3. Kansas

Last week: 3

This week: vs. Texas (Saturday); vs. BYU (Tuesday)

What to know: Freshman Johnny Furphy has been red hot since joining the starting lineup Jan. 13, shooting 41.1% from 3-point range while averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds. He’s been a revelation for a team in need of offense for March.

Big 12 softball power rankings: Houston rising up behind top tier of OU, Texas & OSU

4. Texas Tech

Last week: 5

This week: at UCF (Saturday); vs. Texas (Tuesday)

What to know: Credit coach Grant McCasland for rebuilding the Red Raiders through the transfer portal. Landing Joe Toussaint was huge. Keeping Pop Isaacs on board, though, was the biggest move. Texas Tech has one of the best tandems in the league.

5. Baylor

Last week: 4

This week: vs. Houston (Saturday); at TCU (Monday)

What to know: The Bears are fun to watch when the offense clicks like it did in recent wins over Oklahoma and West Virginia. But their defense, well, leaves a lot to be desired.

6. BYU

Last week: 7

This week: at Kansas State (Saturday); at Kansas (Tuesday)

What to know: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I want to believe in BYU. But the past week — a loss at Oklahoma State and a home win over Baylor — tells me the Cougars are not quite built for March.

7. TCU

Last week: 6

This week: vs. Cincinnati (Saturday); vs. Baylor (Monday)

What to know: The Horned Frogs are on a bit of skid, dropping three of their last five games. Blowing a double-digit lead at Texas Tech only makes things worse.

8. Texas

Last week: 8

This week: at Kansas (Saturday); at Texas Tech (Tuesday)

What to know: What do the Longhorns do when superstar Max Abmas is struggling to score like he has the past two games? They turn to their stingy defense. But is that enough?

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9. Oklahoma

Last week: 9

This week: at Oklahoma State (Saturday); at Iowa State (Wednesday)

What to know: Will a week off help the Sooners regain their footing? Rivaldo Soares getting healthy would be a big boost, especially with two tough road games on the schedule.

10. Cincinnati

Last week: 10

This week: at TCU (Saturday); at Houston (Tuesday)

What to know: The Bearcats ended the week on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Then they did not help themselves at all with a home loss to Oklahoma State. That’s losses in three of the past four games, but it’s hard to fault two of those — Houston and Iowa State.

11. Oklahoma State

Last week: 13

This week: vs. Oklahoma (Saturday); vs. UCF (Wednesday)

What to know: While other teams in this tier are trending in the wrong direction, the young Cowboys are improving. They’ve won four of their past seven games, and they finally got that elusive road win. Plus, they're 2-0 since Mike Boynton pointed to name, image and likeness limitations as an internal problem.

More: Oklahoma State basketball holds off Cincinnati for first Big 12 road win of season

12. Kansas State

Last week: 11

This week: vs. BYU (Saturday); vs. West Virginia (Monday)

What to know: The Wildcats have lost seven of eight — though, that one victory was over Kansas — and are quickly fading out of the March Madness picture. Winning out — including wins over BYU, Kansas and Iowa State — might be the best chance to make the NCAA Tournament.

13. UCF

Last week: 12

This week: vs. Texas Tech (Saturday); at Oklahoma State (Wednesday)

What to know: The Knights have lost seven of their last nine games. But four straight losses, with the most recent being to a skidding West Virginia, have all but pushed them out of the NCAA Tournament picture. And the schedule doesn’t lighten up the rest of the way.

14. West Virginia

Last week: 14

This week: at Iowa State (Saturday); at Kansas State (Monday)

What to know: The Mountaineers ended a four-game losing streak with the win over UCF on Tuesday. But that doesn’t erase the bad taste from a lost season.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Big 12 basketball power rankings: Houston's Jamal Shead player of year