Big 12 power rankings: Exhausted Kansas welcoming schedule quirk in expanded league
With the new-look Big 12 expansion, a schedule quirk has emerged.
Each team gets a week off from conference play. A period to recharge. Or maybe regroup.
Because in a conference where it’s often said there is no breaks in opponents, the truth is a week off doesn’t really hurt.
That’s starting to impact the weekly power rankings.
Top-ranked Houston is coming off its week to reset. Struggling Oklahoma State just began its needed break.
For some teams, the break is certainly a welcome sight.
Looking at you, Kansas.
The Jayhawks had the most confusing week of all teams. With a depleted roaster, it beat red-hot Baylor at home. Then Kansas was run out of United Supermarkets Arena in a loss at Texas Tech.
Even the blueblood is far from immune to the challenges of the Big 12 gauntlet.
Let’s get to the rankings.
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1. Houston
Last week: 1
This week: vs. Texas (Saturday); vs. Iowa State (Monday)
What to know: The Cougars are coming off a week-long break, a welcome sight considering this week’s schedule. Beat rival Texas and Iowa State in a three-day stretch at home — where Houston is undefeated — and the Cougars could have an advantage in the title race.
2. Iowa State
Last week: 2
This week: vs. Texas Tech (Saturday); at Houston (Monday)
What to know: The Cyclones have won six of their last seven games, including a 3-1 mark on the road, to gain a share of first place. They’re big, physical and tenacious on defense. How far can that take them?
3. Kansas
Last week: 3
This week: at Oklahoma (Saturday)
What to know: The Jayhawks have as many conference losses as a year ago. They’re a dismal 2-5 on the road. Only seven scholarship players suited up in the blowout loss to Texas Tech due to injuries. Is there another team in the Big 12 that needs the upcoming week off as much as Kansas?
4. Baylor
Last week: 4
This week: at West Virginia (Saturday); at BYU (Tuesday)
What to know: The Bears had the hiccup at Kansas, but their offense continues to roll. Just ask Oklahoma, which allowed 11 3s to Baylor, the most against the Sooners in 45 games. Baylor can also feel good knowing it owns an 11-game regular-season win streak over SEC-bound Oklahoma.
5. Texas Tech
Last week: 6
This week: at Iowa State (Saturday); vs. TCU (Tuesday)
What to know: Have a week Darrion Williams. A double-double against UCF. Then a perfect shooting night against Kansas. Three straight games scoring in double figures for the first time in his career. He’s the key to the Raiders slowing down their recent skid.
6. TCU
Last week: 5
This week: at Kansas State (Saturday); at Texas Tech (Tuesday)
What to know: Jamie Dixon is now 156-104 as TCU’s coach, a win total that ties him with the great Billy Tubbs. The latest win came at the expense of sinking West Virginia.
7. BYU
Last week: 7
This week: at Oklahoma State (Saturday); vs. Baylor (Tuesday)
What to know: BYU’s offense — and free-throw shooting — bailed it out twice last week. But the Cougars also nearly blew two big leads in the second half. That’s a concerning trend throughout Big 12 play.
8. Texas
Last week: 8
This week: at Houston (Saturday); vs. Kansas State (Monday)
What to know: Max Abmas and Dylan Disu are becoming quite a pair offensively, an area the Longhorns have dramatically improved since its early struggles. The Longhorns also enjoyed a week off feeling pretty good after a drubbing of West Virginia.
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9. Oklahoma
Last week: 9
This week: vs. Kansas (Saturday)
What to know: The Sooners remain inconsistent at best. One week, they’re a top-10 team. The next, they’re a mess. And now they have to navigate an injury to rising star Rivaldo Soares, an Oregon transfer.
10. Cincinnati
Last week: 10
This week: at UCF (Saturday); vs. Oklahoma State (Wednesday)
What to know: Tough week for the Bearcats. Two tight home losses to Houston and Iowa State is nothing to panic over. But stealing one win would have been a boost for the NCAA Tournament resume.
11. Kansas State
Last week: 11
This week: vs. TCU (Saturday); at Texas (Monday)
What to know: Can we call it a sophomore slump for coach Jerome Tang? The Wildcats have lost 5 of 6 and the schedule does not lighten up the rest of the way. Making the NCAA Tournament will be tough. But hey, at least they’ll always have the win over Kansas.
12. UCF
Last week: 12
This week: vs. Cincinnati (Saturday); at West Virginia (Tuesday)
What to know: The Knights are 1-5 on the road in conference play. But two of their three road games remaining are against West Virginia and Oklahoma. Those are crucial considering the home slate that remains features Texas Tech, Iowa State and Houston.
More: How Oklahoma State's Brandon Garrison elevated his game under tutelage of Tommy Griffin
13. Oklahoma State
Last week: 14
This week: vs. BYU (Saturday); at Cincinnati (Wednesday)
What to know: No other Big 12 team is playing more true freshmen than the Cowboys, which has led to a ton of growing pains. Still, it’s easy to love what center Brandon Garrison has done this season: 7.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while facing deeply talented and experienced centers.
14. West Virginia
Last week: 13
This week: vs. Baylor (Saturday); vs. UCF (Tuesday)
What to know: Why drop the Mountaineers to last? They’re no longer competing. Their last three losses are by an average of 21.7 points.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Big 12 basketball power rankings: Kansas hoping week off reset helps
