Big 12's Texas, Baylor reach top-10 status in AP's Top 25 poll as they eye Dec. 30 matchup
This week, two Big 12 teams — No. 5 Texas and No. 10 Baylor — were voted into the top 10 of the Associated Press poll. The Pac-12 has four top-10 teams, but the Big 12 is matching the top-10 production of the SEC while besting the Big Ten (one) and ACC (one).
Here are the newest power rankings:
1. Texas
What to know: The Longhorns finally got a signature win on their résumé in Sunday's 80-68 takedown of then-No. 11 UConn. Due to their efforts in that game, Rori Harmon and Madison Booker were named the Big 12's player and freshman of the week.
2. Baylor
What to know: Is it time to start thinking ahead to Dec. 30 when Texas and Baylor could meet as top-10 and undefeated adversaries? Texas has three winnable games until then. Miami on Dec. 16 would be Baylor's biggest threat.
3. Kansas State
What to know: Kansas State has already held three of its nine opponents under 40 points. With Ayoka Lee out last season, Kansas State managed to hold an opponent under 40 just once during a 19-17 campaign.
4. Oklahoma
What to know: Oklahoma was listed among the "Others receiving votes" in the AP poll, but so was the UNLV team that the Sooners will play on Saturday. In fact, UNLV (25) and Oklahoma (21) received the 27th- and 28th-most points from voters.
5. West Virginia
What to know: West Virginia is still unbeaten, but one of those eight wins is unlike the others. On Monday, West Virginia beat No. 25 Penn State in Morgantown by 18 points. That Penn State team had previously taken out Kansas and Oklahoma State.
6. TCU
What to know: An 82-50 win over Tulsa on Dec. 1 was historic for several reasons. For starters, TCU improved to 8-0 and that was the best start in its 47-year history. Madison Conner's 41 points also set a TCU record for points scored in a non-overtime game.
7. Texas Tech
What to know: Texas Tech is 10-0, but only one of those wins have come against a team with a top-100 NET rating. The Lady Raiders have one more measuring stick on their schedule before Big 12 play begins: Oregon State in Hawaii on Dec. 20.
8. Oklahoma State
What to know: There's apparently no place like home. Oklahoma State is 4-0 at Gallagher-Iba Arena with an average margin of victory of 24 points. The Cowgirls are 0-3 in road games and at neutral locations with losses by 9, 11 and 18 points.
9. Kansas
What to know: Kansas is 0-4 against teams from non-mid major conferences. Before Big 12 play begins, Kansas gets two more shots at a big-conference school when it goes to Wichita State on Dec. 10 and hosts Nebraska on Dec. 20.
10. BYU
What to know: BYU snapped a two-game losing streak with a 72-66 win over Utah State on Tuesday. The Cougars got 19 points from Amari Whiting, the daughter of BYU coach Amber Whiting. Both of Amari's parents played at BYU.
11. Houston
What to know: In its only loss, Houston was held by Middle Tennessee to 45 points. That's its season-low by 34 points. In Houston's five wins, the Cougars are averaging 94.2 points. Four Cougars are scoring at least 10 points per game.
12. Central Florida
What to know: Off to a 7-0 start for only the second time in the last 40 years, Central Florida needed two free throws in the final second of a 42-41 win over Campbell on Dec. 3 to keep that perfect record intact.
13. Iowa State
What to know: The Cyclones put a scare into rival Iowa on Wednesday, but their record still dipped to 4-4 with a 67-58 loss. Still, does those close call against a top-five team indicate that Iowa State may be up to the challenge of running with the Big 12's best?
14. Cincinnati
What to know: Between a game against Kentucky in the Virgin Islands on Nov. 25 and Sunday's game against crosstown rival Xavier, Cincinnati only had one game on the schedule. Cincinnati will play four more times before Big 12 play begins.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Big 12 Power Rankings: Texas and Baylor move closer to top-10 clash
